Chapter Ten: Miles – 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 (Chronological)

The chapter opens six years before the novel’s main timeline. Miles confirms that Ian (presumably a friend) knows about the relationship between Miles and Rachel. Miles told Ian because after the first week of school Ian realised everything revolved around Rachel. Rachel is now moving into Miles’s house. Miles gives her his own bedroom, taking the spare room because it has its own bathroom—he wants her to have the better space.

Ian helps carry boxes and teases Rachel about her underwear, joking about putting them in Miles’s room. Rachel rolls her eyes; Ian enjoys being in on the secret. He leaves after all boxes are unloaded.

Miles’s father passes in the hallway and thanks Miles for being nice to Rachel, assuming Miles is okay with the father allowing another woman (Rachel) to live in the house—a woman who is pushing out the last reminders of Miles’s deceased mother. Miles is not okay with it, but he pretends to be because Rachel matters to him, not his father. He says “No problem.” His father adds that he wishes he and Mom could have given Miles a sibling when he was younger and says Miles makes a good brother. Miles finds his father’s words awful.

Alone in what is now Rachel’s room, Miles wraps his arms around her and kisses her neck. It has been three weeks since their first kiss, and they can only touch when alone. Rachel pulls back and proposes guidelines. First, no making out when the parents are home—too risky. Miles reluctantly agrees. Second, no sex—ever. Miles balks, asking why. Rachel explains sex would make it harder when their time is up. Miles acknowledges she is right but feels she is wrong and will figure that out later. He asks if there is a rule three; she says no. He then asks clarifying questions: is only penetration off limits, not oral? She is embarrassed. He says he has a lifetime of things he wants to do and only six months left to do them. They leave specifics to the situation.

Miles asks if Rachel is a virgin. She says no and asks if that bothers him; he says not at all. She asks if he is a virgin; he says no but now wishes he were, having met her. She likes that.

Miles locks the bedroom door from inside, walks to her, pulls her up, wraps his arm around her lower back, and kisses her.

Key Events

Miles confirms that Ian knows about his and Rachel’s secret relationship.
Rachel moves into Miles’s house; he gives her his bedroom.
Miles’s father thanks him for being nice to Rachel; Miles internally rejects the interaction.
Alone in the bedroom, Rachel proposes two rules: no making out when parents are home, and no sex.
Miles questions the no-sex rule; Rachel insists it is to prevent greater pain later.
They discuss virginity: both are not virgins; Miles says he wishes he were for her.
Miles locks the door and kisses Rachel.

Character Development

Miles. This flashback reveals Miles as a young man completely devoted to Rachel. He surrenders his own room, pretends to be okay with his father’s choices, and accepts Rachel’s rules even when he disagrees. His comment about wishing he were a virgin shows his idealised view of their relationship and his willingness to rewrite his past for her.

Rachel. Rachel is the more pragmatic one. She initiates the rules to protect them from discovery and from the inevitable pain when their “time is up.” She is direct about her experience (not a virgin) and avoids romantic idealisation. Still, she blushes at Miles’s openness, showing she is not completely detached.

Ian. Though a minor presence, Ian’s role as the keeper of the secret reinforces the power of shared secrets. His teasing suggests he is an ally, but his silence comes with a sense of privilege.

Miles’s Father. The father appears briefly but significantly. He thanks Miles for being “nice to Rachel,” unaware of the real nature of their bond. His comment about wishing Miles had a sibling reveals his own regrets, yet Miles finds his words “awful,” highlighting the emotional distance between them.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and Boundaries. The entire chapter revolves around the secret relationship. Miles and Rachel cannot be seen together publicly or in front of family. The rules Rachel sets (no making out when parents are home, no sex) are boundaries designed to maintain the secret and protect their emotions. The act of locking the bedroom door symbolises the private space they carve out within a house that is not truly theirs.
Power of Secrets. Ian’s knowledge gives him a kind of power—“He knows the power of secrets.” The secret tightens the bond between Miles and Rachel, but also isolates them from the rest of their family.
Family vs. Chosen Relationship. Miles rejects his father’s gratitude because he does not care about his father’s approval; Rachel matters more than any family obligation. The phrase “Words are awful when they come out of his mouth” underscores the broken communication between father and son.
Time and Impermanence. Rachel’s rule against sex is grounded in the knowledge that their relationship has an expiration date (“six months left”). The limited time frame charges every moment with urgency, yet Rachel tries to limit intimacy to lessen future pain.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Ten is a critical flashback that grounds the present-day tension between Miles and Tate. It establishes the foundational relationship with Rachel, showing how deep Miles’s devotion was and why he carries such heavy emotional baggage. The rules Rachel sets here—especially the no-sex rule—will echo through the rest of the novel. This chapter also gives readers a clear picture of Miles’s home life: a father who does not understand him, a mother who is absent (due to death), and a girl who becomes his entire world. Understanding this context makes Miles’s behaviour in the present timeline far more tragic.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Miles agree to Rachel’s “no sex” rule even though he clearly disagrees with it?

Miles agrees because he values being with Rachel more than he values the physical act itself. He senses that pushing the issue could jeopardise the time they have left. His internal thought—“she’s also completely wrong, but I have a feeling she’ll figure that out later”—shows he believes she will eventually change her mind, so he tolerates the rule for now.

2. How does the conversation about virginity reveal both characters’ vulnerabilities?

Rachel hesitates before asking if Miles is a virgin, showing her fear that her own experience might make her seem “used.” Miles, by saying he wishes he were a virgin because of her, reveals that he idealises their relationship and wants to erase his own past to give her something pure. This moment of openness makes their connection feel deeper than a simple physical attraction.

3. What does Miles’s reaction to his father’s words tell us about their relationship?

Miles finds his father’s words “awful,” indicating deep resentment. The father’s attempt to thank Miles for being kind to Rachel feels hollow because the father is completely unaware of the real relationship. Miles is going through the motions of being a good son, but no genuine affection remains between them. This tension sets up Miles’s emotional isolation, which he later fills with his secret relationship.