Chapter 9: Naomi — 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

The chapter opens in October 2022, seven months before Naomi's death. She is walking across Princeton's campus with Ben after having a couple of beers. They strike a deal: Ben will attend her dance show, and she will attend one of his soccer games. The campus feels unusually empty and dark for a Saturday night, and a sudden burst of crows from a tree startles Naomi, adding to the eerie stillness.

To distract herself, Naomi asks Ben why men's soccer players shave their legs. He explains it's about shin guards and tape, and she playfully calls it a subversion of gender norms. The conversation shifts to dance: Naomi reveals she is in five pieces and choreographing two, and she admits she's nervous about pulling it off. When Ben asks if she'll dance professionally, she says no—she wants to travel, see the world, and figure out her career later. She lists Morocco, Brazil, Egypt, Switzerland, and Indonesia as dream destinations, and confesses she feels stuck at Princeton, as if life is meant to be bigger.

Ben asks about her family. Naomi hesitates, then reveals that her parents died when she was young, and she has a sister ten years older who also attended Princeton. She doesn't tell Ben how complicated the relationship is. Internally, she recalls that after their mother died, Maya left for Princeton and handed Naomi off to Aunt Ella, who couldn't care for her, and then to the St. Clairs. Naomi felt abandoned, though she adored Maya. She remembers telling Maya she wanted to apply early to Princeton, and Maya's discouraging response—suggesting Brown instead—made Naomi realize she had to look out for herself.

Ben then shares his own vulnerability: his father in Singapore had a stroke last year, and his mother is his caregiver. Ben feels guilty for being away when his mother could use his help. He apologizes for unloading, but Naomi is humbled by his openness. She reflects that Ben is so different from Liam—sensitive and kind, whereas Liam would never open up like this. The chapter ends with them walking in silence, the weight of their shared confessions hanging in the air.

Key Events

Naomi and Ben agree to attend each other's events (dance show and soccer game).
A flock of crows bursts from a tree, startling Naomi and adding to the ominous atmosphere.
Naomi discusses her dance commitments and her desire to travel, expressing that she feels stuck at Princeton.
Naomi reveals her parents' death and her estranged relationship with her sister Maya, who discouraged her from applying to Princeton.
Ben opens up about his father's stroke and his guilt about being away from Singapore.
Naomi contrasts Ben's openness with Liam's emotional distance.

Character Development

Naomi emerges as a character caught between obligation and longing. She is deeply invested in dance but doesn't see it as a career; instead, she dreams of escape and adventure. Her internal monologue reveals a painful history: the loss of her parents, the abandonment by her sister, and the feeling of being passed along to caregivers. Her decision to apply to Princeton despite Maya's discouragement shows her independence, but also her lingering desire for connection to her sister's legacy. Her observation that Ben is more open than Liam hints at her current relationship struggles and her growing awareness of what she values in a partner.

Ben is portrayed as sensitive and emotionally available. He listens to Naomi without judgment, asks thoughtful questions, and reciprocates vulnerability by sharing his father's illness and his guilt. His willingness to open up contrasts sharply with Liam's behavior, and it suggests that Ben may become a significant figure in Naomi's life—or at least a foil to her existing relationship.

Maya, though absent, looms large in Naomi's memories. She is depicted as a distant, almost parental figure who made choices that hurt Naomi, yet Naomi still loves her. Maya's discouragement of Princeton reveals her own possessiveness or perhaps a desire to protect Naomi from the same isolation she felt.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Foreboding Atmosphere and Crows as Omen: The empty, dormant campus and the sudden burst of crows create a sense of unease. Crows often symbolize death or bad luck in literature, and their appearance here foreshadows Naomi's tragic fate. The