Chapter 1-10
Morgan, 17, wonders why she feels empty at the start of the novel. She gets
along with her boyfriend Chris and sister Jenny, who dates Chris’s best
friend Jonah. Most of the time, the four teens hang out. Chris and Jonah
recently graduated from high school. Morgan and Jenny have a close
relationship, but their mother has neglected them in the five years since
their father’s death.
Jenny, Chris, Morgan, and Jonah attend a graduation party. Morgan and
Jonah stay sober while Jenny and Chris look forward to drinking and using
drugs. Morgan notes that Jonah always keeps watermelon-flavored candy in
his car for her since he doesn’t like it. Jenny tells Morgan she’ll have sex with
Jonah later that night on the way to the party. Jenny’s statement concerns
Morgan. Morgan realizes she’s 12 days late and may be pregnant as they
head to the party.
Due to her pregnancy anxiety, Morgan has trouble having fun at the party.
She escapes outside with Jonah.
Morgan discovers that Jonah no longer makes her feel empty. Jonah leaves
to find Jenny when Chris interrupts their conversation. Morgan and Chris
have a lighthearted conversation alone. Chris says his future daughter’s
name is Clara. Jonah arrives with a drunk Jenny and suggests they leave the
party.
Seventeen years later, 16-year-old Clara is driving home and debating
whether to pick up Miller Adams, a schoolmate who is abandoned on the
side of the road. Clara worries about leaving Miller outside in the hot
weather even though they haven’t spoken in a year. Miller has avoided Clara
for a year and even switched lockers to avoid her. Clara rescues him.
Miller immediately requests Clara’s assistance in moving a city limit sign.
Clara agrees reluctantly. Miller tells her that his favorite pizza restaurant
won’t deliver outside the city limits, so he’s moving the sign slowly toward
his home to get them to deliver. Miller noisily inspects Clara’s belongings,
including her hidden theater program college applications. Clara hears
Miller lie about hitching a ride with his girlfriend when he gets a call. Clara is
shocked by Miller’s humble home. Miller meets Clara’s grandfather and tells
her about his film school ambitions. Miller will start at community college
because of finances. Miller follows Clara as she leaves his house on social
media.
Morgan and Jenny are in their thirties. Jenny tells Morgan that she and
Jonah will marry while they cook for Morgan’s birthday. Jenny and Jonah
broke up as teenagers after Jonah’s graduation, but they recently had a onenight stand after his father’s funeral. Jonah and Jenny rekindled their
relationship after Jenny became pregnant. After discovering Morgan was
pregnant with Clara, Chris and Morgan married years earlier.
While Jenny answers Clara’s call, Jonah helps Morgan in the kitchen. Jonah
gently asks Morgan why she hasn’t seen him since his return. Morgan thinks
about how much she hates her home’s swinging kitchen door, which she
and Chris inherited from Chris’s parents, in their awkward silence.
The family eats. Jenny’s local hospital has Chris in quality control. Jonah
teaches history at Clara’s high school after working in business. The family
has dinner with Clara’s best friend Lexie. Clara joins and says she gave Miller
a ride home.
Her father warns her not to get involved with Miller, whose father Hank is in
prison. Clara dislikes her parents’ overprotectiveness. Chris refuses to listen
to Jonah’s arguments for Miller. Morgan feels isolated as the dinner
continues.
Later, Jonah gives Morgan a bag of her childhood favorite watermelon Jolly
Ranchers. Morgan is touched that Jonah remembered and forgives him for
leaving so suddenly. Morgan tells Chris she’s going back to college after
everyone leaves. He reluctantly backs her return to school.
Clara reminds Morgan of their birthday board tradition in the kitchen.
Morgan and Clara update their vision boards together on their birthdays.
Clara writes her hope that her mother will support her acting career and
her goal for Morgan on the board. Morgan writes her goal to find her
passion at Clara’s suggestion. Morgan asks Clara to sum her up. Morgan is
disappointed by Clara’s description of her mother.
Clara gets ready for school the next morning and finds her mother hasn’t
made breakfast. Clara feels bad about calling her mother predictable.
Jenny arrives with her infant son Elijah to drop him off for the day. During
Jenny’s first week back at work, Morgan will look after him.
Clara tells her aunt that Miller unfollowed her on social media before Jenny
and Clara leave for the day. Clara learns that Miller and his girlfriend broke
up the night before due to Clara’s car ride with Miller after picking up Lexie.
Clara arrives at school and talks to Jonah about the film competition she
wants to enter. Jonah tells her that Miller, another student who wants to
compete, wants to work with Clara on the project. Miller rejects Jonah’s
plan because Shelby, his ex-girlfriend, is jealous of Clara. Clara signs them up
without Miller’s knowledge after he leaves. Clara updates Jenny on Miller’s
breakup via text. Clara becomes curious when Jenny cryptically alludes to
being the other woman in a relationship.
Morgan learns of Chris’s accident while at home with Elijah. Before going to
the hospital, she desperately tries to call Jenny but can’t. Jenny’s labor and
delivery unit informs her that she won’t return to work until tomorrow. As
Jonah arrives at the hospital, Morgan surprises him. Morgan and Jonah
discover Chris and Jenny’s accidents.
Chris drives Jenny’s car, and Jonah’s mother picks up Elijah and Clara. Jenny
and Chris die, the doctor says.
After her aunt and father die, Clara grieves. She comforts Elijah during
Chris’s funeral. Clara blames herself for the accident since she was texting
Jenny at the time. Morgan told her Jenny picked up Chris after a flat tire.
Miller inquires about Clara’s health at the funeral. When Clara wants to
leave, Miller drives her.
Clara requests marijuana from Miller in the car because she “really wants to
get out of her head today.” Miller borrows a joint. Clara smokes her first
marijuana and ignores her mother’s text. Miller tells Clara after smoking
that he and Shelby reconciled. Morgan, who tracked Clara, interrupts them.
Morgan punishes Clara by taking her phone in her car.
After Chris’s death, Morgan figures out how she and Clara will survive.
Morgan avoids action and doesn’t consider why Jenny and Chris were
together the day of the accident. Jenny and Chris may be having an affair,
Jonah suggests.
Morgan is adamant. Jonah investigates Chris’s car’s location. When he
returns, he tells Morgan the car was left at a hotel.
Jonah and Morgan collect Chris’s car and hotel room belongings. While
Jonah checks in, Morgan waits in the car. Jenny’s duffle bag awaits. Morgan
finds lingerie inside, confirming Jenny and Chris’s affair. Morgan demands
they leave without Chris’s car. Accepts, Jonah.
In her front yard at home, Morgan panics. After the panic attack passes,
Jonah leaves. Morgan suspects Chris is Elijah’s father as she greets Clara
inside.
Clara escapes after Morgan goes to bed. She sends her mother a note
saying she’ll be with Lexie. Clara takes Lexie’s place in the movies. Clara
hesitates in her car after seeing Miller’s name. The theater opens. Miller
provides a movie ticket.
In the theater, Miller joins her. Clara and Miller discuss the film afterward.
Clara is surprised to find her mother’s cell phone at home. She messages
Miller on Instagram and plans to go back to school. Miller stops talking
because his girlfriend can access his account.
Clara calls Miller, emboldened. Texting goes on. Clara stops the conversation
and deletes Miller’s number, remembering her aunt’s warning.
Morgan is awakened by frantic door knocking at midnight. Elijah comforts
Jonah. Jonah repeats that “[he] can’t do this” after learning that Elijah is
Chris’s child. Clara disrupts. Morgan follows Jonah after Elijah leaves the
house. Jonah believes Morgan knows about Chris and Jenny’s affair and
Elijah’s paternity. Morgan suggests Jonah sleep on his decision after he
discusses abandoning Elijah. She tells Clara Jonah’s distress is caused by her.
Clara informs Lexie three days later that Jonah left Elijah. Clara and Miller
stare across the hall as they talk. Miller silently gestures for Clara to jump in
his car in the parking lot. Miller admits to Clara that his feelings for her are
confusing and asks her to leave his car. Clara initially ignores Miller, but she
eventually takes a lollipop from his mouth and leaves his car. Leaving
quickly.
