Chapter summaries The Night We Met Abby Jimenez

The Night We Met Chapter 31: Chris – 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

At 3:03 a.m., Chris lies awake, unable to sleep. Heavy snowfall has buried his best friend Mike’s girlfriend Larissa’s car. Over the past four weeks, Mike has repeatedly failed to dig her out or drive her to work in the dark, forcing Larissa to shovel alone at five in the morning. Chris wrestles with whether to intervene, knowing he should stay out of it but feeling compelled to help. He texts no one, dons snow pants, and drives to her building. Finding Mike absent, Chris shovels the car, scrapes the windshield, and clears a path from her door. He finishes at 4:30 a.m. and returns home, still unable to sleep. Privately, Chris admits his feelings for Larissa are not fading. He has been avoiding her and Mike for a month, missing social events, yet the worry and desire to take care of her remain. He acknowledges that even if Mike stepped up, his own underlying feelings would still exist—he wants to care for her regardless of the personal cost.

Key Events

  • Chris wakes at 3:03 a.m. and cannot fall back asleep, fixated on the snow and Larissa’s unprotected car
  • He recalls Mike’s pattern of neglecting to shovel or drive her to work over the previous four weeks
  • After debating whether to text Mike, Chris decides to drive by Larissa’s apartment, hoping to see Mike already there
  • He finds no one and begins shoveling the car himself, growing angry not at the labor but at Mike’s failure to help
  • Chris clears the car, scrapes ice, and shovels a path from her door to the parking spot, finishing at 4:30 a.m.
  • Returning home, he cannot sleep and reflects that his protective feelings for Larissa differ from what he would feel for his own girlfriend, Becca
  • Chris admits he has been avoiding Mike and Larissa for a month, even skipping Jesse’s Halloween party, because being around her hurts
  • He acknowledges that if Mike did his part, the underlying feelings would still be there—he wants to take care of Larissa no matter what

Character Development

  • Chris – Shows deepening internal conflict: his loyalty to Mike wars with his instinct to protect Larissa. He acts on his feelings (shoveling) but tries to hide the action. The chapter reveals his growing awareness that his feelings are romantic, not just friendly concern. He chooses to sacrifice his own peace of mind by continuing to care for her in secret.
  • Larissa – Though not physically present, her situation highlights her independence and the burden Mike places on her. Chris’s worry underscores her vulnerability.
  • Mike – Remains defined by absence. His repeated neglect becomes the catalyst for Chris’s actions and self-reflection. Chris judges him harshly, feeling resentful.
  • Becca – Mentioned briefly as a contrast: Chris notes he would not have done the same for her, emphasizing that his actions are driven by a unique attachment to Larissa.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Unspoken Feelings – Chris cannot admit his love directly, even to himself, but his actions (shoveling at 3 a.m., avoiding her, missing her) betray the truth. The chapter explores the tension between what is felt and what is spoken.
  • Protective Instinct – Chris feels compelled to care for Larissa, framing it as duty and worry, but the narrative reveals a deeper romantic motive. His protectiveness blurs the line between friendship and love.
  • Moral Conflict – Chris struggles between loyalty to Mike (his best friend) and his own growing attachment to Mike’s girlfriend. He tries to rationalize his behavior by hoping Mike will step up, but ultimately acts anyway.
  • Winter Setting as Symbol – The heavy snow represents emotional coldness and isolation. Chris shovels alone in the dark, mirroring his solitary emotional state. The act of clearing snow becomes a metaphor for trying to make Larissa’s life easier while hiding his own feelings.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 31 is a turning point for Chris. It forces him to confront what he has been denying: his feelings for Larissa are romantic, not just protective. The chapter also deepens the central love triangle, exposing the cracks in Mike and Larissa’s relationship through Mike’s neglect. Chris’s secret act of service, coupled with his self-awareness, sets up the moral dilemma that will drive the rest of the story. By acknowledging that he wants to take care of her regardless of the cost, Chris plants the seeds for future conflict between friendship and desire.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Chris decide to shovel Larissa’s car at 3 a.m., and what does this reveal about his character? Answer: Chris cannot bear the thought of Larissa standing in a snowdrift before dawn, so he acts despite knowing he should stay out of it. This reveals his deep sense of responsibility, his protectiveness, and the beginning of his admission that his feelings go beyond friendship. He is willing to sacrifice sleep and secrecy to make her life easier.

2. How does Chris’s reaction to Mike’s neglect show the shift in their friendship? Answer: Chris grows resentful, thinking Mike should be doing more for Larissa. He judges Mike harshly and feels angry not at the shoveling but at Mike’s failure to step up. This resentment strains their friendship and creates an emotional distance that Chris acknowledges by avoiding Mike’s place and the gym.

3. What does Chris mean when he says, “if the worry was gone, the thing underneath it would still be there”? Answer: Chris reflects that even if Mike started treating Larissa well, Chris’s own feelings would persist. The worry was an excuse to justify his involvement. This line shows Chris’s growing self-awareness: his desire to care for her is independent of her circumstances, and he can no longer hide from the romantic truth.