Chapter 10 Summary: Anxiety, Breakfast, and a Puppy

⚠️ 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

Imogen wakes early on Saturday morning, feeling the weight of homesickness. She considers texting the group chat but hesitates, caught in a loop of self-doubt about whether reaching out would seem presumptuous. Her mind returns to Lili’s comment that Tessa might be flirting with her. This thought spirals into deeper anxiety: by going along with Lili’s story that Imogen is bisexual, is she queerbaiting? Appropriating an identity? She decides to shower instead, using a carefully orchestrated “nudity avoidance system” to navigate the public dorm bathroom.

After the shower, Imogen steps into the hallway and runs into Tessa, who invites her to breakfast. Tessa insists on using her meal points, and Imogen agrees. They walk outside into the chilly morning and Tessa leads them through the campus quad, which Imogen finds stunning. A basset hound puppy named Daisy comes running up to them; Imogen kneels to pet her and feels an instant calming effect. When Daisy’s owner retrieves her, Tessa jokes that breakups are hard, and Imogen elbows her. Tessa stops walking and declares that she has Imogen figured out: “You’re a closeted goofball.”

Key Events

Imogen wakes early, feeling disconnected from home and anxious about contacting the group chat.
She mentally replays Lili’s suggestion that Tessa was flirting and worries about queerbaiting and appropriation.
Imogen showers using a systematic routine to minimize nudity exposure in the public bathroom.
She encounters Tessa in the hallway, and Tessa invites her to breakfast.
They walk through the campus quad, where Imogen is struck by its beauty.
A friendly puppy named Daisy appears, and Imogen pets her, finding comfort.
Tessa calls Imogen a “closeted goofball,” a teasing but perceptive remark.
The chapter ends with Imogen elbowing Tessa and trying not to grin at her laugh.

Character Development

Imogen Scott: This chapter deepens Imogen’s internal conflict. She is acutely aware of the gap between the story Lili has created and her own identity. Her fear of being a fraud or appropriating bisexuality reveals her conscientiousness and anxiety about authenticity. Her elaborate shower routine shows her discomfort with vulnerability in a semi-public space. Her interaction with Tessa, however, brings out a more playful side; she allows herself to laugh and banter, indicating a tentative step toward trust and connection.
Tessa: Tessa continues to be warm and perceptive. She notices Imogen’s reaction to the puppy and offers playful commentary, making Imogen feel seen without pressure. Her label of Imogen as a “closeted goofball” suggests she may sense Imogen’s internal guardedness while also recognizing her genuine humor.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Identity and Authenticity: Imogen’s worry about queerbaiting and appropriation highlights the novel’s ongoing exploration of identity. She is caught between performing a role and discovering who she really is.
Anxiety and Public Life: The chapter contrasts the casual, open social world of college with Imogen’s careful, introverted nature. The shower avoidance system is a literal metaphor for the emotional armor she wears.
Comfort from Animals: Daisy the puppy provides a moment of calm and connection, echoing Imogen’s earlier memory of a classroom guinea pig. Animals appear as a safe, non-judgmental presence that soothes her social anxiety.
The Quad as Transitional Space: The beautiful campus quad, with its clock tower and blossoming trees, represents both the idealized promise of college and the real, lived experience of navigating new relationships.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 10 marks a turning point in Imogen’s emotional arc. It moves beyond her immediate social awkwardness into a deeper confrontation with her own identity. The breakfast invitation from Tessa is the first time Imogen has sought out or accepted one-on-one time with someone other than Lili. The chapter also plants the seeds for a possible romantic subplot, while reinforcing the central tension between Imogen’s public persona and private self-doubt.

Study Questions & Answers

1. Why is Imogen so anxious about texting the group chat? What does this reveal about her character?
Imogen is afraid of being perceived as presumptuous or out of place. She worries that the older college students will see her as a “townie high-school child.” This reveals her insecurity about belonging and her tendency to overthink social interactions, a pattern that stems from her general social anxiety.

2. How does Imogen’s shower routine reflect her broader discomfort with college life?
The elaborate “nudity avoidance system“—using cubbies, extra outfits, and a waterproof bag—mirrors her emotional guardedness. She feels exposed not only physically but also emotionally in a setting where she has no private space. The routine is a coping mechanism for the overwhelming publicity of dorm living.

3. What might Tessa mean when she calls Imogen a “closeted goofball,” and why does this remark startle Imogen?
On the surface, Tessa is teasing Imogen about having a playful side that she hides. The word “closeted” also echoes the theme of sexual identity, possibly hinting that Tessa senses Imogen is suppressing something. Imogen’s startled laugh suggests the comment resonates with her own hidden feelings, though she is not yet ready to acknowledge them.