How It All Goes Down
A Crack in the Plaster
- Waking up in Lena's bedroom (scandalous!) Ethan sees that there are hundreds of words and phrases written in Sharpie all over the walls, doors, ceilings, and lampshades.
- Lena is relieved to see that Ethan is okay after the storm she caused the night before.
- As they hold hands, the ceiling starts to crack, and the crack forms the shape of a heart. Lena is embarrassed. We're moved.
- Seems like it's time for Lena to tell Ethan all about Casters. If you, dear Shmooper, haven't done so already, now would be a good time to check out the "Characters" pages to learn about all of Lena's family's special gifts.
- Lena continues dropping bombshells:
- (1) "In my family, we don't learn our birth names until we turn sixteen. Until then, we have other names" (10.09[2].76).
- (2) Her grandma called her "Lena Beana" because she was skinny. Better than Fatty Patty, we guess.
- (3) Ethan is Lena's first Mortal (non-Caster) friend.
- (4) Here's what Claiming means: "Your fate is chosen for you. […] Dark or Light, Black or White. There's no gray in my family. We can't choose, and we can't undo it" (10.09[2].107).
- Ethan doesn't have a problem with any of Lena's confessions. He believes they can always be together. Now that's determination.
- They kiss for the first time.
- It's perfect… until Lena pushes Ethan away.
- She doesn't want to get close to him because she's still afraid of being Claimed Dark on her birthday and turning into a monster. Hey, we've all been there… right?