Chapter 34: Pride Flags, Belonging, and the Courage to Be Yourself
⚠️ 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
Sunil escorts Georgia through Durham to the Pride Society formal, holding her hand in a gesture that feels almost parental. Georgia is uneasy, thinking she would rather be at home reading fanfiction and feeling unworthy of attending. They arrive at a restaurant called Big's Digs, located above a Greggs, which Sunil has rented for the evening. The space is decorated with pride flags, balloons, and streamers, and Sunil jokes that they could have gone harder with the flags.
Inside, Georgia meets Jess, the third-year student she encountered at the society stall earlier. Jess immediately puts Georgia to work blowing up balloons, which helps Georgia feel useful despite her anxiety. Jess shares that she and Sunil became close friends after sitting next to each other at orchestra, and she praises Sunil as a genuinely good president who won the election by a landslide. She also warns Sunil that Lloyd, a student who dislikes him, has arrived. Georgia notices the tension between the two but does not learn the cause.
During dinner, Georgia sits beside Sunil. He circulates among the tables, especially spending time with freshers, who seem excited to meet him. Over dessert, Sunil tells Georgia he is studying music, is from Birmingham, and has no clear plans after graduation. Georgia mentions the Shakespeare Society's need for a fifth member, and Sunil recalls his school acting days, saying he might join. He admits he is very busy and tired, but he will think about it.
After dinner, the room shifts to mingling and music. Georgia, socially exhausted, retreats to a corner with her phone and a glass of wine. Sunil joins her, and they talk about the pressures of being society president. He explains that he wants to ensure no queer person in Durham feels alone, drawing on his own past experience of isolation. He admits he often forgets to take care of himself and rarely does anything purely for fun. Georgia feels a growing desire to be his friend, not just his mentee. At that moment, Pip appears, wearing a tux, and asks Georgia what she is doing there.
Key Events
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Sunil brings Georgia to the Pride Society formal at Big's Digs, a restaurant above a Greggs.
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Georgia helps Jess blow up balloons and learns about Jess's friendship with Sunil.
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Jess warns Sunil that Lloyd has arrived, revealing an unexplained conflict.
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Sunil talks to freshers throughout dinner and later shares personal details with Georgia.
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Sunil mentions he might join the Shakespeare Society as a fifth member.
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Georgia and Sunil have a private conversation about leadership, loneliness, and self-care.
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Pip arrives and is surprised to find Georgia at the event.
Character Development
Georgia begins the chapter feeling out of place and undeserving of attending the formal. She compares herself to a toddler hiding behind a parent's leg. However, through small tasks like blowing up balloons and observing the welcoming atmosphere, she starts to see that queer people can simply be themselves without pretense. Her conversation with Sunil deepens her understanding of community and mentorship, and she expresses a genuine wish to become his friend rather than just a mentee.
Sunil is revealed to be more than a cheerful society president. He is tired, admits to neglecting self-care, and carries the weight of wanting to protect other queer people from loneliness. His confession that he has been alone in the past adds depth to his motivation. He also shows vulnerability by oversharing and then apologizing, which makes him more relatable.
Jess provides a supportive secondary perspective, showing how Sunil's leadership has positively affected others. Her warning about Lloyd hints at interpersonal tensions within the society.
Pip appears only at the end, but her baffled reaction sets up a potential confrontation or conversation for the next chapter.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Queer community and belonging are central. The formal is a space where queer people can gather without hiding, and Georgia explicitly notes that there is no pretending or faking. The pride flags decorating the room symbolize identity and visibility, with Sunil's joke about going harder with the flags underscoring the importance of overt celebration.
Imposter syndrome is evident in Georgia's belief that she does not deserve to be at the formal. Her internal monologue about needing to message Jason and apologize suggests she feels fundamentally flawed.
Mentorship and found family appear through Sunil's role as a college parent and his broader mission to ensure no queer person feels alone. Georgia's feeling that she is with a parent figure reinforces this theme.
Burnout and self-care are explored through Sunil's admission that he is always busy and rarely does anything pointless. His desire to bake a cake or binge a show highlights the tension between responsibility and personal well-being.
Social exhaustion is shown through Georgia's retreat to a corner with her phone, a realistic depiction of introverted coping in a crowded social setting.
Unexpected encounters drive the chapter's ending, as Pip's arrival disrupts Georgia's quiet moment and promises new drama.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens Georgia's connection to the queer community and to Sunil as a mentor figure. It provides a contrast to her earlier isolation and shows her beginning to see a place for herself. Sunil's vulnerability humanizes him and sets up a potential friendship that could be important for Georgia's growth. The chapter also introduces a new conflict with Pip's unexpected appearance, which will likely force Georgia to confront her feelings about her own identity and her relationships. The themes of burnout and self-care are particularly relevant to Georgia's ongoing struggles with social anxiety and self-worth.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Georgia feel she does not deserve to be at the formal, and how does her perspective shift by the end of the chapter?
Georgia initially believes she is unworthy, thinking she should be at home reading fanfiction and that she needs to apologize to Jason for something unspecified. She feels out of place in her overalls among more dressed-up attendees. However, as she helps with balloons and observes the welcoming atmosphere, she realizes that queer people can simply be themselves without pretense. By the end, she is comfortable enough to have a deep conversation with Sunil and expresses a desire to be his friend, indicating a shift from self-doubt to tentative belonging.
2. What does Sunil reveal about his motivations as Pride Society president, and how does this connect to the theme of burnout?
Sunil explains that he wants to ensure no queer person in Durham feels alone, drawing on his own past experience of isolation. He admits he is not a superhero and that freshers sometimes see him as a queer angel, but he is just a person trying to make a small positive impact. He also confesses that he is very tired and often forgets to look after himself, rarely doing anything purely for fun. This connects to burnout because his dedication to the community comes at the cost of his own well-being, highlighting the tension between responsibility and self-care.
3. How does the chapter use the setting of the formal to develop the theme of queer community and belonging?
The formal is held in a rented restaurant above a Greggs, a modest but warm space decorated with pride flags and balloons. Georgia notes that there is no particular type of person, no style or look, and that everyone is friendly and happy to chat. She observes that people are just themselves, with no pretending or hiding. This setting allows Georgia to experience a queer community that is inclusive and accepting, contrasting with her earlier feelings of isolation. The pride flags serve as symbols of identity and visibility, reinforcing the idea that this is a space where queer people can openly celebrate who they are.
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