Chapter 6 Summary: Timid Hearts and First Sights

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Savannah sits in a New York hotel room with her younger sister Ida, who has insisted on seeing her off. Ida admits that after Poppy’s death four years ago, she felt she lost both sisters because Savannah withdrew behind emotional walls. Ida pleads for Savannah to go on the therapy trip, not only for the family but for herself. Savannah agrees, promising to try.

At JFK airport, therapists Leo and Mia introduce Savannah to the other teens: Jade, Lili, Travis, and the warm, tactile Dylan. The last to arrive is Cael, a tall, tattooed boy dressed in black with striking crystal-blue eyes. Savannah notices he seems as closed off as she is. After tearful goodbyes with her parents and Ida, Savannah suffers a panic attack but manages to calm herself. Cael and Dylan flank her as the group moves toward security, and Savannah silently asks her deceased sister Poppy for help in learning to live without her.

Key Events

Ida reveals that she has felt she lost both sisters after Poppy’s death, as Savannah became emotionally impenetrable.
Savannah admits she does not know how to “come back” from her grief but agrees to attend the therapy trip.
At the airport, Savannah meets the other grieving teens: Jade, Lili, Travis, and Dylan.
Cael arrives last; Savannah notices his intense gaze, tattoos, and aloof demeanor, sensing a kindred isolation.
Savannah’s goodbye with her family is emotional; her father tells her Poppy will be watching over her.
Savannah experiences a panic attack upon leaving her family but works through it with Mia’s help.
Cael and Dylan position themselves protectively beside Savannah as the group heads for security.
Savannah touches her notebook inside her bag and silently prays to Poppy for strength.

Character Development

Savannah remains trapped in her grief but takes a tentative step forward by agreeing to the trip. Ida’s raw confession forces Savannah to recognize the cost of her withdrawal. At the airport, Savannah’s panic attack shows her vulnerability, yet she refuses to let her family intervene, demonstrating a fragile determination.

Ida emerges as the emotional catalyst of the chapter. Usually cheerful, she drops her mask to reveal her own pain and longing for her sister. Her words—that she lost two sisters after Poppy’s death—deepen Savannah’s guilt and motivation.

Cael is introduced as a stormy, silent presence. His avoidance of his parents, his dark clothing, and the way he wordlessly steps closer to Savannah suggest he carries his own heavy grief. The flicker of camaraderie Savannah feels toward him hints at a future connection.

Dylan provides immediate warmth and lightness. He hugs Savannah without hesitation and checks on her after her panic attack, showing a natural empathy that contrasts with Cael’s distance.

Leo and Mia are experienced grief psychologists whose calm professionalism offers a safe structure for the troubled teens. Mia’s gentle intervention during Savannah’s anxiety attack helps her regain composure.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Walls and Isolation: Ida explicitly describes the walls Savannah built around her heart. This motif of emotional barricades recurs as Savannah observes masks of normalcy on the other teens.
Sibling Bonds: The chapter centers on the relationships between sisters. Ida’s plea—that she needs her sister back—underscores how grief can fracture even the strongest familial ties.
Grief as a Shared Burden: The group of six teens, each wearing a “mask of normalcy,” represents the collective weight of loss. Savannah senses the “clogging sadness leaking from our souls.”
The Notebook: Savannah touches her notebook, which holds her connection to Poppy. It symbolizes her wish to hear from her sister again and her desire to find the courage to live.
Protection and Support: Cael and Dylan’s silent stance on either side of Savannah, as if guarding her, introduces a motif of unexpected protection that may develop throughout the trip.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 6 establishes the emotional stakes and introduces the core cast. Ida’s confession drives Savannah’s motivation to participate in the therapy program, while the airport scenes set the tone for a journey among strangers bound by grief. Savannah’s first glimpse of Cael creates instant intrigue; his mirrored isolation and wordless act of standing near her hint at a significant bond to come. The chapter also lays the groundwork for the central question: can Savannah learn to live without Poppy?

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Ida mean when she says she “lost two sisters” after Poppy’s death?
Ida means that while she grieved Poppy, Savannah also withdrew emotionally and became unreachable. Savannah built walls that shut Ida out, making Ida feel as though she lost the sister she once had.

2. How does Savannah react when she first sees Cael, and what does that reaction reveal about her state of mind?
Savannah momentarily stops breathing and feels a flicker of “camaraderie” because Cael seems just as closed off as she is. This shows that she recognizes a kindred spirit in someone else who is also struggling with grief and isolation.

3. Why does Savannah touch her notebook as the group walks toward security?
The notebook is a tangible connection to her deceased sister Poppy. Savannah hopes that by touching it, she can feel Poppy’s presence and summon the courage to face the trip. It represents her desire to hear from Poppy one last time.