Chapter 1: The Search Begins – Chloe and Rory Find a Common Enemy

⚠️ 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

Twelve hours after prom, Chloe Green breaks into Shara Wheeler’s house using a spare key hidden under a decorative rock. She finds Shara’s bedroom empty but notes telltale signs: a hair scrunchie, a half-empty underwear drawer, and a neatly folded Harvard T‑shirt. While searching, Rory Heron climbs through the window. The two argue about why they are there, eventually admitting that Shara kissed them both in the days before prom. Chloe discovers an envelope addressed to Rory containing a note from Shara that thanks him for a kiss and includes a postscript: “peach100304” and instructions to tell Smith to check the drafts and that Chloe should have the rest. Before they can investigate further, the Wheeler family returns from church. Chloe and Rory escape to Rory’s backyard, agree to meet at school the next day to inform Smith (Shara’s boyfriend), and share their bewilderment. Alone in her car, Chloe realizes that the vanilla‑mint lip gloss Shara wore during their kiss was brand‑new, evidence that Shara had planned the encounter. The chapter ends with a private note Chloe wrote to her friend Georgia describing the kiss.

Key Events

Chloe uses the spare key under a rock engraved with Joshua 24:15 to enter the Wheeler house.
She searches Shara’s room and notes the absence of anything incriminating except a monogrammed stationery box.
Rory Heron enters through the window, claiming Shara told him it would be unlocked.
Both confess that Shara kissed them: Chloe in the school elevator, Rory on his roof before prom.
They find a note from Shara to Rory with the code “peach100304” and a message for Smith.
The Wheelers return early from church; Chloe and Rory escape via a ladder into the Heron backyard.
They agree to meet the next morning at school to tell Smith about the note.
Chloe realizes Shara bought a new vanilla‑mint lip gloss specifically for their kiss.

Character Development

Chloe Green: Her determination to “prove” Shara is faking her disappearance reveals a deep rivalry that goes beyond academics. The kiss has shaken her, and she struggles to reconcile her contempt with her physical attraction. Her willingness to break in shows a reckless side, and her private note to Georgia exposes vulnerability.
Rory Heron: Introduced as a brooding outsider, Rory is actually caring enough to climb into Shara’s room. He admits to feeling a connection (“I get her”) and shows gentleness with the dried corsage. His surprise at Chloe’s confession forces him to reconsider his understanding of Shara.
Shara Wheeler (off‑page): Through the clues—the lip gloss, the note, and the dual kisses—Shara emerges as a deliberate, calculated figure. She left parallel breadcrumbs, suggesting she has a plan and wants Chloe, Rory, and Smith to work together.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Performance and Authenticity: Chloe repeatedly describes Shara’s “performance of blank innocence” and contrasts it with the “real” Shara she hopes to uncover. The country club setting and the Wheeler family’s church attendance reinforce the theme of social façades.
Queer Desire in a Conservative Town: Chloe’s internal panic over kissing a girl who “must be heterosexual” highlights the tension between attraction and assumed identity. The secret note and the lip gloss become symbols of hidden connection.
Competition as Cover: Chloe frames her obsession with Shara as a battle for valedictorian, but her emotional reaction—and her decision to break into the house—suggests deeper, possibly romantic, investment.
Objects as Evidence: The scrunchie, the lip gloss, the note, and the Harvard T‑shirt all function as clues. The lip gloss especially becomes a talisman of Shara’s intentionality.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 1 launches the central mystery of Shara’s disappearance and establishes the unlikely alliance between Chloe and Rory. It also plants the first clues—the note, the password “peach100304,” and the message “check the drafts”—that will drive the plot. Chloe’s private note to Georgia gives readers insight into her real feelings, creating dramatic irony as she publicly maintains a hostile front. The chapter sets up the core tension between competition and connection that defines the novel.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Chloe break into Shara’s house, and what does her motive reveal about her personality? Chloe breaks in because she is convinced Shara staged a disappearance for attention and wants to expose her. This shows Chloe’s competitive, obsessive nature and her need to win—not just the valedictorian title, but a sense of control over the chaotic feelings Shara’s kiss stirred. Her willingness to trespass also suggests she is willing to bend rules when her pride is at stake.

2. How does the meeting with Rory change Chloe’s understanding of the situation? Before Rory appears, Chloe sees herself as uniquely wronged by Shara. Rory’s confession that he was also kissed forces Chloe to realize Shara’s behavior was not personal or exclusive; it was part of a larger, more deliberate pattern. This humbles Chloe slightly and transforms Shara from a one‑on‑one rival into a puzzle with multiple pieces.

3. What is the significance of the lip gloss Chloe finds in Shara’s vanity? The lip gloss is a new, vanilla‑mint scent that matches the one Shara wore during their kiss. Chloe deduces that Shara bought it specifically to wear when she kissed Chloe, proving that Shara thought about Chloe beforehand. This reframes the kiss from a random act of “mean straight girl behavior” to a calculated, intimate gesture, suggesting Shara has hidden feelings or plans.