If He Had Been with Me
by Laura Nowlin
Contents
Chapter 50
Overview
Autumn and Finny practice badminton in gym, sharing tentative progress and small talk. Finny invites Autumn to his upcoming birthday gathering, but she declines to avoid complications. They agree family birthday dinners remain. Ms. Scope breaks their lingering moment, underscoring the careful distance they’re maintaining despite lingering connection.
Summary
In gym class, Autumn struggles with badminton until Finny patiently coaches her, slowing his returns and encouraging upward hits. Their tentative rally reaches five passes, signaling a fragile ease between them amid the wider class chaos.
As they return equipment, Autumn asks what Finny wants for his birthday and jokes about an ant farm; he mentions needing sneakers. They discuss his usual plan to host friends for food and a movie.
At the locker room doors, Finny asks Autumn to come to his birthday gathering. Autumn hesitates and declines, implying it would be awkward given their current boundaries. Finny accepts the refusal without anger, and they agree they will still have dinner with their mothers on their actual birthdays.
Ms. Scope calls them out for lingering, breaking the moment. Autumn and Finny turn away into separate locker rooms, reinforcing the polite distance they’ve chosen despite clear, unresolved feelings.
Who Appears
- AutumnNarrator; awkwardly reconnects with Finny during badminton, asks about his birthday, and declines his party invite to preserve boundaries.
- FinnyPatiently coaches Autumn at badminton; discusses birthday plans, invites her to his gathering, and accepts her refusal with restrained disappointment.
- Ms. ScopeGym teacher who ends Autumn and Finny’s hallway conversation by hurrying them to the locker rooms.