When Dimple Met Rishi

Dimple and Celia head to the first session at Insomnia Con. Dimple doesn’t see Rishi, and they wonder if he’s dropped out. Dimple can’t understand “why that thought sat like a ball of lead in her stomach” (51). Meanwhile, Rishi has watched when Dimple and Celia left the dorm and headed to the first session. As he walks toward the session location, he’s having the familiar experience of feeling like an outsider when he spots a table with a banner that reads “SFSU Art Department.” Kevin Keo, a student at the table, invites Rishi to Little Comic Con when he discovers Rishi likes to draw comic book art.

At the first session, instructor Max Framer reveals the Insomnia Con grand prize: Jenny Lindt will consider partnering with the winning team to make their app market ready, and she will fund the advertising. Dimple is overjoyed by this big opportunity. Just as Max is about to announce everyone’s partner for the summer, Rishi enters the auditorium, interrupting the process.

Max reveals that Rishi and Dimple are partnered, because Rishi had requested Dimple on his application. Dimple tells Rishi the grand prize, and Rishi pretends to be a fan of Jenny Lindt. Dimple realizes he doesn’t know anything about Jenny Lindt, and she and Rishi separately ask Max if they can have a different partner.