Wildfire

Content Warning: This section mentions gambling addiction, parental neglect and verbal abuse, and alcohol abuse.

“I hate that a few affectionate words, a simple gesture of friendship, a sign that the times we’ve spent together meant something to him, is enough to make me spiral. […] He sighs, almost like he can hear my racing thoughts, and pulls me into a hug, sinking his face into my hair. ‘I’m gonna be jealous of the guy who gets to hear what happens in your head when you have that look on your face. Bring him to a game so I can launch a ball at his head.’”

Aurora is unable to receive Ryan’s affectionate words. Their relationship is purely physical, not because Aurora doesn’t like Ryan but because she is terrified of committing to a person only to be rejected or have her trust betrayed later on. Aurora’s self-confidence is too fragile to handle such things. Ryan’s parting words to Aurora, in which he hopes to meet the man who “gets to hear what happens in [her] head,” subtly foreshadows Aurora’s inability to stop talking when she’s around Russ.

“I promised myself earlier I would talk to someone if I thought they were hot and, technically, I am doing that even if she’s about to politely reject me. I’m trying hard to channel the artificial confidence my beer is giving me and not crumble beneath her inquisitive gaze as she considers my offer.”

Russ often resorts to his friend JJ for pep talks to boost his confidence and roam outside his comfort zone. This passage illustrates how low Russ’s self-confidence really is and points out that while he might seem confident throughout the book, it all starts out as an act, which requires a lot of effort from Russ. Therefore, when he begins to build true confidence at Honey Acres and it comes with more ease, it’s far more noticeable.

“My last-received text message was from my dad asking me to send him money […] he finds a way to snake his way into every situation and spoil it. […] I’ll pay you back. I’ll pay you double back. I know a guy who knows the trainer and the race is a sure thing. […] You have everything because of me. You’ve turned your back on this family. Won’t even help your own flesh and blood, you’re not my son. You think you’re better than us because you go to a fancy school, you’ll just fuck it up anyway.”

These early chapters introduce the main conflicts assailing Aurora and Russ through their phones, which fits with the symbolism of “unplugging” that becomes relevant when they arrive at Honey Acres. Russ’s primary conflict is his father’s destructive gambling addiction, which presents mainly through texts to Russ asking for money and insults when Russ ignores the request.