Twisted

Tyler attends Hannah’s field hockey match. Yoda has joined girls’ field hockey as the team manager after his experience with the JV football team went sour. Tyler is shocked by how aggressive and assertive his little sister can be on the field.

Hannah ends up sustaining a concussion and getting knocked out for a few seconds. The three go to the doctor’s office, where Bill joins them. Tyler is surprised that Bill made time to come. 

Bethany finally gets the okay to stop using crutches, which makes Tyler anxious at the thought that she will stop sitting with him at lunch. She does move around the cafeteria, but still sits with him one or two times a week, to his relief. Chip tries to intimidate him by cracking his knuckles whenever he sees Tyler, which Tyler says would work “maybe if I was a walnut or a pecan” (92).

Bill and Linda fight over a trip Bill must take to Omaha. Tyler remarks, “the postal look on his face when he stalked out to the taxi made me think I should steal the gun hidden in his bottom drawer and toss it in the river” (91).

Tyler stays up one night to beat the next level of Tophet, which affects both his Calculus and History grades the next day; a worthwhile sacrifice, in Tyler’s eyes. 

The week before the Homecoming game, the football stadium is vandalized by someone burning the words “WARIORS SUCK” (sic) into the field. Everyone wonders, given his history of vandalism and the poor spelling, if Tyler did it. Tyler questions whether or not he did it himself, until Hannah can tell him his alibi for the night before.

During homeroom, Bethany asks Tyler if he’s going to the Homecoming game, indicating she’d like him to be there, and maybe sit with her, and maybe bring her some hot chocolate. Tyler is elated.  

Nervous about his impending “half date” (96), Tyler showers twice in preparation. As he, Hannah and Yoda are ready to depart for the game, Bill waltzes into the house and demands a family dinner. Hannah and Tyler plead their case, but Bill becomes surly. He insists on a home-cooked meal, sends Yoda home, and tells Tyler to mow the lawn. 

Linda prepares dinner then retreats with a headache. Bill attempts to make small talk with his children, but the tension is thick. Hannah finally excuses herself, leaving Tyler to figure out what is going on with his father. Bill brushes off Tyler’s questions and insists on accompanying him to his final probation meeting, to Tyler’s dismay.

Tyler outlines how he spent his night instead of being at the Homecoming game. A small amount of time is spent on schoolwork, with five hours going to Tophet. As Tyler maneuvers to keep his demon avatar, Gormley, alive in hell, he muses about what his father’s version of hell might be. The next morning, Bill wakes Tyler at five a.m. to let him know he’s headed to the office; Tyler doesn't tell him that it’s Saturday. 

On Monday, Tyler and Hannah go to school, Bill and Linda go to their respective offices, and the “perfect American family continued to live their perfect bullshit lives perfectly” (96).

In homeroom, Tyler apologizes to Bethany profusely for standing her up. She understands, because she also has crazy parents. Bethany gently makes fun of Tyler for letting his mother shop for him. She offers to go shopping with him instead.

Tyler runs through the list of other guys Bethany has been flirting with, wondering whether she may just be playing a prank on him. The other guys are rich, smart, and athletic, attributes Tyler does not think he has. He decides that even if she is “mercy flirting” (108), he does not care.

Halloween approaches and Bethany is permitted to start playing tennis again. Upon the news she hugs Tyler. He is excited, but also notes that she hugs her friends and two other guys, as well. The night after “the hug,” he dreams of beating up Chip, to Bethany’s strong approval.

The next day, Bethany asks Tyler to accompany her to the weekend’s events, including a bonfire, football game, and to a party at another student’s house. When Tyler demurs, Bethany says, “I want to spend time with you,” (113). She tells Tyler she has a ride to the bonfire, before he can respond, and walks away.