Chapter 48

Autumn and Jamie drive to school on the first day of senior year, passing the old bus stop as Autumn notes how young the freshmen seem. With classmates asserting senior status on the Steps to Nowhere, Autumn reflects that this may have been their last true summer of childhood as adulthood approaches.

Autumn attends Mr. Laughegan’s creative writing class, where he welcomes her back and assigns a playful exercise. Her schedule is heavy with English, including a college-credit literature class, and notably lacks math, which she finds both a relief and a burden.

In gym, a lifetime sports course chosen for its ease, Autumn is surprised to see Finny enrolled. During introductions and expectations, she studies Finny from a distance, recalling how public dynamics once kept them apart. When the teacher instructs students to pair up for the semester, Finny turns to Autumn and asks to partner.

They agree, recognizing that as the only seniors in the class, their partnership won’t draw attention. With the period freed for casual activity, they remain seated, briefly acknowledging their new senior status. The choice to partner reestablishes a quiet, comfortable connection between Autumn and Finny without openly challenging their current social roles.