Chapter 28 Summary: “Chapter One” — Key Events 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
The chapter opens at a black, white, and red charity party on a Los Angeles rooftop, where Piper Bellinger is dressed in a red Valentino cocktail dress and trying to project confidence. Her boyfriend of three weeks, Adrian, is clearly distracted, checking his watch and scanning the crowd. Piper reflects on how she was initially drawn to his cold, unattainable demeanor, remembering how he once saved her from stepping in vomit at a celebrity birthday party. She had imagined their relationship as the beginning of a classic Old Hollywood love story.
Adrian abruptly ends the relationship, telling Piper she is boring and has nothing to offer. He dismisses her attempts to keep the conversation going, saying he wants to end things before they get boring. Piper tries to maintain a composed smile, aware that partygoers are watching and that she is in the background of selfies being taken around the roof. Adrian delivers a cutting final assessment: there are thousands of Piper Bellingers in the city, and she is just a way to pass the time.
Piper keeps her composure, salutes the onlookers with her empty champagne glass, and makes a dignified exit to the elevator. Once the doors close, she slumps against the wall, taking deep breaths. She knows the news of the breakup will spread quickly across social media, potentially with video footage. She worries that her reputation as an it girl and a good time is now in jeopardy.
She requests a luxury Uber and considers calling her sister Hannah, who had warned her about Adrian, but instead calls her friend Kirby. Kirby immediately asks if it is true that Piper begged Adrian to stay, revealing that gossip is already circulating. Kirby urges damage control and asks if Piper has a publicist. Piper admits she does not.
As Piper walks through the lobby and out onto Wilshire Boulevard, she asks Kirby how late the rooftop pool at the Mondrian hotel is open. Kirby says it is past midnight and likely closed. Piper proposes breaking into the pool and having a wild time as a way to fight back against the breakup narrative. Kirby recognizes this as Piper resurrecting her 2014 party-girl persona, the year she turned twenty-one and became famous for being famous. Piper decides this is the answer to her current rut and changes her Uber destination to the Mondrian. She tells Kirby to have everyone meet them there.
Key Events
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Adrian ends his three-week relationship with Piper at a charity party in Los Angeles.
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Adrian tells Piper she is boring, has nothing to offer, and that there are thousands of women like her in the city.
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Piper maintains a composed public face while partygoers watch and take selfies around her.
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Piper exits the party and calls Kirby from the lobby, learning the breakup news is already spreading.
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Kirby urges Piper to do damage control and asks about a publicist.
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Piper decides to reclaim her former wild party-girl reputation by breaking into the Mondrian rooftop pool after midnight.
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Piper changes her Uber destination and invites Kirby to bring everyone to meet her at the hotel.
Character Development
Piper Bellinger is introduced as a woman whose identity is deeply tied to her social status and appearance. She carefully manages her image, from her dress to her Instagram presence, and measures her worth by how others perceive her. The breakup forces her to confront uncomfortable truths about herself, including Adrian's accusation that there is nothing beneath the surface. Her decision to resurrect her 2014 party-girl persona is a defensive reaction, an attempt to regain control of the narrative rather than a genuine change. The chapter also hints at deeper insecurities, including her fear of aging and her dependence on her stepfather's money.
Adrian serves as a catalyst for Piper's crisis. He is dismissive and cruel, but his words carry a sting of truth that Piper cannot easily dismiss. His characterization is deliberately shallow, representing the superficial world Piper inhabits.
Kirby functions as Piper's confidante and enabler. She is quick to recognize the social implications of the breakup and supports Piper's plan to reclaim her reputation, even as she acknowledges the recklessness of the idea.
Hannah is mentioned but does not appear. Piper considers calling her but chooses Kirby instead, suggesting a distance between the sisters. Hannah's earlier warning about Adrian, calling him a turnip with eyes drawn on it, proves accurate.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Performance and image management is the central theme of the chapter. Piper's entire life is a performance, from her carefully curated appearance to her planned Instagram posts. She thinks about posting an inspirational quote to control the narrative of the breakup, revealing that even her emotional responses are filtered through social media strategy.
Replaceability is a motif that runs throughout the chapter. Adrian tells Piper there are thousands of women like her in Los Angeles, and Piper herself reflects on the pace of change in the city. Her fear of being replaced is tied to her fear of aging, as she notes she is one of the oldest women at the party.
Nostalgia appears in Piper's memories of her 2014 party-girl era, which she idealizes as a time when she was at the height of her social power. Her plan to break into the pool is an attempt to recapture that past rather than build something new.
Superficiality is embodied in the setting itself, a charity party for an indie film called Lifestyles of the Oppressed and Famous. The irony of wealthy elites raising money for a film about oppression is not lost on the narrative, which uses the setting to underscore the emptiness of Piper's world.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter establishes the foundation for Piper's character arc. It introduces her insecurities, her dependence on social validation, and her fear of being seen as replaceable. The breakup with Adrian is the inciting incident that sets the story in motion, forcing Piper to confront questions about who she is beyond her image. Her decision to reclaim her party-girl persona sets up the central conflict of the novel: whether she can grow beyond the superficial identity she has constructed. The chapter also introduces key relationships, including her friendship with Kirby and the hinted distance from her sister Hannah, which will likely become important as the story develops.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Piper decide to break into the Mondrian rooftop pool instead of going home to cry?
Piper decides to break into the pool because she wants to reclaim control over the narrative of the breakup. She believes that if she can resurrect her 2014 party-girl reputation, she can prove Adrian wrong and restore her social status. The plan is a defensive reaction to her fear of being seen as boring and replaceable.
2. What does Adrian's criticism reveal about Piper's insecurities?
Adrian's criticism that there is nothing to Piper and that she is just a way to pass the time strikes at her deepest fears. She is already worried about aging, about being one of the oldest women at parties, and about having no real career beyond being seen. His words force her to consider whether he might be right, which is why she cannot simply dismiss them.
3. Why does Piper call Kirby instead of Hannah?
Piper considers calling Hannah but chooses Kirby instead. Hannah had warned Piper about Adrian, calling him a turnip with eyes drawn on it, and Piper regrets not listening. Calling Hannah would mean admitting she was wrong, while Kirby is more likely to support Piper's plan for revenge and image management. The choice reflects Piper's reluctance to confront her own mistakes.
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