Chapter 25 Summary: Chiamaka – Ace of Spades
⚠️ 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
The chapter opens at school on Friday with Chiamaka navigating a hallway thick with whispers. She thanks Jamie for helping remove the posters Aces put up, but Jamie’s response is cold and evasive. When Chiamaka asks about the photograph from his party, Jamie denies knowing anything and reminds her of her own culpability in the hit-and-run accident. He suggests Aces is hinting at it and chillingly tells her she could go down for a hit-and-run. Chiamaka realizes Jamie was driving—he hit the girl and fled—yet he acts as if she is the guilty one. Distraught, she accuses Jamie of being Aces, citing his knowledge of her secrets and his sabotage of his relationship with Belle. Jamie laughs, denies being Aces, and mocks her: “Isn’t this what you wanted? Since freshman year? … For people to know your name, for everyone to talk about you. Popularity?” He touches her hair like an experiment, then leaves.
Chiamaka rushes to Devon’s music class and breaks down, fearing her future is ruined. Later, Belle meets her after detention and they walk home together. Belle reveals she has told Jamie she is interested in someone else—Chiamaka. They share a kiss, uninterrupted this time. Belle comes out as bi, and Chiamaka admits she has been denying her own feelings.
Walking home alone, Chiamaka notices a black car following her. The driver wears the same creepy mask from Thursday. She runs, gets inside her house, and watches through the door as the figure pushes an envelope through the mail slot. Inside are Polaroids of her house, her bedroom, her undressing, and finally a note from Aces saying “All will be revealed … I’m ready to have a ball, are you?” Aces then texts Chiamaka a picture of Devon kissing a boy on a jungle gym, threatening to share more. Chiamaka is terrified but decides not to call the police because Aces knows about the hit-and-run. Instead, she scrolls to a contact and makes a call.
Key Events
- Chiamaka thanks Jamie for taking down posters; their conversation turns hostile.
- Jamie implies Aces will expose Chiamaka’s role in the hit-and-run, reminding her she didn’t call for help.
- Chiamaka accuses Jamie of being Aces; Jamie denies it and twists her desire for popularity against her.
- Jamie touches Chiamaka’s hair mockingly and leaves.
- Chiamaka breaks down to Devon, fearing her Ivy League dreams are over.
- Belle and Chiamaka walk home; Belle tells Jamie she is interested in someone else.
- Belle and Chiamaka kiss; Belle comes out as bisexual; Chiamaka accepts her attraction.
- A masked figure follows Chiamaka home and delivers an envelope of invasive Polaroids.
- Aces sends a photo of Devon with a boy, threatening further exposure.
- Chiamaka decides not to call the police and instead contacts someone from her phone.
Character Development
Chiamaka reaches a new low. She is terrified, paranoid, and emotionally shattered. Her confrontation with Jamie shows her vulnerability and her dawning awareness of how little real power she ever had. Her acceptance of her feelings for Belle represents a rare moment of honesty and self-revelation, even as her life spirals. The Polaroid sequence marks her loss of safety: Aces has invaded her home.
Jamie reveals his true colors. He is manipulative, condescending, and possibly more involved than he admits. He denies being Aces, but his knowledge of the accident and his cruel mockery suggest deep-seated resentment toward Chiamaka. His casual racism emerges when he touches her hair like a specimen.
Belle provides the chapter’s only warmth. She chooses Chiamaka over Jamie, comes out to her, and offers genuine affection. Her presence contrasts with the hostility and fear that dominate the chapter.
Devon appears briefly as a support figure, but the photo Aces sends of him with a boy reveals his own secret vulnerability, making him a target too.
Aces escalates from digital harassment to physical stalking. The Polaroids demonstrate that they have access to Chiamaka’s home address and gate code, suggesting institutional reach. Their message promises a “ball,” indicating a public reveal is imminent.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Power and Powerlessness – Chiamaka’s social capital evaporates. Jamie reminds her that her only power was in hallways, while his comes from legacy and whiteness. The stalker’s invasion of her home reduces her to a powerless victim.
Surveillance and Violation – The Polaroids literalize the motif of being watched. Aces photographs Chiamaka in her most private spaces, turning her home into a stage. The image of Devon on the jungle gym extends the surveillance to intimacy.
Class and Race – Jamie’s privilege protects him. Chiamaka cannot call the police because the hit-and-run secret ties her hands. The text implies that white male legacies “get away with murder.”
Love and Fear – The kiss with Belle is a defiant moment of joy set against the chapter’s terror. The parallel narratives—Chiamaka’s fear and her budding romance—illustrate how Aces targets both her identity and her relationships.
Performance and Identity – Jamie mocks Chiamaka for wanting fame. His line “Isn’t this what you wanted?” suggests Aces is giving her the notoriety she craved, albeit a monstrous version.
Why This Chapter Matters
This is a turning point. Chiamaka fully realizes that Aces is not just a cyberbully but a physical stalker who can reach her at home. The Polaroids eliminate any illusion of safety. The hit-and-run secret is now in play, threatening both Chiamaka and Jamie. The chapter also solidifies Chiamaka’s romantic arc with Belle and deepens her characterization. It sets up the Sunday event as a climax where Aces promises to reveal everything. Finally, Chiamaka’s decision to call someone (likely Devon or an ally) shows she is still fighting, despite overwhelming fear.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Chiamaka decide not to call the police after receiving the Polaroids?
Chiamaka fears that involving the police will lead to an investigation of the hit-and-run accident. Aces knows she was present and helped cover it up, so she believes she cannot trust law enforcement without incriminating herself.
2. What does Jamie’s comment “Isn’t this what you wanted? Since freshman year?” reveal about his view of Chiamaka?
Jamie thinks Chiamaka’s ambition for popularity and attention makes her partly responsible for the harassment. He dismisses her suffering as a twisted fulfillment of her own desires, showing his resentment and lack of empathy.
3. How does the kiss with Belle contrast with the rest of the chapter’s tone?
The kiss offers a brief, genuine moment of connection and self-acceptance. It stands in stark contrast to the fear, paranoia, and violation Chiamaka experiences elsewhere. It suggests that despite Aces’ efforts, Chiamaka can still find intimacy and honesty.