Chapter 19 (Chapter 17): New Orleans – Seven Summers Ago

⚠️ 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

Seven summers before the novel’s present, Poppy and Alex take their annual trip to New Orleans. They invent the alter egos Gladys and Keith Vivant, a Broadway power couple, and adopt “Theme matters!” as their mantra. Poppy thinks about her boyfriend Guillermo and her growing social media career, while Alex mentions reconnecting with an old crush, Sarah. The pair explore the city, visit a cemetery tour that disappoints them, and eventually end up dancing in the street to a brass band. Alex picks up a discarded Mardi Gras bead necklace for Poppy. Back at their rental, Alex lets Poppy read a short story he wrote about a boy born with wings who fails to fly and is finally at peace when people stop expecting him to. The story moves Poppy to tears, and she realizes that with Alex she never feels truly alone.

Key Events

Poppy and Alex create the alter egos Gladys and Keith Vivant, treating the trip as a week-long character exercise.
They chant “Theme matters!” to persuade each other to try activities they’d otherwise avoid, like a country‑western bar.
Poppy reflects on her relationship with Guillermo, whom she met through her friend Rachel, and decides not to tell Alex about Guillermo’s comment that her sweetness might be vulnerable.
Alex mentions running into Sarah, an old college crush, and they have been texting.
The cemetery tour fails to deliver ghost stories, and Alex repeatedly asks “Is this grave haunted?” to amuse Poppy.
At the goth bar the Dungeon, Alex holds Poppy close and tells her not to apologize for being short.
They go to a country‑western bar with saddle seats, and Alex reluctantly participates.
Dancing in the street, Alex finds a discarded Mardi Gras bead necklace and drapes it around Poppy’s neck.
Poppy texts the goofy flash photo to herself and notes that Alex says she “doesn’t count” – meaning she gets to see him at his most unguarded.
Back at the apartment, Alex allows Poppy to read his nine‑page short story while he showers; Poppy cries after reading it.
Poppy connects the story to her childhood panic attacks about being trapped inside her own body and realizing that Alex makes her feel connected.

Character Development

Poppy reveals a deeper layer of vulnerability beneath her energetic, carefree exterior. Her childhood fear of loneliness resurfaces when she reads Alex’s story, and she understands that Alex’s presence dissolves that isolation. She also shows restraint by not sharing Guillermo’s worrying comment, indicating she wants Alex to approve of her boyfriend.

Alex, usually reserved about his writing, trusts Poppy enough to let her read his work. His playfulness during the trip – dancing in public, wearing a silly T‑shirt, sitting on a saddle – stems from Poppy’s influence, and he admits, “You make me weird.” This chapter cements his role as the one person with whom Poppy can be wholly herself.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Theme of Performance vs. Authenticity: The Gladys and Keith alter egos let Poppy and Alex lean into theatricality, but the most genuine moments – the street dance and the shared story – happen when they drop the act.
Loneliness and Connection: Poppy’s childhood panic about never being able to truly know another person is answered by her bond with Alex. The short story’s boy with wings symbolizes the pressure to meet external expectations and the relief of being accepted as is.
“Theme matters” as a Motif: This phrase becomes a tool for mutual persuasion and a reminder that their shared adventures are a deliberate exercise in joy. It also hints at the underlying theme that their friendship itself is a chosen narrative.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 19 is the emotional heart of the flashback structure. It provides the novel’s most explicit articulation of why Poppy and Alex’s friendship is irreplaceable. Alex’s short story and Poppy’s tearful reaction reveal that their connection goes beyond fun vacations; it is the antidote to Poppy’s deepest fear of being alone. This chapter also seeds the trust and vulnerability that will be tested in the present‑day timeline.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Poppy cry after reading Alex’s short story?
Poppy cries because the story’s theme – a character pressured to fulfill others’ expectations who finds peace when those expectations vanish – mirrors her own childhood terror of being locked inside her own mind, unable to truly know anyone else. Reading the story makes her feel as if a bubble has formed around her and Alex, allowing them to “mix freely” and erasing her loneliness.

2. How does the “Theme matters” mantra affect their behavior during the New Orleans trip?
The mantra prompts them to engage in activities they would normally avoid: Alex tries on goofy clothes and sings karaoke, Poppy agrees to a lengthy museum visit, and they both enter a country‑western bar and a goth bar. It transforms the trip into a shared performance that deepens their intimacy and keeps them aligned in the moment.

3. What does Poppy mean when she says she loves being “the one who doesn’t count”?
Alex says she “doesn’t count” when it comes to the embarrassing photo, meaning she is exempt from his usual need to hide his less‑polished self. For Poppy, being the one who doesn’t count means she gets to witness all sides of Alex – his goofiness, his vulnerability, his weirdness – and that privilege reinforces her sense of belonging with him.