Chapter 16: The Chapel Moment That Changes Everything

⚠️ 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

After a harsh lesson on purity, Riley finds Julia alone in the chapel, sitting on the stage with her prayer book. Riley admits the teaching felt unusually cruel, and Julia confides that she doesn't always agree with her father's sermons. She explains that she tries to remind herself that faith is really about kindness and belief in something bigger, but she can't always guide the younger campers who hear these messages for the first time. When Riley presses her on why she doesn't speak up to Pastor Young, Julia reveals a deeper fear: her parents' love is conditional. There are things she could do that would make them stop loving her entirely.

The conversation grows intimate. Julia's hand brushes Riley's thigh, and then Julia kisses her. Riley, surprised but willing, kisses back. Almost immediately, Julia pulls away, calling it a mistake. She paces, panicking about what her father would do if anyone found out. Riley tries to reassure her that no one needs to know, but Julia insists that the kiss itself is wrong—that she can't be like Riley, who can kiss whoever she wants. Riley throws Julia's earlier words back at her, asking if her disagreement with her father extends to this. Julia says it's different.

Riley then explains her essay for Mr. Rider, describing how she's been documenting the seven deadly sins as they occur at camp—sloth, greed, gluttony, wrath, lust—and arguing that they aren't always bad. She frames this as proof that Pastor Young's teachings are empty threats used to control people. Julia misinterprets this as Riley using her for the essay, asking if the kiss was just another sin to check off a list. Riley denies it, but Julia demands to see Riley's prayer book as evidence.

They return to the cabin, where Julia snatches the prayer book and reads Riley's private notes aloud in front of the other campers. The entries reveal Riley's disdain for camp, her belief that everyone is pretending to believe in something that doesn't make sense, and her plan to expose Pastor Young. Torres, Greer, and Delaney overhear everything. Julia accuses Riley of pretending to be a friend while carrying out a personal vendetta. Riley fires back that she hates Pastor Young because he's the reason she left and the reason Hannah can't come back. Julia says it's complicated, and Riley accuses her of being afraid of her father's judgment. The argument escalates until Riley delivers a final, cutting blow: Julia is just like her father. Riley walks out into the storm, leaving Julia and the other campers behind.

Key Events

Riley finds Julia alone in the chapel after a purity lesson, and Julia admits she doesn't always agree with her father's teachings.
Julia reveals that her parents' love is conditional, hinting at things she can't do without losing them.
Julia kisses Riley; Riley reciprocates, but Julia immediately pulls back, calling it a mistake.
Riley explains her essay about the seven deadly sins, arguing they aren't always bad.
Julia misinterprets Riley's motives, believing the kiss was part of her essay research.
Julia demands to see Riley's prayer book and reads her private notes aloud in the cabin.
The other campers (Torres, Greer, Delaney) overhear Riley's harsh opinions about camp and Pastor Young.
Julia accuses Riley of pretending to be a friend; Riley accuses Julia of being just like her father.
Riley walks out into the storm, ending the confrontation.

Character Development

Riley spends this chapter oscillating between hope and despair. Her conversation with Julia in the chapel gives her a moment of genuine connection—she finally hears Julia voice doubts about her father's authority, and the kiss feels like a validation of everything Riley has been feeling. But Riley's decision to share her essay idea backfires catastrophically. She fails to anticipate how her words will sound to Julia, and her insistence on exposing Pastor Young comes across as a personal vendetta rather than a principled stand. By the end, Riley is exhausted and hurt, lashing out with the cruelest thing she can say. Her final line—that Julia is just like her father—reveals how much pain she's been carrying and how quickly she turns to destruction when she feels abandoned.

Julia is revealed to be far more conflicted than she appears. She admits she doesn't always agree with her father, but she's trapped by the fear of losing her parents' love. Her kiss with Riley is a moment of genuine desire, but it's immediately followed by panic and self-recrimination. When she reads Riley's prayer book aloud, she's not just exposing Riley—she's also trying to prove to herself that Riley was never a real friend. Julia's anger masks her fear, and her final accusation that Riley was