Chapter 25, Nina: Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Nina is alone in the library, working on her application to the Oxford program. She feels the essay is missing something but can't pinpoint what. She sends the draft to the printer and checks her phone, where Jamie has texted about discovering an arcade in Samuelson Hall and challenging her to a go-cart race. Nina is amused—the arcade was a freshman rite of passage. She thinks back to the previous night's rehearsal, when she and Jamie kissed so long the cast wolf-whistled. She worries about the attention, knowing the downsides of dating a prince, but Jamie's directness about his feelings is a relief compared to Jeff.

When Nina walks to the printer bank, she nearly doesn't believe who she sees: Jeff, back on campus. He's retrieving his econ final, and the conversation is stilted. Jeff hands Nina her printed application, says she'll love Oxford, and insists she'll get in—she's the smartest person he knows. Nina asks about Sam; Jeff says it's complicated. He asks about Jamie; Nina explains they're doing A Midsummer Night's Dream together. When Jeff presses whether they're dating, Nina pushes back, confronting him: he kissed her, then got engaged to Daphne the next day. Jeff admits he's angry with himself, not her, and says she deserved better. Nina tells him they never would have worked because Daphne was always in the way—not his titles. Jeff says he misses having her in his life; Nina admits she misses him too. When he asks if they can be friends, Nina says she's not sure. She congratulates him on the wedding.

Before she can leave, Jeff offers unsolicited advice: her essay is too academic. He reminds her of childhood moments—the library book she forgot to return, the fort she built out of books—and tells her the committee should see that she's passionate, creative, and whimsical. Nina is struck silent; Jeff remembers her in ways she doesn't even remember herself.

Two days later, Nina performs in the final show of the weekend. She's thrumming with energy, amazed that shy, bookish Nina Gonzalez has starred in a play. After the curtain call, her parents give her sunflowers. Rachel arrives with two dozen red roses delivered by a royal security guard. Nina assumes they're from Sam, but Rachel reveals Jeff watched from the back row. Nina recognizes his handwriting on the unsigned note. Jamie then bounds over, meets Nina's parents, and wins them over with his easy, unpretentious manner. Nina hands the roses to Rachel and smiles as if everything is fine, hiding the fact that Jeff has just barreled back into her life.

Key Events

Nina works on her Oxford application and feels it's incomplete.
She and Jamie text about the arcade; she recalls their long kiss in rehearsal.
Nina encounters Jeff at the printer; he's returned to campus.
Jeff reads her application and advises her to make it more personal.
Nina confronts Jeff about kissing her then getting engaged to Daphne.
Jeff apologizes, says he's angry with himself, and admits he misses her.
Nina says they never would have worked because Daphne was always in the way.
Jeff asks if they can be friends; Nina says she's not sure.
Nina performs in the final show of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Jeff sends roses via a royal security guard and watches from the back row.
Jamie meets Nina's parents and charms them.

Character Development

Nina grows significantly here. She asserts herself with Jeff in a way she never has before, telling him he doesn't get to be angry with her and explaining why their relationship was doomed. She also takes a risk by starring in a play, something she never expected of herself. Yet the chapter ends with her hiding her feelings about Jeff's roses, suggesting her growth is still incomplete.

Jeff shows regret and self-awareness. He admits he handled things badly, says Nina deserved better, and offers genuine advice about her essay. His decision to watch the play from the back row and send roses anonymously reveals he still cares, but he respects her boundaries by not approaching her.

Jamie continues to be direct and open about his feelings, contrasting sharply with Jeff's ambiguity. He wins over Nina's parents with his easy manner, reinforcing that he's a different kind of prince—one who doesn't carry the same baggage.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Academic vs. personal identity. Nina's Oxford essay is the central symbol. Jeff's critique—that it's too academic and should reveal her whimsy—forces Nina to confront how she presents herself. The essay represents the tension between her intellectual brilliance and her creative, playful side.

Past vs. present relationships. The chapter juxtaposes Jeff and Jamie. Jeff represents the past, with all its unresolved feelings and childhood memories. Jamie represents the present, with his directness and simplicity. Nina's final act of hiding the roses shows she's not fully ready to let go of the past.

The impossibility of friendship after romance. Nina's answer to Jeff's question—