52 pages • 1 hour read
Tell Me Three Things
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Chapters 31-34
Chapter 31 Summary
Theo arrives in a chauffeur's outfit to pick Jessie up from the airport. He has heard gossip of her and Liam, and she admits that she does not want Liam to ask her out. He assumes correctly that it is because she likes Ethan, and he reveals that Xander, the member of Oville who overdosed on heroin last year, was Ethan's older brother. Jessie realizes now that the sadness and insomnia she always sees in Ethan must be grief.
She wants to ask SN if he is Ethan but does not want to make the mistake of assuming incorrectly again. Instead, she tells him she has new theories and searches for clues in old messages with Ethan before “[sending] out a wish to the universe” that it is him (284). SN wants to meet her at an IHOP tomorrow, which confuses her even further because she has her project meeting with Ethan. Despite her anxiety, Jessie tells herself to not be afraid, sure that “whatever this is, whoever this is—Ethan-or-not-probably-not—is worth fighting for” (286).
Chapter 32 Summary
After school on Monday, Jessie and Ethan go to Starbucks to continue their project. Jessie gets lost in thought, trying to figure out who SN might be. She works up the courage to ask him about his insomnia, and when she suggests he try medicine to help, he shares that he “[doesn't] like to take anything.” Jessie randomly blurts out an apology for his brother dying, like he did with the news of her mom. She empathizes with him and reassures him that “Ethan is Ethan is Ethan” (290), even if he is a different person now that his brother is gone. He discloses that Liam is planning on asking her out, which makes Jessie finally realize that her relationship with Ethan might be more meaningful than the one with SN: “Ethan is real and right in front of [her], not just carefully written words on a screen” (291).
That night, she messages SN, and they both express their nervousness about meeting. Jessie believes that if their relationship fails in person, they can return to messaging online. Ethan then messages her; he thinks they should start meeting more frequently to start writing their project, which Jessie is delighted to hear.
Chapter 33 Summary
Theo tells Jessie she needs to talk to her dad because she is “bringing negative energy into this house” (296). He reminds her that their time with their parents is limited, and she is starting to sound like a “Wood Valley brat.” Jessie admits he is right and knows she needs to be more courageous with her confrontations. Jessie remembers how easy it used to be to talk to her parents; they would all share anecdotes of their days around the dinner table, which she realizes is “not unlike SN and [their] three things” (297).
Mrs. Pollack keeps Jessie after English class again, apologizing for the way she handled their conversation last week. She reminds Jessie of the school's mental health resources and tells her that she is looking forward to Jessie and Ethan's project because they are “two of [her] brightest students” (300).
While at work, Jessie messages SN, and they agree to meet at IHOP tomorrow at 3:45, since “[he has] a thing at 3” (301). Jessie's dad shows up at the bookstore, and they begin to talk for the first time in weeks. He starts with small talk, but then admits he neglected his fatherly responsibilities because he was feeling “desperate” and too busy adjusting to his own new life. When he offers to move them back to Chicago, Jessie considers just how much has changed for everyone in her life in the last two months and realizes just how much she would miss from her newly established life in LA. She denies the offer but points out that he “orphaned her,” and that she had to figure out everything on her own. He is deeply apologetic, and Jessie still feels angry, but they agree to move forward together.
Rachel is in Jessie's room when she returns from work, looking at the photo of Jessie and her mom. She encourages Jessie to make the bedroom her own and apologizes for “all the balls [she's] dropped” (311).Tearfully, Rachel admits that adjusting is still difficult, especially because she knows she is “not enough” for Theo. Jessie realizes that even though “this is a house full of pain [...] it's also the house of starting over” (312).
Chapter 34 Summary
On Wednesday, Jessie arrives at the IHOP early, waiting for her relationship with SN to “be brought into the light and into the here and now” (313). She feels self-conscious, “cataloging [her] flaws, hurting [her] own feelings” (313), and she briefly considers leaving. Dri texts to wish her luck and assures her that their friendship is not in jeopardy if SN turns out to be Liam.
Jessie spots Liam at the door and is disappointed at the confirmation that he is SN. He asks Jessie out to dinner, and while she gathers her thoughts, Ethan and Caleb both appear at the table. Jessie is confused and momentarily thinks this is one of her recurring dreams. She worries that the three of them were all SN as an elaborate joke and fears that Ethan's affection towards her was to spite Liam, as they almost start to fight.
Ethan texts Jessie, confirming he is SN, and explains that their Oville meeting ran late and Liam approached her first. Jessie is overjoyed that Ethan is SN and declines Liam's offer. Caleb and Liam leave the two of them in the booth, where they effortlessly spend the next few hours talking. Jessie thanks him for being her first true friend at Wood Valley, and Ethan kisses her.
Chapters 31-34 Analysis
The first big reveal of the final chapters is that Xander, the student who overdosed on heroin, was Ethan’s older brother. With this knowledge, Jessie finally recognizes that the reason they understand each other on such an intimate level is their parallel grief. They are the only ones at Wood Valley who empathize with what the other is experiencing, which is why they can be their most authentic selves with one another. Jessie sees just how important her relationship with Ethan is, especially since it is tangible.
Jessie’s follow-up conversation with Mrs. Pollack confirms what Ethan/SN have been reminding Jessie: does not need to change herself in any way to fit in at Wood Valley, because she is succeeding just by being herself. Bill gives Jessie the space to unload all the frustrations of her upturned life and must recognize that he failed to be there for her when she needed it most. Simultaneously, Jessie realizes just how much she was able to do on her own and admits that her dad might have had an even more difficult time adjusting than she did, demonstrating that she is able to widen her scope of understanding to experiences other than hers.
Her relationship with Rachel is also on the mend; she no longer feels an adverse reaction when Rachel touches the photo of her mom, and Rachel’s moment of vulnerability softens Jessie’s resentment towards her. Rachel finally takes the steps to assure Jessie that her room is her space and that it is not a temporary stay, while Jessie suggests to Rachel that openly remembering her first husband might help her and Theo move forward. Jessie realizes that, though they all have a lot of work to do, they are truly a “house of starting over” (312), and finally, after two months, they can begin to do it together.
SN turns out to have been “right in front of [Jessie]” the entire time—just as Scar told her he would be (270). Ethan immediately tucks Jessie’s hair behind her ear, just as he had been waiting to do for weeks, and they are able to dive into their emotional and physical intimacy with such ease that Jessie feels absolutely no fear. She asks him to tell her three things aloud, indicating she wants to continue deepening their relationship even now that they can speak in person. For the first time in a long while, the future feels hopeful for both of them: Ethan’s mom has entered rehab, Jessie is ready to build relationships with her new blended family, and they are both giddy with the excitement of a first serious relationship. For the first time, there is no place Jessie would rather be. After two years of overwhelming grief and two months of arduous adjusting to a completely upended life, Jessie has reached a point of peace and contentment. Just as SN told her, home does not have to be a place—it can be in the memories you carry and the people who love and accept you.
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