Chapter 29 (Alex): Full Summary, Character Analysis, and Study Guide

⚠️ 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

The chapter opens with Alex racing up the stairs to her apartment, still rattled from her fake date with Molly. Heather notices her frazzled state, but Alex brushes it off and locks herself in her room. Alone on the floor, she tries to convince herself that her reaction is just the result of not having kissed anyone in a month, but her mind keeps circling back to specific moments with Molly—the skating rink, the library, the feeling of Molly's hands in hers. She finally admits to herself that she likes Molly.

The admission is unsettling. Alex reminds herself that Molly likes Cora, and that she and Molly would never make sense anyway. She thinks about Mrs. Parker and how much she'd hate Alex for inevitably breaking Molly's heart. She also thinks about Natalie, who said she loves her, and the month of work she's put into proving she can be a good person. The irony isn't lost on her: she's been trying to open up, but she opened up to the wrong person.

Alex constructs a mental box labeled DO NOT OPEN and tucks her feelings for Molly inside it. She resolves to fix things with Natalie and stick to the plan: Molly belongs with Cora, Alex belongs with Natalie, and by Friday both of them will get their girls.

The next afternoon, Alex is working at the food truck with Jim, chopping onions and cutting fries. She gets a text from Natalie, who is in Ohio and looking forward to seeing her on Friday. Alex hesitates briefly—she's been finding it increasingly difficult to come up with excuses to avoid Natalie's requests—but she pushes the uncertainty aside and replies with an enthusiastic, emoji-heavy message.

Jim notices something is off and asks if she's okay. Alex dismisses it as girl troubles, and Jim opens up about his past. He shows her a photo of himself in high school, a clean-cut varsity athlete with cheerleaders on each arm, and explains that ten years of drugs and alcohol cost him everything—his friends, his family, his fiancée. He's sober now through rehab and weekly AA meetings, but he's clear about what the addiction was: a way of running away from things.

Alex immediately thinks of her mother, whose drinking is her own escape from responsibility and relationships. But then she recognizes the parallel in herself. She doesn't drink, but she runs away in her own way. Jim's advice lands hard: whatever the trouble is, don't run from it.

Alex thinks about Natalie, about the I love you in Philly, and about how she's been sabotaging the relationship. She decides she can't be the one who runs anymore, not like her mom. She has to stay. If she can't make it with Natalie, she can't make it with anyone. She slams a potato through the cutter, her mind made up.

Key Events

Alex returns home flustered from her fake date with Molly and locks herself in her room.
She admits to herself that she has developed real feelings for Molly.
She suppresses those feelings by constructing a mental box labeled DO NOT OPEN.
She resolves to stay committed to her plan with Natalie.
Natalie texts from Ohio, excited about Friday; Alex replies enthusiastically despite hesitation.
Jim shares his history of addiction and recovery, framing it as running away from problems.
Alex connects Jim's story to her mother's drinking and to her own pattern of avoidance.
She commits to staying with Natalie and not running.

Character Development

Alex spends this chapter in active conflict with herself. Her internal monologue reveals a character who is used to being in control—she insists she doesn't get frazzled—but who is genuinely shaken by her feelings for Molly. The chapter shows her trying to rationalize, suppress, and compartmentalize those feelings, which demonstrates both self-awareness and self-deception. She knows she likes Molly, but she also knows the plan, and she chooses the plan.

The chapter also deepens Alex's understanding of her own patterns. Jim's confession forces her to see the resemblance between her mother's alcoholism and her own tendency to run away from difficult situations. This is a significant moment of self-reflection for Alex, who has spent the book trying to prove she can be a good person. Here, she recognizes that proving herself means staying, even when staying is hard.

Jim is given meaningful backstory in this chapter. The contrast between the high school athlete in the photo and the weathered man in front of her is stark, and his willingness to share his story with Alex shows a mentorship quality in their relationship. His advice—don't run—becomes the chapter's central lesson.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The box: Alex's mental box labeled DO NOT OPEN is a powerful symbol of emotional repression. She literally constructs a container for her feelings, suggesting that she believes feelings can be contained and controlled. The fact that it takes her until dark to build it hints at how much effort suppression requires.

Running away: The chapter is built around the motif of running. Alex runs up the stairs, runs from her feelings, and recognizes that she runs from problems in general. Jim's story makes running literal—he ran from his life through drugs and alcohol—and his advice reframes running as a choice Alex can stop making.

Patterns of behavior: Alex sees her mother's escape in Jim's story, and then sees herself in both of them. The chapter emphasizes that avoidance is a learned pattern, but also one that can be broken.

Performance vs. honesty: Alex's emoji-heavy text to Natalie is performative—she's acting enthusiastic while feeling uncertain. This echoes the larger theme of the book, where Alex has been performing the role of a good girlfriend while her real feelings are elsewhere.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point for Alex's character arc. It's the first time she fully acknowledges her feelings for Molly, even if she immediately tries to bury them. The chapter also introduces Jim's backstory, which serves as a mirror for Alex's own struggles with avoidance. His advice plants a seed that will likely influence her decisions going forward.

The chapter also raises the stakes for the upcoming Friday plan. Alex has committed to staying with Natalie, but the reader knows her feelings for Molly haven't disappeared—they're just boxed up. This creates dramatic tension: will the box stay closed?

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Alex construct a box for her feelings, and what does this reveal about her character?

Alex builds the box because she can't reconcile her feelings for Molly with her plan to be with Natalie. She believes Molly belongs with Cora and that she herself belongs with Natalie, so the feelings for Molly are inconvenient and threatening. The box reveals that Alex believes emotions can be controlled and suppressed, and that she prioritizes her plan over her genuine feelings. It also shows her fear of vulnerability—opening the box would mean admitting she might be wrong about what she wants.

2. How does Jim's story about addiction parallel Alex's situation?

Jim describes his addiction as a way of running away from things. Alex immediately connects this to her mother's drinking, but then recognizes the same pattern in herself: she runs away from difficult feelings and situations rather than facing them. Jim lost everything because he ran; Alex is at risk of sabotaging her relationship with Natalie because she's avoiding her true feelings. Jim's advice—don't run—directly challenges Alex's default behavior.

3. What is the significance of Alex's hesitation before replying to Natalie's text?

Alex's hesitation reveals that her commitment to Natalie isn't as solid as she wants it to be. She's been finding it increasingly difficult to come up with excuses to avoid Natalie's requests, which suggests she's been distancing herself without fully acknowledging it. The hesitation is a moment of truth—she feels uncertainty—but she pushes it away and sends a performatively enthusiastic reply. This shows that Alex is still choosing the plan over her actual feelings, setting up potential conflict later.