Chapter 1 introduces 17-year-old Carver Briggs, the book’s protagonist and narrator. Carver is at the funeral of one of his best friends, Blake Lloyd. Blake was killed in a car accident along with two other teenage boys, Thurgood Marshall “Mars” Edwards and Eli Bauer. These were Carver’s three best friends.

Carver feels responsible for the boys’ deaths because Mars, who was driving, was returning a text from Carver when they crashed. Carver distinctly recalls the text he wrote to Mars: “Where are you guys? Text me back” (2). Mars was responding when he slammed into a stopped semi-trailer truck on the highway at nearly 70 miles per hour.

Carver firmly believes he is responsible for the boys’ deaths. He’s also convinced he’s not the only person who feels this way. He reflects on the dead boys’ surviving family members and wonders what each one would say if asked whether they thought he was responsible. Blake’s grandmother, Nana Betsy, would say no. She already told Carver, “You are not responsible for this, Carver Briggs. God knows it and so do I” (1). Eli’s parents, Dr. Pierce Bauer and Dr.