Chapter 22 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ 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

Chapter 22 opens at a Barton Bulldogs basketball game, where Jake sits in the student section watching the action. He notices details about the band's performance he'd never paid attention to before, particularly how each cheer is accented by a cymbal crash. Jenna is performing with the band, wearing silver face paint, a side ponytail with pinkish-red tips, and a bright red headband. Jake reflects that while Jenna has moved through many friend groups over the years, she seems most authentically herself with the band kids.

Ashley leans over to talk to Jake, complimenting the face paint and telling him she signed his petition for the pride festival. She mentions that Columbus Pride was the most fun she's ever had and expresses excitement about having a local pride celebration. Jake thanks her and notes the festival still depends on how the council vote goes the next day.

The game continues with high energy, and the home team leads 33-12 at halftime. Brett's phone rings, showing his mom's name on the screen. He groans and steps out to take the call. While Brett is gone, Jake gets lost in watching the band, including a moment where Jenna holds a cymbal for Connor to hit alongside his snare, and her dancing makes Connor laugh almost to tears.

Ashley then asks Jake directly whether he and Brett are dating. Jake denies it, saying they're just friends, and keeps his eyes forward because that's one secret he won't share. Ashley says they'd make a cute couple, and Jake thanks her awkwardly. She then asks whether it's weird to be friends with someone whose mom is trying to crush Jake's dreams. Jake laughs it off, saying he thinks she'll change her mind, and even if not, he believes enough council members will vote for the permit.

Ashley reveals her dad is the town treasurer and mentions he's never seen the town council vote against Brett's mom. Jake is startled by this, and Ashley clarifies she's not trying to stress him out—she's just saying how impressive it will be when they vote against her. She also notes her dad signed the petition and is rooting for Jake.

Jake spots Brett re-entering the gym and feels relieved the conversation will be cut off. But when he looks back, Brett is gone. Jake knows he saw him coming up the stairs, but Brett has vanished. The band starts back up and the team takes the court, but Jake makes his way down the stairs and through the double doors, searching for Brett. Something tells him to look outside, so he walks past groups of people toward the bench where he and Brett first chatted.

Brett sits there with his hands folded in his lap, looking small and defeated. Jake asks gently if he can sit down, and Brett shrugs, so Jake takes a seat. Brett's eyes stay on his lap. Jake asks what his mom said. Brett repeats that he always has eyes on him, and tears well in his eyes. He explains that his mom doesn't want him hanging out with Jake anymore—one of her minions saw them at the game, and Brett knew he couldn't hide this from her forever.

Jake asks what Brett was hiding, pointing out they were just hanging out with a neighbor. Brett clarifies the problem: his neighbor with the pride flag in his yard, the only openly gay kid at school, the one trying to throw Barton Springs's first pride festival. Jake reminds Brett that he's part of the team too, but Brett says he's worried his mom knows that now, and if she knows that, she might know more. He says he can't be part of the team anymore because he's in enough trouble.

Jake feels a hollowness growing in his chest but says he likes hanging out with Brett and that it doesn't mean anything. Brett admits that it was starting to mean something—for him, at least. Jake blushes and can't find a response. Brett says he's not ready, explaining he can't even take a quiz without freaking out, so he can't figure all this out on top of everything else. He gets a text, looks out into the parking lot, and says he has to go. Jake offers to talk to Brett's mom and clear things up, but Brett apologizes and says he can't, telling Jake not to hate him. Jake calls after him, but Brett disappears into the darkness.

Key Events

Ashley tells Jake she signed the pride festival petition and shares her positive experience at Columbus Pride.
Ashley reveals her father is the town treasurer and that the council hasn't voted against Brett's mom in two years.
Brett receives a call from his mom during the game and steps out to take it.
Ashley asks Jake if he and Brett are dating; Jake denies it.
Brett re-enters the gym but then disappears, prompting Jake to search for him.
Jake finds Brett outside on the bench where they first talked.
Brett reveals his mom forbade him from hanging out with Jake after someone reported seeing them together.
Brett resigns from the pride festival team, saying he's in enough trouble.
Brett admits his feelings for Jake were growing but says he isn't ready.
Brett leaves after receiving a text, despite Jake's offer to talk to his mom.

Character Development

Jake shows growing emotional maturity in this chapter. He handles Ashley's probing questions about his relationship with Brett with restraint, keeping his secret while remaining polite. When Brett reveals he's leaving the team, Jake doesn't push or get angry—he offers to talk to Brett's mom and tries to reassure Brett that their friendship doesn't have to mean anything. The hollowness he feels in his chest shows how much Brett's departure affects him, even as he tries to be supportive.

Brett is the emotional center of this chapter. His fear of his mom's control is palpable—he repeats that he always has eyes on him, suggesting a life of constant surveillance. His decision to leave the team and distance himself from Jake is driven by fear of exposure, not lack of feeling. His admission that his feelings for Jake were growing, followed by his confession that he isn't ready, reveals a character caught between genuine emotion and genuine fear. His inability to even take a quiz without freaking out suggests broader anxiety that makes his situation even more difficult.

Ashley serves as a supportive presence and a source of important information. Her enthusiasm for the pride festival and her father's support of the petition show that Jake has allies beyond his immediate circle. Her comment about the council never voting against Brett's mom in two years raises the stakes for the upcoming vote.

Jenna appears briefly but meaningfully, shown at her most authentic with the band kids. Her joy in performing provides a contrast to the tension of Brett's situation.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Parental control is the dominant theme. Brett's mom's influence extends beyond the council chambers into her son's personal life. The fact that she has people reporting on Brett's activities shows how pervasive her control is.

Closeted identity and fear of exposure drive Brett's actions. He's not ready to be open about his feelings, and the risk of being outed—or having his mom discover the truth—is enough to make him retreat from both the festival team and Jake.

Community support appears through Ashley and her father. The petition has supporters, and Ashley's enthusiasm for Columbus Pride suggests a broader appetite for LGBTQ+ visibility in the town.

Secrecy runs through the chapter. Jake keeps his feelings for Brett secret from Ashley, Brett keeps his friendship with Jake secret from his mom, and both boys are keeping their growing connection hidden.

Emotional vulnerability is on display in the bench scene, where Brett's tears and confession create one of the most intimate moments in the book so far.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the story. It removes Brett from the pride festival team at a critical moment, just before the council vote, and it introduces a major obstacle: the revelation that the council hasn't voted against Brett's mom in two years. The romantic tension between Jake and Brett reaches a new level with Brett's admission of growing feelings, but it's immediately complicated by his fear and his decision to pull away. The chapter also deepens the theme of parental control, showing that Brett's mom's opposition to the festival is personal, not just political. Jake's offer to talk to her—and Brett's refusal—sets up the central conflict for the chapters ahead.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Brett decide to leave the pride festival team, and what does this reveal about his character?

Brett leaves because his mom found out he was hanging out with Jake and forbade it. He's worried she might also learn about his involvement with the festival, and if she knows that, she might discover more about his identity. This reveals that Brett is deeply controlled by his mother and that his fear of exposure outweighs his desire to be part of the festival or to pursue his growing feelings for Jake. His admission that he isn't ready—and that he can't even take a quiz without freaking out—shows that his anxiety is broader than just this situation.

2. What does Ashley's conversation with Jake reveal about the town council's dynamics?

Ashley reveals that her father is the town treasurer and that the council hasn't voted against Brett's mom in two years. This suggests that Brett's mom holds significant influence over the council, making the upcoming vote on the pride festival permit much more uncertain than Jake hoped. However, Ashley also notes that her father signed the petition, showing that support for the festival exists even among people connected to the town government.

3. How does the bench scene between Jake and Brett change the nature of their relationship?

The bench scene is the first time Brett openly acknowledges his feelings for Jake. He admits that hanging out with Jake was starting to mean something for him, even though Jake said it didn't have to mean anything. This confession transforms their relationship from a friendship with unspoken tension into a situation where both boys are aware of the romantic potential—but Brett's fear and his mother's control prevent them from acting on it. Jake's offer to talk to Brett's mom shows his willingness to fight for the relationship, but Brett's refusal leaves their future uncertain.