Chapters 1 and 2 Summary

When the novel opens, the main character, Colin Singleton is taking a bath. Colin has just been dumped by his nineteenth girlfriend. And, all of his girlfriends have had the name Katherine. When Colin comes out of his bathroom, his mom and dad are sitting on his bed. His dad says that Katherine the 19th called his dad's cell phone. Colin's dad says that Katherine, he and Colin's mom are all worried about him. Colin runs to the bathroom to throw up and spends the next 14 hours alone in his room reading and rereading his yearbook over and over.

In Chapter 2, Colin's friend, Hassan, bursts into Colin's room. When Colin tells Hassan that Katherine the XIX dumped him, Hassan tells Colin to snap out of it. Colin tells Hassan his biggest fear is that he will never use his prodigy status...