Chapter 28: Imogen’s Online Quiz and the Start of Self-Discovery

⚠️ 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 sits alone in her room, heart pounding, as she opens a private browser on her phone. She feels absurdly dramatic about the act of typing three words into a search engine. Before she can proceed, a text from Gretchen arrives asking if Imogen will be home in two hours; Imogen replies vaguely and receives a winky emoji in return.

Feeling blurry and out of body, Imogen searches for online sexuality quizzes. She scrolls through pages of results, noting the existence of tests like “Are you bisexual or straight?” and “The definitive sexual orientation quiz.” She mocks herself for turning this into a capital-E event, imagining the momentous occasion of confirming her heterosexuality via quiz.

She clicks a link and encounters the first question: “I’m ____________ attracted to people of my own gender.” The options are only, sometimes, never. Imogen wonders how to define “attraction” and whether the question is a trick. The second question asks about romantic daydreams. She considers whether to round up to the most generally applicable choice or count every tiny exception. Mentally, she lists past crushes and moments—Clea DuVall, Kristen Stewart, Nisha, the felt rainbow girl from Girl Scouts, a girl named Ilana, and finally Tessa. She imagines a scenario at karaoke night where she and Tessa might have been alone, hands close together, exchanging a soft “hey.” Before the fantasy can continue, her phone buzzes, cutting off the thought.

Key Events

Imogen opens a private browser and searches for online sexuality quizzes.
Gretchen texts to check if Imogen will be home, adding a winky emoji.
Imogen selects a quiz and reads its first two questions.
She reflects on her past attractions and imagines a moment with Tessa at karaoke night.
The chapter ends with a phone buzz interrupting her fantasy.

Character Development

Imogen Scott: This chapter marks a turning point in Imogen’s self-awareness. She moves from denial and anxiety to actively questioning her sexuality. Her internal monologue reveals deep uncertainty about what counts as attraction, and she begins to acknowledge the significance of her feelings for Tessa. The chapter shows her vulnerability and her struggle against the cliché of needing a test to confirm identity.
Gretchen: Though only present via text, Gretchen’s message and winky emoji imply a flirtatious or knowing tone, possibly hinting at her own awareness of Imogen’s internal journey.
Tessa: Though not physically present, Tessa becomes a crucial figure in Imogen’s fantasy. Her imagined presence forces Imogen to confront the possibility of romantic and physical attraction to a woman.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Identity and Self-Discovery: The chapter centers on Imogen’s attempt to categorize her own sexuality through an external test, highlighting the tension between internal feeling and external validation.
The Cliché of the Quiz: Imogen mocks herself for taking an online test, yet she does it anyway. This reflects a broader motif of how queer people often rely on pop-culture markers to understand their own experiences.
Imagination as Evidence: Her detailed daydream of Tessa serves as a powerful counter to the quiz’s abstractions. The imagined scenario feels more real than any multiple‑choice answer, suggesting that internal narratives can be more truthful than formal tools.
Interruption: The phone buzz at the climax symbolizes how real‑life interruptions can stall or reshape self‑realization. The chapter ends on a note of suspended momentum.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 28 is a pivotal moment in Imogen’s arc. It transitions her from passive avoidance to active, albeit anxious, questioning. The online quiz becomes a metaphor for the societal pressure to have a clear label before one feels entitled to an identity. More importantly, Imogen’s fantasy about Tessa—detailed, sensual, and emotionally charged—provides the first unambiguous hint that her feelings run deeper than friendship. This chapter sets the stage for the conversations and confrontations that follow in later chapters, and it marks the point of no return for Imogen’s self‑honesty.

Study Questions and Answers

Question: Why does Imogen open a private browser before searching for sexuality quizzes?
Answer: She feels paranoid that someone might see her search history, reflecting her shame and anxiety about acknowledging her curiosity. The private browser makes the act feel secretive and “bigger than it is,” underscoring her internal conflict.
Question: What does Imogen’s fantasy about Tessa reveal about her true feelings?
Answer: The fantasy—sitting together on Tessa’s bed, hands nearly touching, shy smiles—is romantic and intimate. It reveals that Imogen already knows, on some level, that she is attracted to Tessa, even if she struggles to admit it to herself.
Question: How does the chapter critique the idea of using an online quiz to determine one’s sexuality?
Answer: Imogen notes that such quizzes are clichés and that “you really shouldn’t need a test to tell you your own sexuality.” The questions themselves are frustratingly vague, failing to capture the nuance of attraction. The chapter suggests that lived experience and honest self‑reflection are more valuable than any multiple‑choice assessment.