Summary
Part Three, Truth or Dare, Chapter 30
On Friday, November 9, the narration returns to Nate’s perspective as he is released from jail. He feels overwhelmed with guilt that Addy and Cooper had to fend off Jake’s attacks, while Bronwyn helped crack the case open. He believes he’s the “only one in the murder club who didn’t contribute a goddamn thing.” Therefore, he believes he is not good enough for Bronwyn.
A week later, Cooper is on the cover of People magazine with Kris. He’s hoping to attend Cal State, the school that remained interested in him before he was a celebrity.
Meanwhile, Addy is recovering from the trauma of a cracked skull and the realization that her ex-boyfriend tried to kill her. Ashton takes her to the new apartment she’s rented, and invites Addy to live with her, escaping her mother’s gaze.
The next day, Bronwyn gives an interview to the Mikhail Powers Investigates news crew admitting to cheating. She partly blames herself for Simon’s rage. That same day, Nate dumps her.
Epilogue
The narration resumes three months later, on February 15th. Bronwyn has been dating Evan Neiman from mathletes, but lacks real feelings for him. She is performing a piano solo at the San Diego Symphony—"Variations on the Canon,” the same song she played for Nate.
Her performance goes beautifully. Afterward, Nate approaches her and apologizes for his behavior. He felt inadequate, and didn’t have a good model for relationships. The two arrange a date.
Analysis
The final chapters of the book reveal major takeaways when it comes to the novel’s commentary on the effect of stereotypes. As a star athlete and white male, Cooper’s homosexuality is eventually a surmountable obstacle in the world of baseball. However, he realizes that the teams who only became interested after his fame may have some ingrained homophobia, and he is leaning towards the one who held steady interest.
Meanwhile, Addy comes to terms with the way her mother’s toxic view of female dependency on men made her unable to see Jake’s dark side. When she makes the choice to move in with Ashton, there is a symbolic female bonding, a move away from old patriarchal worldviews and towards a new kind of kinship.
Nate realizes the way that his own views of himself as a “criminal”—exacerbated by his treatment in the criminal justice system—left him feeling inadequate and engaging in self-defeating behavior. However, Bronwyn’s unflagging faith, along with the beauty of her piano playing, helps him begin to trust himself.
Finally, Bronwyn has overcome her angst about being a “model minority,” realizing how it drove her to cheat. As she embraces her true identity, she is able to play piano with more true feeling, as well as follow her heart when it comes to Nate.
While the novel remains cynical about many of society’s cultural forces, including old institutions like the criminal justice system and new ones like social media, it does suggest a model for escaping them. When four very different characters are flung together by circumstance, they work together rather than blaming each other.
