Summary

Amá searches Julia’s room for more signs of rebellion. She recognizes the English swear words in Julia’s journals—which include her poetry and stories— and rips them apart in front of a hysterical Julia. Julia has not phoned Connor since their argument three weeks before, and she feels completely without support.

After Christmas vacation, Julia’s friends and teachers begin to worry. She takes bathroom breaks to cry and cannot even get excited about her future plans, despite her stellar ACT score. After a difficult day, Julia wanders the deserted amphitheater of Millennium Park and watches skaters on the ice rink. As it gets dark and cold, Julia knows she should go home but feels paralyzed: “life … feels like a never-ending punishment” (210).

Julia wakes up in a hospital bed, having slit her wrists the night before. Amá and...