Chapter 36 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.

Chapter 36 picks up immediately after the emotional confrontation between Hani and Ishu in the previous chapter, shifting the focus to Hani's home life and her fraught confrontation with Aisling at school.

Summary

The chapter opens with Hani alone in her room, still shaken from her argument with Ishu. Her mother, Amma, notices something is wrong and comes to sit with her, gently asking if she and Ishu fought. Hani hesitates, unsure how to describe what happened, but eventually the whole story pours out: her friends' dismissal of her bisexuality weeks earlier, the decision to start a fake relationship with Ishu, their growing closeness, Aisling's accusation that Ishu cheated on the biology test, and the fight that followed. Amma listens without interrupting, then asks why Hani never told her any of this before.

Amma's response is measured but pointed. She tells Hani that she has not been fair to Ishu, and asks whether Hani truly believes Ishu would cheat on a test. Hani admits Ishu is the hardest-working and smartest person she knows, but she struggles to understand why Aisling would lie. Amma encourages Hani to talk to Aisling directly, reminding her that real friends can disagree, work through problems, and grow together. Hani is afraid of what she might discover about her friendship, but she takes her mother's words to heart.

The next morning, Ishu is absent from school, and rumors about her cheating are spreading through the hallways. Students are questioning whether Ishu's academic reputation was ever real. Hani knows she should defend Ishu publicly—especially since everyone at school still believes they are dating—but she cannot bring herself to confront strangers, especially when she is not certain of the truth herself.

Aisling approaches Hani at her locker, offering a hug and feigned sympathy. She asks if Hani and Ishu talked, and Hani says Ishu denied cheating. Aisling dismisses this, insisting that the truth is the truth. Hani softly asks Aisling to tell her the truth, but Aisling's expression hardens. She claims she has been looking out for Hani all along and reminds Hani that they have been best friends for years, while Ishu has only been in the picture for a few weeks. Aisling then suggests that Dee and she will find Hani someone better than Ishu—even a girl, if Hani really swings that way.

Hani steps back, challenging Aisling's phrasing. She insists that being bisexual is not about swinging one way or another, and asks why Aisling has been so strange about her identity. Aisling dismisses the question, saying Hani will end up with one or the other eventually, and accuses Hani of using bisexuality to seem interesting. She also makes a hurtful comment about Hani's Muslim identity, implying that being religious and being gay are incompatible. Hani is stunned and hurt. She realizes that Aisling and Dee may never truly accept her, no matter what she says. Without further argument, Hani tells Aisling she needs to go to class and walks away, leaving Aisling silent behind her.

Key Events

• Hani confesses the full story of the fake relationship and Aisling's accusation to her mother.

• Amma tells Hani she has been unfair to Ishu and urges her to talk to Aisling.

• Ishu is absent from school the next day, and rumors about her cheating spread.

• Aisling approaches Hani at her locker, offering sympathy while insisting she is telling the truth.

• Aisling dismisses Hani's bisexuality, suggesting Hani will end up with a guy and that her identity is for attention.

• Aisling makes a comment linking Hani's Muslim faith to her sexuality, implying the two cannot coexist.

• Hani walks away from Aisling without resolving the conversation, hurt and disillusioned.

Character Development

Hani takes a significant step in this chapter by confiding in her mother and then attempting to confront Aisling directly. Her request for the truth, though soft-spoken, marks a shift from passive acceptance to active questioning. When Aisling dismisses her bisexuality, Hani pushes back, insisting that her identity is not a phase or a performance. Her decision to walk away—rather than continue absorbing Aisling's hurtful words—shows growing self-respect, even if she is not yet ready to fully sever the friendship.

Amma emerges as a grounding voice of wisdom. She does not scold Hani but instead asks pointed questions that force Hani to examine her own behavior. Her insistence that Hani has been unfair to Ishu is a crucial moment, redirecting Hani's focus from her fear of losing old friends to her responsibility toward the person who has actually been there for her.

Aisling reveals the depth of her manipulation in this chapter. Her feigned sympathy, her insistence that she is telling the truth, and her casual dismissal of Hani's sexuality all paint a picture of a friend who is more interested in control than in genuine care. Her comment about Hani's Muslim identity and sexuality is particularly revealing, showing that her prejudice is not just about Ishu but about Hani herself.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Bisexuality erasure is the central theme of this chapter. Aisling's insistence that Hani will