Aisling Character Analysis in Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating

Overview

Aisling is Hani's longtime friend and, alongside Dee, one of the two figures who most consistently test Hani's loyalty throughout Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating. She functions as a central antagonist in Ishu's Head Girl campaign and as a primary obstacle to Hani's self-acceptance. Although she is not a point-of-view character, her actions drive several major plot turns: she dismisses Hani's bisexuality, isolates Hani at social events, cheats off Ishu's biology test, and then falsely accuses Ishu of cheating to protect herself. The novel frames her as someone who values the comfort of her existing social circle over honesty, growth, or Hani's wellbeing. Her arc ultimately shows a character who can acknowledge wrongdoing only when cornered, and even then only partially.

Plot Role

Aisling appears throughout the novel as part of Hani's friend group, but her role shifts from background presence to active antagonist as the story progresses. In the early chapters, she is present at Hani's father's rally and at the cinema outing where Hani comes out as bisexual. When Hani reveals her identity, Aisling immediately questions whether Hani has ever kissed a girl, planting the doubt that leads Hani to invent a relationship with Ishu. This moment is the catalyst for the entire fake-dating arrangement.

Aisling's role expands when she and Dee invite Ishu to Dee's birthday party. There, Aisling orchestrates a drinking game that excludes Hani, forcing Hani to swap seats and sit apart from the group. Ishu later identifies this as a deliberate plan to humiliate Hani, though Hani initially refuses to believe it. Aisling's hostility toward Ishu continues through the triple date, where she suggests a non-halal restaurant and Ishu must object, creating tension that nearly derails the plan.

The most consequential part of Aisling's role comes during the biology test. Ishu, hoping to improve her social standing, allows Aisling to copy her answers. Aisling then reports Ishu to Principal Gallagher, claiming Ishu cheated off her. This accusation triggers an investigation, gets Ishu barred from the Head Girl election, and causes a major rift between Hani and Ishu. Aisling's lie is eventually exposed when Ishu's sister Nik questions Aisling about basic biology terms she cannot answer, proving Ishu's innocence. Aisling receives only detention, while Ishu's name is cleared.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Aisling's primary motivation is self-preservation, specifically the preservation of her friendship with Hani and her position within their social group. When Hani confronts her about the false accusation, Aisling admits, "I didn't want to lose you. And neither did Dee." This confession reveals that her actions, however harmful, stem from a fear of abandonment rather than pure malice. She sees Ishu as a threat who "makes [Hani] different" and pulls her away from the group.

Several traits emerge through Aisling's actions:

• Dismissiveness: When Hani comes out, Aisling questions her identity rather than accepting it. She later tells Hani that bisexuality is "your way of seeming interesting or whatever," reducing Hani's identity to a performance.
• Manipulation: Aisling engineers social situations to isolate Hani, such as the drinking game at Dee's party, and she lies to Principal Gallagher without hesitation.
• Self-justification: Even after being caught, Aisling frames the cheating accusation as Ishu's fault, saying, "It's her fault, so why would I tell anyone anything?"
• Selective remorse: At the end of the novel, Aisling apologizes to Hani for being "judgy" and "jealous," but she explicitly refuses to apologize to Ishu, saying, "I'm definitely not apologizing to Ishita Dey."

These traits paint a portrait of a character who is capable of recognizing her own flaws only when they threaten her directly, and who prioritizes her own comfort over accountability.

Chronological Arc

Aisling's arc can be traced through several distinct phases:

1. The dismissive friend: At the cinema, Aisling questions Hani's bisexuality and suggests Hani might be confused. This dismissal directly leads to Hani's false claim about dating Ishu.
2. The reluctant host: When Dee invites Ishu to her birthday party, Aisling is visibly uncomfortable. She isolates Hani during the drinking game and treats Ishu coolly.
3. The saboteur: During the triple date, Aisling suggests a non-halal restaurant, forcing Ishu to object and creating conflict. She later invites Ishu to lunch at school, but this apparent warmth is short-lived.
4. The cheater: During the biology test, Aisling copies Ishu's answers after acting friendly toward her. This is the turning point where Aisling's self-interest overrides any pretense of goodwill.
5. The accuser: Aisling reports Ishu to Principal Gallagher, claiming Ishu cheated off her. She maintains this lie even when Hani confronts her, and she dismisses Hani's bisexuality again when Hani asks for the truth.
6. The exposed liar: Nik questions Aisling about biology terms she cannot answer, proving she cheated. Aisling receives only detention.
7. The partial apologizer: Aisling apologizes to Hani for her jealousy and judgment, but refuses to apologize to Ishu. When Hani asks for time, Aisling reacts with frustration rather than understanding.

Relationships

Aisling and Hani

This is the novel's central friendship, and it is deeply unequal. Aisling has known Hani since primary school, and Hani has long tolerated being called "Maira," a nickname Aisling and Dee use because they never learned to pronounce her real name. Aisling's treatment of Hani is controlling: she dismisses Hani's identity, isolates her at parties, and expects Hani to side with her against Ishu without question. Hani's eventual confrontation with Aisling is a pivotal moment, as she realizes "the Aisling I knew then and the one I know now aren't the same person."

Aisling and Dee

Aisling and Dee operate as a unit. Dee supports Aisling's schemes, and the two coordinate their efforts to keep Hani within their orbit. When Aisling apologizes to Hani, Dee defends her, calling the cheating accusation "a mistake." Their alliance is mutually reinforcing, but it also enables Aisling's worst behavior.

Aisling and Ishu

Aisling's relationship with Ishu is adversarial from the start. She is uncomfortable with Ishu joining the friend group, and she actively works to undermine Ishu's social standing. The cheating accusation is the culmination of this hostility. Ishu later reflects that she has "fallen right into their trap," noting that "who's going to believe the brown, immigrant girl when Aisling is the one making the accusation?" This dynamic highlights how Aisling's social capital protects her even when she is in the wrong.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

Aisling is closely tied to the novel's exploration of performance vs. authenticity. She performs friendship while undermining Hani, and she performs victimhood while being the actual cheater. Her insistence that Hani's bisexuality is "for attention" reflects the theme of bisexual erasure and the need for proof, as she demands evidence of Hani's identity rather than accepting it.

Aisling also embodies the theme of toxic friendship and the cost of conformity. She demands that Hani conform to the group's expectations, punishing her for being visibly different at the party and for forming a relationship outside the group. Her jealousy is framed as a desire to keep Hani from changing, even when that change is positive.

Finally, Aisling's accusation against Ishu connects to the theme of immigrant parental expectations and conditional approval and cultural identity and belonging between worlds. Ishu's fear that no one will believe her over Aisling is rooted in her position as a brown immigrant girl in a predominantly white Irish school. Aisling's social privilege protects her, while Ishu's does not.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Aisling dismiss Hani's bisexuality?

Aisling dismisses Hani's bisexuality because she cannot reconcile it with her existing image of Hani. She tells Hani that bisexuality is a way of "seeming interesting," and she insists Hani will "end up with a guy at the end of the day." This reflects both a lack of understanding and a desire to keep Hani within the familiar boundaries of their friendship.

2. What motivates Aisling to falsely accuse Ishu of cheating?

Aisling accuses Ishu to protect herself and to remove Ishu as a threat to her friendship with Hani. She admits she "didn't want to lose" Hani and that she and Dee saw Ishu as "a bad influence." The accusation serves both to deflect blame for her own cheating and to damage Ishu's reputation and Head Girl campaign.

3. How does Aisling's treatment of Hani change over the course of the novel?

Aisling's treatment of Hani does not fundamentally change; it is revealed. Early on, her dismissiveness is subtle, disguised as concern. As the novel progresses, her manipulation becomes more overt, culminating in the cheating accusation and her refusal to apologize to Ishu. Her final apology to Hani is partial and self-serving, and she reacts with frustration when Hani asks for time.

4. Why does Aisling refuse to apologize to Ishu?

Aisling refuses to apologize to Ishu because she does not see Ishu as a victim. She continues to frame the situation as Ishu's fault, saying, "It's her fault, so why would I tell anyone anything?" Her refusal suggests that her remorse extends only to Hani, the friend she fears losing, and not to the person she actively harmed.

5. What does Aisling's arc reveal about the novel's view of friendship?

The novel suggests that friendships built on control and conformity are unsustainable. Aisling's attempts to keep Hani from changing ultimately drive Hani away. Her arc illustrates the cost of conformity: by demanding that Hani remain the same, Aisling loses the very friendship she was trying to preserve. The novel implies that real friendship requires accepting people as they are, not as you want them to be.

For a broader look at how Aisling's actions shape the story's resolution, see the ending explained page, or explore the questions and answers section for more discussion.