Until Friday Night

Maggie has sex with West even though she knows he’s “lost and hurting and seeking comfort” (222). She worries she’s just a distraction for him but doesn’t tell him to stop because West keeps saying how much he cares about her. Maggie assures West she won’t regret sleeping with him.

West feels different having sex with Maggie. Afterwards, he holds her, realizing he’s found what he’s been looking for.

West and Maggie don’t hide their relationship at school. When Brady sees Maggie talking to West, he confronts her. West stands in his way and defends Maggie but isn’t sure what he’ll do if others see Maggie talking, too.

Raleigh confronts Maggie in the school bathroom. She insists that West loves her and is just using Maggie. Afterwards, West notices Maggie is upset and demands to know if Raleigh hurt her. At lunch, Maggie and West stay close. Maggie isn’t sure how to handle the team’s questions. They’re upset that West gets to date Maggie when Brady insisted she was off limits.

West returns to practice to avoid his grandmother, Olivia’s mom. She’s been visiting since Jude’s death. At practice, Brady questions West about his relationship with Maggie, reminding him not to use her to cope with his grief. He thinks she should talk to other people besides West, too. West argues that Maggie can cope however she wants.

West sneaks into Maggie’s room that night. While cuddling, he realizes how much Maggie has helped him and wishes he could support her, too.

Maggie wakes to a note from West. He went home to change and will come back to drive her to school. She’s surprised to see herself smiling in the mirror. She tells her mom she likes West.

Maggie asks Brady to wear his jersey because she wants to support West on game day. She doesn’t understand why Brady snickers when he gives her the jersey over breakfast. He then warns Maggie about West again. West seems different with her, but Brady’s still worried he’s using Maggie to handle his dad’s death (247).

West tells Maggie she can’t wear Brady’s jersey when he picks her up for school. They drive to the empty fieldhouse to find one of West’s old jerseys. West explains that wearing a player’s jersey means you’re his girl.

During the game, West likes seeing Maggie wearing his jersey in the stands with Olivia. Afterwards, Raleigh tries bullying Maggie when she sees her with West. Maggie stands up for herself and tells Raleigh to leave them alone. Then Maggie tells West she wants to start talking again but needs to speak with her family first.

Maggie and West take a drive after the field party. They discuss Maggie’s decision to talk again, and Maggie invites West to be there when she tells her family her decision. Then they kiss, touch, and express their feelings. They agree they want to be more to one another.

Maggie prepares to talk to her family. She writes a note to get her aunt, uncle, and cousin in the same room. Then she waits for West to arrive.

West arrives at Maggie’s house. He holds her hand throughout the conversation with her family. Maggie explains that she wants to start talking again, but doesn’t want to talk about her dad, her mom’s death, or therapy. Her aunt and uncle are excited. Boone tells West that Maggie’s relationship with him reminds him of Maggie’s mom. He also warns West not to hurt Maggie, which West respects.

When West returns home, Olivia tells him she’s going to stay with her mom for a while. West says he understands but silently feels abandoned.

Maggie hangs out with the team when they come over to see Brady. Everyone teases her about talking. Maggie stops worrying about them when West shows up.

West spends most nights with Maggie while Olivia is away. He doesn’t like being apart from her at school either. When he sees her talking to their classmates, he gets angry. Maggie tells him he has to let her speak to other people. She doesn’t want to be his crutch and decides they shouldn’t be together if their relationship is going to be unhealthy (283). West feels confused and upset when Maggie races away.

Maggie sits in her room and thinks about what happened with West. She misses and loves him, but she fears he doesn’t feel the same way. Brady knocks, interrupting her thoughts. He comforts Maggie, agreeing with her decision. He promises to stay with West so she can have her space. After he leaves, Maggie realizes that West isn’t as alone as her.

In the morning, Maggie and Coralee talk about what happened. Maggie appreciates her aunt’s words.

West is glad the team stayed with him, but he still misses Maggie. In the morning, Brady tells West to give Maggie her space. He assures him that Maggie loves him but doesn’t know that West is in love with her, too. West expresses his fear of losing Maggie but agrees to keep his distance at school.

Raleigh attacks Maggie in the hall. She accuses her of hurting West when he’s sad. Nash intervenes, defending Maggie and walking her to class. Maggie feels everyone looking at her.

Nash tells West what happened between Maggie and Raleigh. West can’t believe the rumors spreading about Maggie. He leaves class, finds her, and asks to talk in the hall. He apologizes for being possessive and angry. He promises to be there for her, tells her he loves her, and insists he doesn’t see her like other girls. Maggie stays silent as he walks away.

Maggie tells West to wait. She tells him she loves him too, and they kiss.

Maggie and West go to the field for their first real date. West apologizes again for his behavior the night they met and insists they reenact their first encounter. They kiss and talk intimately.

Two weeks later, West and Brady accompany Maggie to her mother’s grave. She hasn’t been there since the funeral. The boys sit in the car so Maggie can have her space. Then, Brady shows West a text from Boone saying Maggie’s father died by suicide in prison that morning. They don’t want to tell Maggie because her day has been hard already.

On the drive home, West and Brady allude to Maggie’s father’s death because they think Maggie is asleep. She wonders what they’re keeping from her. At home, she confronts Boone, insisting she needs to know what’s going on. When he says her dad is dead, Maggie doesn’t feel sad or relieved. She tells Boone her father has been dead to her for two years (323). In her room, she cries for her mom, West, Jude, and herself.

West, Maggie, and Brady look through old photo albums. West realizes he met Maggie years prior when he sees a picture of them at a family Christmas party. During the event, West ran into Maggie crying on the porch. She was upset about her dad’s violence towards her mom and West didn’t know how to respond. He wishes he could go back and comfort her. When he shows her the photo, they agree they were too young then to know “the right answer to anything” (328). West kisses her, realizing how important she is.