Chapter 11 Summary: 12:57 p.m.

⚠️ 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

Riley is out on the scavenger hunt but stops running because Seattle's hills are too much. She recalls a childhood soccer memory: at age eleven, she was placed on a team called the Geoducks and used to tuck a paperback into her waistband, pulling it out to read whenever the ball was on the other side of the field. That was her first and last season of soccer.

She checks the clues and decides to go to a coffee shop across the street, hoping to get a cup with someone else's name on it and plan her next move. She orders a latte under the name Riley. While waiting, she reads Delilah's Twitter feed, which shows Delilah's excitement about the Seattle stop of her tour. Riley reflects on her lifelong love of romance novels. She found her first one, a Nora Roberts, at a yard sale when she was ten. The books became both escapist and empowering, teaching her about sex, consent, and birth control, and making her feel confident in ways that real-life relationships hadn't. She is eager to meet Delilah that night to connect with other romance readers and to feel less alone in her love for the genre.

Spencer Sugiyama appears and sits down with her, wanting to discuss their breakup. He brings up their first date, which Riley remembers vividly—a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, hot chocolate from the same cup, and a kiss in his car. Spencer claims she wanted the entire relationship to feel like that first date, and that he felt like an obligation, never able to measure up to the heroes in her books. Riley counters that he stopped caring, pointing out how he avoided holding hands and pushed her away. Spencer admits he felt the relationship was an obligation and says high school relationships aren't meant to last. He then says she wants an idealized romance and that all relationships get boring after a while.

Riley feels pity for him because he doesn't believe love can endure. She thinks about her parents' twenty-five-year marriage and her friends Kirby and Mara, whose hand squeezes never seem compulsory. She believes both partners are responsible for keeping romance alive, and she rejects the heteronormative idea that men must make the first move. As Spencer gets up to leave, she yanks off his armband, a defiant act that shows she won't let his words diminish her.

Key Events

Riley stops running due to Seattle's hills and recalls her childhood soccer failure.
She enters a coffee shop and orders a latte under the name Riley.
She reads Delilah's Twitter and reflects on her deep connection to romance novels.
Spencer appears and initiates a conversation about their breakup.
Spencer and Riley argue about their relationship, with Spencer claiming she wanted an idealized romance and that he felt like an obligation.
Spencer says all relationships get boring, and Riley feels pity for him.
Riley yanks off Spencer's armband as he leaves.

Character Development

Riley's internal conflict deepens in this chapter. She grapples with self-doubt, wondering if she is too difficult to love, especially after Spencer's words. Her love of romance novels is shown as both a source of strength and a source of vulnerability—she uses them as escapism and empowerment, but they also set high expectations that real relationships struggle to meet. Her reflection on her parents and friends shows she believes in enduring love, and her pity for Spencer reveals her maturity: she sees his cynicism as a limitation, not a truth. The act of yanking off his armband is a small but significant act of defiance, showing she is beginning to assert herself and reject his narrative.

Spencer is portrayed as someone who lacks emotional depth. He admits he felt the relationship was an obligation and dismisses the idea of lasting romance. His vulnerability is brief, but Riley recognizes it as something that initially drew her to him. However, his inability to see beyond his own perspective makes him a foil to Riley's hopefulness.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Romance novels as escapism and empowerment: Riley's history with romance novels shows how they provided her with education, confidence, and a belief in love. They are both a refuge and a lens through which she views reality.
Idealized romance vs. reality: Spencer accuses Riley of wanting an idealized romance, while Riley believes that with the right person, every day can feel special. This tension highlights the gap between fiction and real-life relationships.
Communication breakdown: The argument between Riley and Spencer reveals how they failed to communicate their needs. Riley wanted closeness and affection; Spencer felt pressure and obligation. Neither understood the other.
Self-doubt and fear of being unlovable: Riley internalizes Spencer's words, wondering if she is the complicated one and if she is too difficult to love. This fear is a recurring motif.
Obligation vs. desire: Spencer describes the relationship as an obligation, while Riley wanted desire and mutual effort. This contrast underscores the difference between going through the motions and genuinely wanting to be together.
Defiance through action: Riley's act of yanking off Spencer's armband is a symbolic rejection of his cynicism and a reclaiming of her agency.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens Riley's character and provides crucial backstory for her relationship with Spencer, explaining why she is so invested in romance novels and why she fears being unlovable. It also advances the scavenger hunt plot by placing Riley in a coffee shop and setting up her encounter with Spencer. The chapter reinforces the novel's central themes about love, communication, and the power of fiction to shape our expectations. Riley's pity for Spencer and her defiant act show her growth, setting the stage for her to embrace her own beliefs and pursue a more authentic connection, likely with Luke.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Riley feel pity for Spencer at the end of their conversation?

Riley feels pity because Spencer believes all relationships get boring and that love inevitably sours. She sees this as a limited, cynical view, especially since she has witnessed enduring love in her parents and friends. She feels sorry that he doesn't believe in the possibility of lasting romance.

How does Riley's relationship with romance novels shape her expectations in real relationships?

Romance novels give Riley a belief in mutual responsibility, enduring love, and the idea that both partners should work to keep romance alive. They also set high standards, which made her feel disappointed when Spencer stopped putting in effort. The books taught her about consent and communication, but she struggled to apply those lessons in her actual relationships.

What does the armband symbolize in this chapter?

The armband represents Spencer's presence and his attempt to define their relationship. By yanking it off, Riley symbolically rejects his narrative and asserts her own agency. It is a small act of defiance that shows she is no longer willing to passively accept his cynicism or let his words undermine her belief in love.