“This isn’t how I imagined my first breakup would go. I never expected to feel…nothing? I thought I’d physically feel my heart crack in my chest. That the birds would stop singing and the skies would turn gray, and while there is the emptiness I once imagined, it’s somehow not the same […] in line with my love life as a whole, this is bland. Nothing shatters and the sky is the same blue it always is here in Los Angeles.”

Halle and Will’s breakup acts as the inciting incident of the novel. Halle has been attached to Will since her childhood and is therefore surprised when she doesn’t emotionally respond to the end of their relationship in the way she expected to. This event marks a turning point in Halle’s life and opens her to the possibilities of new experiences and relationships, inspiring her to discover herself anew.

“I don’t give in to peer pressure, but this is the one time I did, and look where it’s gotten me. Not only do I need to stress about letting the entire team down, but I also need to worry about letting down everyone not on the team, who, through no fault of my own, believes in me. It’s so hard having supportive friends and family who don’t immediately assume the worst.”

Accepting the position as captain of the hockey team presents Henry with The Challenges of Personal Development. Henry loves hockey, his teammates, and his coach but is afraid of disappointing everyone who has believed in him thus far. One of the challenges in Henry’s character arc will be learning how to assert what he truly wants even if it means disappointing others’ expectations for him.

“It takes everything in me not to ask him to repeat himself. Blaise’s diner is popular with students because it’s cheap, the food is great, and it’s fairly close to campus. Will and I went there for lunch sometimes when he visited, and it’s usually full of big groups of friends hanging out. This is my third year at Maple Hills, and not once has someone asked me to hang out within an hour of meeting. I don’t think anyone’s asked me to hang out, period.”

Halle is drawn to Henry when they first meet because he treats her like a friend and an equal, introducing the theme of The Importance of Friendship. His invitation to Blaise’s diner piques her interest in his character and lets her know that Henry sees her as someone he’d like to get to know. This scene therefore foreshadows the friendship that will develop between the protagonists.