Chapter 32 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

On Monday morning, Ishu arrives at school preoccupied with the fallout from the fake dating guide and her growing feelings for Hani. As she passes the office, she spots a freshly posted list of names and realizes the candidate shortlists for prefect and Head Girl have been announced earlier than she expected.

Ishu scans the list. Hani's name appears among the prefect candidates: she has been shortlisted for International Prefect, with an interview scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the library. Ishu is not surprised—everyone likes Hani, and prefect positions are plentiful. At the bottom of the list, the four Head Girl candidates are named, each with an interview time in the principal's office on Tuesday. Ishu finds her own name: Ishita Dey, 10:30 a.m.

Despite making the cut, Ishu feels a mix of relief and dread. She remembers that Nik was also on this list during her fifth year and still lost the election. Ishu doubts she has the charm or personality to win what her sister could not.

Hani appears around the corner, concern on her face. When Ishu tells her the news, Hani brightens and congratulates her, but notices Ishu's disappointment. Ishu explains that the shortlist is the part she cannot control—the vote is what matters. Hani insists the plan worked: Aisling and Dee are now on their side, so Ishu cannot lose. Ishu teases that Hani has jinxed it, and Hani rolls her eyes, smiling.

Hani mentions that Aisling and Dee want to celebrate after school and asks Ishu to come. Ishu hesitates, then steers the conversation toward the fake dating guide. She argues that if Nik does something with it, all their hard work will be ruined. Hani agrees and tells Ishu she needs to talk to her sister.

Ishu resists. She fears that confronting Nik might make things worse—that bringing it up could provoke Nik into acting. Hani counters that they cannot simply wait and hope, and that deleting the document would not help because Nik could have already saved a copy. Ishu admits that deleting the guide would feel hollow anyway; it may be evidence of their lie, but it also feels like a history of the two of them.

Hani offers to help Ishu prepare a script and to be present for the conversation. Ishu, overwhelmed, blurts out that she will talk to Nik herself—today or tomorrow. She acknowledges that it was her fault Nik found out and that she will deal with it. Hani smiles, and for a moment the two of them feel isolated from the rest of the school. The bell rings, and they head to class.

That evening, Ishu texts Nik: “Can we talk?” She tosses her phone aside and opens her maths books, but before she can focus, Nik calls. Ishu answers to hear music and voices in the background—Nik is at a party at her own place. Ishu nearly hangs up, but Nik insists she wants to talk.

Ishu confronts her sister directly, saying Nik has something of hers and warning that Hani would also be hurt if the information got out. Nik's voice wavers. She confirms she saw the document—the guide to fake dating—but says she did not read it all the way through and has no intention of using it against Ishu. She repeats what she said the last time they saw each other: they are not kids anymore, and she is not trying to hold things over Ishu to win favor with their parents. Nik tells Ishu she can always come to her.

Ishu, moved despite herself, asks why Nik never became Head Girl. Nik chuckles and offers interview advice: Head Girls serve in a leadership capacity, so Ishu should show she works well with people and present herself as more than her grades. She predicts the interview will cover problem-solving, debs-related issues, and conflicts between students. Nik tells Ishu to be confident and assertive—her two best qualities.

Before Nik can bring up Hani or the fake dating guide, Ishu cuts the call short, thanking her sister and hanging up. She texts Hani that she does not think Nik will tell anyone. Hani replies quickly, asking if Ishu is sure. Ishu's answer is honest: she wants to believe her.

Key Events

The prefect and Head Girl candidate lists are posted; Hani is shortlisted for International Prefect, and Ishu is one of four Head Girl candidates.
Ishu's Head Girl interview is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in the principal's office.
Hani and Ishu discuss the fake dating guide; Hani insists Ishu must talk to Nik.
Ishu agrees to handle the situation herself and texts Nik that evening.
Nik calls from a party, confirms she saw the guide but did not read it fully, and promises not to use it against Ishu.
Nik gives Ishu interview advice, emphasizing leadership, confidence, and assertiveness.
Ishu ends the call before Nik can raise the topic of Hani, then texts Hani with cautious reassurance.

Character Development

Ishu shows significant growth in this chapter. She moves from avoidance—wanting to delete the guide and hoping the problem will disappear—to taking responsibility. Her admission that the guide feels like a history of her and Hani reveals how much the fake relationship has come to mean to her. She also demonstrates vulnerability by reaching out to Nik, the sister she has barely spoken to in weeks, and by admitting to Hani that she is not entirely certain Nik will stay silent.

Nik emerges as more sincere and mature than Ishu expected. She does not exploit the document, offers genuine support, and gives practical interview advice. Her reminder that Ishu can always come to her suggests a desire to rebuild their relationship on new terms.

Hani continues to act as Ishu's anchor. She pushes Ishu to face the problem rather than avoid it, offers to help with a script, and remains attentive to Ishu's emotional state. Her quick reply to Ishu's text shows how invested she is in the outcome.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Fear of exposure: The fake dating guide hangs over the chapter as a tangible threat. Ishu's anxiety about Nik using it mirrors her broader fear of being seen as a fraud—both in her relationship with Hani and in her campaign for Head Girl.

Sibling reconciliation: The phone call with Nik is a tentative step toward healing. Nik's refusal to weaponize the guide and her offer of advice signal a possible new beginning, though Ishu remains guarded.

Trust: Ishu's final text—that she wants to believe Nik—captures the chapter's central tension. Trust is not certainty; it is a choice made in the face of doubt.

Leadership and ambition: The Head Girl interview looms as a test of Ishu's identity. Nik's advice—that Ishu is more than her results—challenges Ishu's narrow view of her own worth.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 32 defuses the immediate threat of the fake dating guide while setting up the next major plot beat: Ishu's Head Girl interview. The conversation with Nik resolves a source of tension that has simmered since the guide fell into her hands, and it opens the door to a possible reconciliation between the sisters. At the same time, Ishu's admission that she wants to believe Nik—rather than knowing she can—keeps the stakes alive. The chapter also deepens Ishu's internal conflict: she is closer than ever to the goal she has worked toward, yet the victory feels hollow without control over the vote, and her feelings for Hani complicate everything.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ishu feel dread rather than relief after seeing her name on the Head Girl candidate list?

Ishu is relieved to have made the shortlist, but she immediately recalls that Nik was also a candidate in her fifth year and still lost the election. Ishu believes she lacks Nik's charm and winning personality, so she doubts her ability to win the vote. The shortlist is only the first hurdle; the election itself depends on factors she cannot control.

2. What does Nik's response to Ishu's confrontation reveal about her character?

Nik's response reveals that she has changed from the ambition-driven person Ishu remembers. She admits she saw the guide but did not read it fully, and she explicitly says she is not trying to hold it over Ishu. She offers support and practical interview advice, and she reiterates that Ishu can come to her about anything. This suggests a genuine desire to rebuild their relationship rather than compete with her sister.

3. How does Ishu's final text to Hani—that she wants to believe Nik—capture the chapter's central tension?

Ishu's statement is honest but not certain. She has heard Nik's sincerity and wants to trust it, but her history with her sister makes full confidence impossible. The line reflects the chapter's broader theme of trust as a choice rather than a guarantee, and it leaves the door open for future complications even as the immediate threat appears to pass.