Instructions for Dancing

Since she knows the outcome of their love, Evie avoids Sophie and Cassidy—until they show up at her house and confront her. Though Sophie is understanding, Cassidy is aggressive, asking why she’s avoiding them as Martin accepts their relationship. Eventually, Evie responds that she doesn’t think they should date. Cassidy yells that she knew it, and Sophie asks why. Evie replies that she’s worried about their friendship changing when they break up. The girls defend their love, pushing Evie to be happy for them, but she whispers that she can’t pretend. Sophie and Cassidy are speechless and leave without a word. Evie feels guilty, but knows her visions don’t lie.

Danica helps Grace create an online dating profile. She whines that Grace has to add interesting facts, not just state that she’s a mother, and Grace laughs. Evie can’t believe Danica convinced their mother to date again, feeling cynical and frustrated.

Evie meets Martin at the local tar pits park, and they discuss Evie’s fight with Sophie and Cassidy. Martin asks her to share visions of people at the park; Evie tells him about rejected marriage proposals, illnesses, and deaths. Evie mentally tells herself that to live with this curse, she must look away from kisses. Martin suggests she tell Sophie and Cassidy about her power. Evie says they’d never believe her, and that it would be cruel to tell them how they fall apart. Martin comments that Sophie and Cassidy seem happy, as do other couples. He asks, “Don’t you think it counts for something that they’re happy now?”—but Evie doesn’t have an answer (141).

X texts Evie about hanging out, which Martin encourages. Evie agrees to meet X for their fourth “date,” though she continues to deny this term. Feeling like a hypocrite for engaging with romance, she still leaves to meet X.

Since Evie picked their destination, she meets X at a pool club. They state they’re happy to see each other, which thrills Evie, and she gets their pool supplies from the counter. An employee knows Evie by name and asks about her father, but she suppresses the memories of her father teaching her pool. Her father has texted her multiple times since she denied attending his wedding; he keeps sending her pictures of their yearly Taco Night adventures, like them eating giant chimichangas.

Evie and X play pool, and she shows off her skills. X fakes not knowing how to play, so Evie gets close and helps move his hands for better form. She equates this moment to the romance trope of a male lead teaching the female lead how to do something to get close to her. X laughs at his own charade, and they compete fiercely.

Evie talks about her father teaching her how to play pool, opening up to X about how her parents used to be in love, but now she thinks nothing lasts. She states she “doesn’t believe in” dating anymore, and X understands why she feels cynical (150). She likes him even more for validating her feelings. When X hugs her after their game, he says they can take things slow and asks if they can officially call their outing a date. Evie responds that it’s definitely a date.

Evie’s mother, Grace, gets ready for her first date since getting divorced and starting her dating profile. Her date, Bob, is an oncological pediatrician, which Grace finds attractive since he saves children’s lives. Danica helps with Grace’s makeup, creating what Evie calls a “come hither” look with bright lipstick and flashy eyeshadow; the girls assure their nervous mother that she looks beautiful (153).

When the doorbell rings, Grace states she’s meeting Bob at a restaurant—and they’re surprised to see Evie and Danica’s father. He explains that he wanted to surprise Evie with their annual Taco Night, though they haven’t seen each other in six months. He bought VIP tickets to pass lines, but Evie refuses to go—until Grace pulls her aside and convinces her.

Evie and her father walk to the event, and she answers his questions about school, dancing, and her friends with “fine.” They have awkward silences and strained conversation until her father throws up his hands and asks if they can have a taco truce. Evie agrees, and they discuss strategies for which food trucks to hit first, using words like “yesteryear” since they’re both National Spelling Bee fans. Her father tells many “dad jokes” about Mexican food, and Evie laughs.

After the event, Evie’s father says he and Shirley are thinking of postponing their wedding to give Evie time to process and attend, since it’s important to him. Though she can’t muster happiness, Evie tells him not to postpone for her, and that she’ll think about attending. X shows up on the street and introduces himself to her father, even laughing at one of his “dad jokes.”

After her father drives away, Evie walks home with X. He talks about how he finished the music for “Black Box,” the song they wrote together. X laughs when Evie expresses anger at having had fun with her father. He relates this anger to how he used to get upset with himself for enjoying playing music without Clay.

Evie gives X a tour of her family’s apartment. She awkwardly wonders if taking their relationship slow involves showing X her room. Leaving him outside the door, she quickly tidies up her room, and then invites him inside. He checks out her labeled bookshelves and asks about her favorite book. Evie immediately answers that it used to be Cupcakes and Kisses, a romance novel.

Next, the couple goes to the backyard patio, where X stares into the courtyard until Evie asks if he’s okay. He opens up that today is the one-year-anniversary of Clay’s death, and that he was hit by an adult texting and driving. He strums his guitar, and then breaks down in tears. Evie sits beside him, comforting him until he gains composure. They cheer up by dancing the cheesiest dances they know, including the robot.

When X asks if he can join her friends at another bonfire, Evie explains that Sophie and Cassidy started dating, but she knows they’re going to end up heartbroken. X protests her abandoning her middle-school friends, and says she should consider “all the time you’re missing with them right now” (171). Evie can tell he’d give anything for more time with Clay, so they hug and stop arguing.

After X’s urgent message about lost time and his tears over Clay, Evie wakes up the next morning feeling she must repair her friendships. She texts Martin and arrives at Cassidy’s mansion; he warns her that Cassidy is angrier than before. Martin leads her through the house to the pool, where Sophie and Cassidy are surprised to see her.

Cassidy ignores Evie, asking Martin why she’s present. Evie says she came to apologize, worrying that if they don’t forgive her, then she’ll be the one responsible for ending their years-long friendship. Martin whispers at her to grovel. Cassidy snaps at Evie for suggesting they break up, asking if she thinks she’s not good enough for Sophie; Cassidy is neglected by her parents and has self-esteem issues. Evie admits that her parents’ divorce destroyed her belief in romance. Sophie understands, but tells her that not everyone will end up like her parents.

Evie apologizes for being selfish, and the couple accepts her apology; the three girls admit they missed each other. The four catch up, unable to deny how blissful Sophie and Cassidy are together.