Ashamed over what happened the previous night, Morgan declares that she will never speak to Jonah again. She answers her front door and discovers her nosy neighbor Mrs. Nettle, who informs her of a broken window screen on the side of their house. Suspicious, Morgan breaks into Clara’s room to see if she has snuck out and discovers Miller and Clara, asleep. As Miller scrambles to leave, Morgan notices Miller’s condoms. Morgan attempts to keep Clara from attending school, but Clara angrily leaves after revealing that Morgan has forgotten that it is her birthday today.

Clara waits in the school parking lot for Miller. He arrives and brings her a cup of coffee. While complaining about her mother, Clara proclaims to Miller that she will “no longer be following her rules” (249). Clara attends her first-period class with Jonah. When she does not immediately confront Jonah, Clara praises herself. Later, when Jonah gently asks Clara to put her phone away during class, Clara aggressively throws her phone across the room and breaks it into pieces. Jonah escorts Clara into the hallway, hugs her, and apologizes. Clara begins to cry. He asks Clara to discuss what she saw with her mother.