Violet notes that while the Bartlett Dirt gossip page has named Theodore Finch the most suicidal person in the school, the school paper has devoted the front page to listing helpful resources for suicidal teenagers. Her former boyfriend, Ryan Cross, sits next to her in geography class and makes her uncomfortable when he plays with her hair. Despite his repeated attempts to reignite their relationship, Violet refuses him. Amanda Monk prods Violet to state that having Finch as a study partner is “awful” and implies that Violet is romantically attracted to him when Violet refuses (109). 

Violet’s mother shocks her by asking if she had been in the school bell tower the previous week. A local reporter told Mrs. Markey of Violet’s “heroism” in saving Finch’s life, and Violet is guilty when she realizes that they believe that “our daughter isn’t as hopelessly lost as we thought” (112). Believing that Violet is emotionally sturdier than she is, her mother suggests that the family travel to New York City for a spring vacation.

Violet experiences frequent nightmares. That night, she dreams that she is being strangled by an unknown man who approaches her from behind. When she encounters Finch on Facebook, she admits that she has bad dreams often since her sister’s death.