People We Meet on Vacation Chapter 13: Nine Summers Ago – Summary & Analysis

Spoiler Notice

This chapter summary and analysis contains spoilers for Chapter 13 of People We Meet on Vacation. Read on only after you have finished the chapter.

Summary (Complete and Chronological)

In the flashback to nine summers ago, Poppy and Alex prepare for a road trip to Nashville. Alex has been working overtime at the library but cannot afford a big vacation because he sends all his savings to his younger brother Bryce, who is starting vocational school. Poppy quickly suggests Nashville as a cheap alternative—four hours from Linfield—and Alex agrees.

On the morning of departure, Poppy's mother pulls her aside and gives her a bulk pack of condoms, assuming Poppy and Alex are sexually active. Poppy is embarrassed and tries to refuse, but her mother insists. Meanwhile, Alex endures an awkward interrogation from Poppy's father. Poppy defuses the tension with jokes, revealing to the readers that she has not yet told her parents she plans to drop out of college. She intends to reveal this news after the trip to avoid a fight that could cancel it. Poppy's true passion is travel blogging; she has already gained a few thousand followers and has failed a biology course, sealing her resolve to leave school.

During the car ride, Poppy shows off her thrifted cowboy boots and insists on playing country music. They check into the kitschy Billy Ray Cyrus-themed hotel room, which Alex worries rents by the hour. Poppy teases him about the condom incident and their conversation turns to sex and virginity. Poppy admits she is still a virgin, wanting her first time to feel special. Alex shares that he has had sex once, with a girl named Lydia from the library. When he leans over Poppy on the bed, making a puppy-dog face, she experiences a powerful urge to kiss him—her first conscious romantic desire for Alex. She immediately buries that feeling and promises herself to keep it locked away. The chapter ends with Alex suggesting they go find a mechanical bull for her.

Key Events

Poppy learns Alex cannot afford a big trip because he is sending money to Bryce, so she proposes Nashville.
Poppy's mother gives her a pack of condoms, sparking a series of awkward and humorous moments.
Poppy reveals (to the reader) that she has decided to drop out of college to pursue travel blogging, but has not told her parents.
On the road, Poppy and Alex banter about music, cowboy boots, and country singers.
At the Billy Ray Cyrus-themed hotel, they talk about their sexual histories: Poppy is still a virgin, Alex has had one partner.
While joking on the bed, Poppy feels a sudden, strong desire to kiss Alex but suppresses it.
The chapter closes with Alex leading them out to find a mechanical bull.

Character Development

Poppy is torn between her free-spirited, impulsive nature and her fear of disappointing her parents. Her decision to hide her dropout plan shows she values the trip and her friendship with Alex more than immediate honesty. The chapter marks a turning point in her self-awareness: for the first time, she acknowledges a romantic attraction to Alex, yet she actively chooses to repress it to preserve their friendship.

Alex continues in his role as the responsible older brother, sacrificing his own vacation money for his family. His awkwardness around Poppy's parents and during the condom talk underscores his discomfort with intimacy, yet he confides in Poppy about his sexual experience. His gentle teasing and concern for her safety (checking the hotel for bedbugs, promising her father to keep her safe) highlight his protective, caring nature.

Both characters remain defined by the family roles they play—Poppy as the chaotic daughter and Alex as the steady eldest son—but this chapter plants the seed for a deeper, more complicated bond.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and withheld truth. Poppy's lie of omission about dropping out parallels the romantic feelings she refuses to acknowledge. Both truths are kept hidden to avoid upsetting the current dynamic.

Financial constraint as a catalyst. Alex's inability to afford a big trip forces the Nashville detour, which leads directly to the intimate hotel conversation and Poppy's romantic awakening. Money shapes where and how they can connect.

The condom box as comic relief and symbolic pressure. Poppy's mother's gift highlights the gap between parental assumptions and reality. It also symbolically pushes Poppy toward a sexual milestone she is not ready for, reinforcing her desire for a "special" first time.

The Billy Ray Cyrus room and kitschy Americana. The tacky hotel decor mirrors the artificial, staged quality of their early romantic tension. It is a setting that feels both temporary and heightened, perfect for the moment Poppy nearly kisses Alex.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional hinge of the book's flashback structure. It marks the exact moment when Poppy's long-standing platonic friendship with Alex acquires a romantic possibility. The fact that she consciously locks that feeling away explains why their relationship remains on a "just friends" track for years to come. Additionally, Poppy's secret plan to drop out of college sets up the life-changing decision that will eventually lead to her career as a travel writer, a key part of her identity in the present-day timeline. Without this chapter, the reader would not understand why Poppy is so afraid of breaking the friendship—she has been guarding this desire for nearly a decade.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Poppy decide to hide her plan to drop out of college from her parents until after the Nashville trip?
Answer: She knows her parents have high hopes for her education and would likely argue or forbid the trip if they learned the truth. Poppy prioritizes the vacation and her relationship with Alex over immediate honesty, hoping to reveal the news in a calmer moment later.
What does Poppy's internal reaction to Alex's puppy-dog face reveal about her feelings?
Answer: For the first time, she consciously wants to kiss him—a physical, romantic desire she had not acknowledged before. She describes it as feeling the urge "to my toes" and then resolves to press those two seconds into her chest and never act on them, showing she values the friendship over potential romance.
How does Alex's family situation affect the dynamic of this trip?
Answer: Alex sends nearly all his earnings to Bryce, limiting their travel options and forcing them to choose a budget destination. This responsibility also makes Alex the reliable, stable figure in his family, a role that complements Poppy's more carefree personality and deepens their bond because they fit into familiar sibling-like patterns.