Before first grade
A Dolly-Bonded Friendship
[Willowdean Dickson](entity:character-recall-character-willowdean-dickson-3dba1aa4f227) and [Ellen Dryver](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-dryver-1c76520dce0d) are shy around each other when their families first bring them together. Their friendship begins when [“Dumb Blonde”](entity:expression-recall-expression-dumb-blonde-23ec56688b80) plays at [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33)’s home: the girls recognize their shared love of Dolly Parton and dance and sing together.
That early bond becomes the foundation of Willowdean’s closest friendship, with Dolly’s music serving as a shared language and a reminder of [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s influence.
When Willowdean was in third grade
Lucy’s Encouragement
[Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) takes Willowdean to a dance class, but Willowdean refuses to leave the car because she feels too fat and too tall beside the other girls. Lucy comforts her and explains that fear of judgment kept Lucy from trying things she wanted.
She urges Willowdean to give herself the chance, even if she ultimately decides dance is not for her. Willowdean stays only for the fall, but Lucy’s lesson becomes a touchstone when she later considers entering the pageant.
During Willowdean’s childhood
Lucy and Mrs. Dryver’s Bond
[Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) and [Mrs. Dryver](entity:character-recall-character-mrs-dryver-8a1b41e4cf9f) become friends through their devotion to Dolly Parton. Mrs. Dryver’s life as a Dolly impersonator brings Lucy into new places and helps draw out the bolder parts of her personality.
Their friendship also connects Willowdean and [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33), making Dolly’s music part of the girls’ shared history. Lucy’s love of the singer becomes one of the ways Willowdean remembers her after her death.
December before the novel’s present
Lucy’s Death and Funeral
[Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) dies alone at home from a massive heart attack at the age of thirty-six. Her body is cremated because the family cannot afford the wide casket her size would require, and the funeral draws townspeople who seem to regard her as a cautionary spectacle.
Willowdean fears that without photographs or daily reminders she will forget Lucy, while Rosie’s memories become fixed on how Lucy died. The loss shapes the family’s grief and intensifies Willowdean’s determination to preserve Lucy’s life as more than her final years.
Summer before junior year
The Summer Begins
Willowdean waits for [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) outside [Clover City High School](entity:location-recall-location-clover-city-high-sch-ec0b0a04a8b9) and watches her hurry toward [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5), who nearly gets clipped by a truck because he is absorbed in his phone. Their easy affection makes Willowdean long for the simple intimacy of having someone to kiss hello.
Ellen invites Willowdean to work with her at [Sweet 16](entity:location-recall-location-sweet-16-fdaa43161b32), but Willowdean prefers her job at [Harpy’s Burgers & Dogs](entity:location-recall-location-harpy-s-burgers-dogs-ce24adfb098d). The town’s [Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant](entity:event-recall-event-miss-teen-blue-bonnet-b995ed713ac6) is already looming over the summer, especially because Rosie leads its committee.
The first days of summer
Willowdean Diverts the Bullies
Willowdean sees [Patrick Thomas](entity:character-recall-character-patrick-thomas-20ced6d2fe17) and his friends crowding around [Millie Michalchuk](entity:character-recall-character-millie-michalchuk-22628763c6bb)’s minivan, mocking her before she reaches it. Rather than let Millie face them alone, Willowdean calls her over and congratulates her on getting her license.
The moment gives Millie a brief reprieve, though Willowdean soon ends their conversation to get to work. It also reveals Willowdean’s uneasy habit of comparing herself favorably with Millie while still recognizing the cruelty directed at her.
Early summer
Willowdean Meets Bo
At Harpy’s, Willowdean works alongside [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) Larson, whose quiet manner and red candy-stained lips fuel her intense crush. She remembers introducing herself as a cashier, Dolly enthusiast, and resident fat girl; Bo simply gives his name and takes her hand without reacting to her body.
Willowdean appreciates that he does not flinch at the word fat. She sees it as an accurate description rather than an insult, even as her attraction to him makes her increasingly self-conscious.
Early summer
Bo’s Old Friends Visit
Collin, Rory, and Amber arrive at Harpy’s and call for [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), exposing a tension between him and his former school friends. Collin needles him, while Bo keeps his distance and refuses to lend money or engage with their teasing.
When Collin asks Willowdean’s name, Bo answers for her and uses her full name before retreating to the kitchen. His guarded response hints at a past she does not yet understand.
Early summer, six months after Lucy’s death
Rosie Starts Clearing Lucy’s Room
Willowdean comes home to find Rosie sorting [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s belongings and planning to turn the bedroom into a craft room for pageant work. Willowdean asks to keep some of Lucy’s things, but Rosie dismisses the old clothes and papers as clutter.
The argument exposes how differently they grieve: Rosie wants the room to serve a purpose, while Willowdean fears that dismantling it will erase Lucy. Willowdean later searches the room secretly for keepsakes and memories.
Early summer
A Crown in the Stockroom
While running an errand downtown, Willowdean visits All That Shines and is shown the three [Clover City](entity:location-recall-location-clover-city-6950d71836bf) pageant crowns. She is especially drawn to the tarnished original, which seems more substantial than the newer, showier versions.
Donna Lufkin lets Willowdean try it on and tells her that a girl does not have to win a pageant to wear a crown. The encounter gives Willowdean a glimpse of the pageant’s appeal without yet making her want to compete.
The final day of tenth grade
The Last Day of School
At lunch, [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) says she may have sex with [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5) over the summer, continuing a conversation she has revisited for months. Willowdean challenges the idea that sex marks a girl’s transition into womanhood, while privately admitting that she is afraid of being left behind.
Willowdean finishes her final exam and feels less exhilarated than stuck, waiting for her own life to begin. Her unease foreshadows the changes coming in her friendship and romantic life.
Early summer, shortly after school ends
The Pool Encounter
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) summons Willowdean to the neighborhood pool. While Willowdean floats, a child mistakes her for dead because she is motionless and sunburned; she then finds Ellen chatting with [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) and Callie’s boyfriend.
Callie reveals she is training for the pageant and assumes Willowdean would never enter it. Willowdean feels exposed by the way Callie looks her over and leaves, ashamed of how quickly she retreats from being seen in her swimsuit.
The day of the pool encounter
The Fight with Ellen
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) catches up with Willowdean, who accuses her of abandoning her at the pool and resents being left without her usual emotional support. Ellen thinks Willowdean is overreacting and also calls out her insult toward [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50).
The two do not resolve the tension, but Ellen asks Willowdean to help choose lingerie for her first time with [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5). Their closeness survives the argument, though Willowdean feels hurt that Ellen has also discussed sex with Callie.
That night, early in summer
Ellen Loses Her Virginity
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) goes to [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5)’s house and has sex with him while his parents are away. Beforehand, she texts Willowdean that she is nervous and plans to call afterward.
The following morning, she tells Willowdean that the experience made her feel in control and loved, but not transformed into a different person. Willowdean listens and cries, both moved by Ellen’s trust and unsettled by how unfamiliar the experience feels to her.
The night Ellen first has sex with Tim
The Red Sucker
At work, [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) defends Willowdean after [Marcus](entity:character-recall-character-marcus-b3dea9e9568d) dismisses her bad mood as PMS. Later, Willowdean finds a red sucker in her locker, a small and unexplained gift that makes her feel as if she has received a secret Valentine.
She texts [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) encouragement while Ellen waits to talk after sex, then catches Bo watching her as she puts her phone away. Willowdean thanks him for the sucker before they leave, but he offers no explanation.
A Friday night in early summer
A Meteor Shower Together
After closing Harpy’s, [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) tells Willowdean about a small meteor shower and invites her to watch from the bed of his truck. Their conversation is awkward but intimate; he says he likes listening to her talk and eventually reveals that his mother died five years earlier.
Willowdean connects his hope that his mother can see the same sky with her own thoughts of [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba). They sit together beneath the stars, and the evening feels like the first moment when her life is truly happening.
A late Saturday night in early summer
The First Kiss
After [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) visits Harpy’s and reveals that [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) shared intimate details about her sex life, Willowdean feels excluded and inadequate. When she and [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) take out the trash, he tells her he liked spending the previous night together and kisses her beside the Dumpster.
The kiss is Willowdean’s first, and she experiences it as both startling and perfect. She drives away overwhelmed, but Bo follows her to a stoplight and asks her to follow him.
That same night
The Second Kiss and Retreat
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) leads Willowdean to the condemned school he once attended, where she arrives prepared to defend herself with her keys. He apologizes for kissing her without asking, and they talk through the impulse and her reaction before sharing a second, deliberate kiss in his truck during a rainstorm.
When Bo touches her waist, Willowdean’s body shame abruptly overwhelms the intimacy. Bo then says he should not be dating anyone, and she leaves in the rain, unable to trust either her feelings or his explanation.
The day after the second kiss
The Unspoken Secret
Willowdean spends time with [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) but cannot bring herself to tell her about [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c). She wants to preserve Ellen’s good impression of him and fears that explaining the kiss would also mean explaining how ashamed she felt when he touched her.
Instead, she finds comfort in helping Ellen care for Jake and in hearing Ellen ask about [Lucy’s bee brooch](entity:object-recall-object-lucy-5b5beb449cc7). The request reminds Willowdean that [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) belonged to other people’s memories too, easing the burden she has carried alone.
Early summer, before the pageant registration opens
Willowdean Tries on the Crown
Willowdean repeats to herself that she will not kiss or think about [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), but work keeps bringing them together. At All That Shines, Donna had already given her the chance to wear the original crown, a private experience Willowdean holds close.
At Harpy’s, Bo and Willowdean’s attraction resurfaces. He approaches her outside after closing, says he wants to kiss her, and she pulls him in rather than resisting.
The following two months
Their Secret Summer Romance
Willowdean and [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) begin meeting after work, mostly at the old school and in his truck. Their relationship is intense but undefined, built on kisses and private time rather than honest conversations or public commitment.
Willowdean enjoys feeling wanted, yet his touch can trigger her insecurities about her body. She begins to monitor each encounter and fears that she is becoming a smaller, less assured version of herself.
Three days after Willowdean’s birthday, late summer
Bo’s Birthday Gift
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) surprises Willowdean with a bag of childhood toys, candy, and a pair of bright red heart-shaped sunglasses. The small, playful gifts make her feel seen in a way she has not expected from their casual arrangement.
After they kiss, he tells her to go home, and she stays longer than she should. [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) later texts to ask why Willowdean missed [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5)’s party, but Willowdean keeps her time with Bo to herself.
Late summer, about a week before school begins
The Sweet 16 Insult
At [Sweet 16](entity:location-recall-location-sweet-16-fdaa43161b32), Willowdean hears [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) and Morgan describe her as [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33)’s sad, clingy friend. She hides in a fitting room, stung by their laughter and by the store’s exclusionary clothes and culture.
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) finds her on a bench and introduces her to his stepmother, [Loraine](entity:character-recall-character-loraine-f9b5f446189f), and younger brother. Willowdean also learns that Bo and his brother will attend [Clover City High School](entity:location-recall-location-clover-city-high-sch-ec0b0a04a8b9), a change he had not told her about.
Late summer
A Televised Weight-Loss Story
Rosie watches a television special about a teenager being pushed through a weight-loss transformation. Willowdean recognizes how her mother responds to the program and remembers the diets Rosie imposed on her as a child, despite [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s objections.
The episode deepens Willowdean’s sense that Rosie sees her body as a problem to be corrected. The conflict has not yet been spoken plainly, but it is already shaping their relationship.
The first week of school
Willowdean Quits Harpy’s
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) transfers into Willowdean’s World History class and winks at her, confirming that their private connection is now crossing into school. Unable to separate work from school or face him in both places, Willowdean interviews at the [Chili Bowl](entity:location-recall-location-chili-bowl-443e1ad55ae0) and quits Harpy’s.
She leaves without explaining the real reason to [Ron](entity:character-recall-character-ron-6f149753c007) or Bo. The decision offers temporary escape, but it also turns their secret romance into a more painful absence.
During Willowdean’s suspension
The Pageant Form and Ornament
While grounded, Willowdean searches [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s room and finds an unused pageant registration form dated 1994. Its simple requirements make her reconsider how many barriers to entering the contest she invented for herself.
She also discovers Lucy’s Dollywood ornament and remembers how Lucy had to abandon a trip because she could not fit into an airplane seat without buying an extra one. The memory makes Willowdean confront the ways shame and inaccessible spaces can prevent a person from doing what she longs to do.
The Sunday before registration week
Willowdean Decides to Enter
Willowdean wrestles with the decision to enter the [Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant](entity:event-recall-event-miss-teen-blue-bonnet-b995ed713ac6), thinking of the things [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) never attempted because she believed she could not. She finally calls [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) and tells her she plans to compete.
Ellen is enthusiastic and immediately begins planning with her. Willowdean has not yet told Rosie, whose role in the pageant makes the decision especially fraught.
The week after Willowdean’s suspension
Hannah Is Targeted
At school, Willowdean sees a cruel image mocking [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68)’s teeth circulating among students. She condemns the joke and thinks about how little anyone knows about Hannah or what orthodontic care might cost her.
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) appears with a bruised cheek and a split lip, but Willowdean resists asking what happened. His injuries and Hannah’s public humiliation add to the school’s atmosphere of casual cruelty.
The same week, at the Chili Bowl
Willowdean Meets Millie’s Enthusiasm
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) and Willowdean discuss the cost of pageant entry while Millie is at the counter. Millie overhears enough to realize Willowdean intends to compete and later approaches her at school, delighted by the news.
Willowdean asks her not to make a public spectacle of it, but Ellen suggests that Millie sees Willowdean as an inspiration. Willowdean denies it, though a small part of her is pleased.
Pageant registration day
The Pageant Revolution
Millie arrives downtown with [Amanda](entity:character-recall-character-amanda-f7c90eb37305) and announces that both girls want to enter alongside Willowdean. Willowdean warns them that the pageant will expose them to ridicule, but [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) argues that they should be allowed to decide for themselves.
Willowdean finally agrees to take them inside. The group’s choice reframes her private decision as the beginning of a shared challenge to the town’s expectations.
Pageant registration day
Rosie Signs the Form
At the registration table, the organizers require Rosie’s signature on Willowdean’s entry. Rosie pulls her daughter aside and accuses her of using the pageant to provoke her or embarrass the other girls.
Willowdean insists she is serious and tells Rosie that refusing to sign would mean saying she is not good enough. Rosie eventually signs, but makes clear she will offer no special treatment or allowances.
The registration information session
Ellen Enters Too
[Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) arrives at the meeting and registers, surprising the room. During the orientation, Mallory gives [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) a contestant folder, and Willowdean realizes that Ellen has entered as well.
Willowdean asks Ellen to withdraw, arguing that she could win and would undermine the point of their protest. Ellen refuses, saying Willowdean cannot decide who belongs in the pageant or make the event hers alone.
Immediately after registration
The Friendship Breaks
Willowdean tells [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) that she already has a perfect life and should let Willowdean have this one thing. Ellen says the request is unfair and accuses Willowdean of holding her back, repeating something [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) has said about their friendship.
Willowdean lashes out, insisting she is not Ellen’s sidekick or chubby best friend. Ellen leaves without backing out of the contest, and the two stop speaking.
The first day of school
Mitch Asks Willowdean Out
After school, [Mitch Lewis](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-lewis-b5a62a8de96d) walks with Willowdean and directly asks her on a date, saying he finds her cute and remembers her from sixth grade. Willowdean is surprised by his manners and accepts, partly because she wants a way to stop thinking about [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c).
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) and [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5) tease her about the invitation, while Willowdean recognizes that agreeing to a date does not erase her complicated feelings.
The Saturday after school begins
The Chinese Restaurant Date
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) takes Willowdean to Mr. Chang’s Chinese Palace, where they talk about Dolly Parton, [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba), their friends, and the holidays they like. Mitch admits [Patrick Thomas](entity:character-recall-character-patrick-thomas-20ced6d2fe17) is his longtime friend, though he knows Patrick can be a jerk.
The evening ends with a handshake rather than a kiss. Willowdean finds the date kind but unremarkable, and realizes she is still comparing its lack of spark with her moments with [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c).
The Tuesday after school begins
Willowdean Kicks Patrick
After Willowdean’s car breaks down, Rosie drives her to school and accidentally calls her “[Dumplin’](entity:expression-recall-expression-dumplin-bc621d1ed856)” in front of students. Patrick notices and later uses the nickname to mock both Willowdean and [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c).
Willowdean approaches Patrick and kicks him in the groin. Teachers intervene, and Rosie takes her home; Willowdean is suspended and grounded, but the act marks a moment when she refuses to absorb the bullying silently.
After the school suspension
Willowdean Confronts Rosie
At home, Willowdean challenges Rosie over the nickname and the years of diets and food monitoring that have made her feel judged. Rosie says she wants Willowdean to be happy and suggests that weight loss might help her with boys and dating.
Willowdean insists that a man will not solve her problems. The argument turns to [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba), with Rosie saying Lucy might still be alive if she had lost weight, and Willowdean accusing Rosie of reducing her sister to her body and death.
During Willowdean’s suspension
Ellen Reaches Out
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) sends repeated messages to check on Willowdean after hearing about the fight. Willowdean calls her and explains what happened with Patrick and Rosie, and Ellen offers the comfort and loyalty Willowdean needs.
They do not yet repair the deeper fracture between them, but their phone call confirms that affection remains beneath the silence.
Later during the suspension
A Pageant Form in Lucy’s Drawer
While alone at home, Willowdean searches [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s belongings more thoroughly and finds the old application and the Dollywood ornament. She studies the eligibility rules and realizes that parental consent is the main obstacle to entering.
The discovery makes the pageant seem less impossible, but also raises a question she cannot answer: why did Lucy keep a form if she thought the contest was foolish? Willowdean stores the application away and begins imagining herself competing.
The Sunday before registration
The Decision Becomes Real
Willowdean tells [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) she has decided to enter the pageant, and Ellen responds with excitement rather than disbelief. The two plan to talk through the practical details the next day.
Willowdean keeps the decision from Rosie, still hoping for an impossible response in which her mother welcomes her entry without suspicion or criticism.
The next day
Registration and Orientation
Willowdean, [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33), Millie, and [Amanda](entity:character-recall-character-amanda-f7c90eb37305) go to the community center to register, while Rosie is conducting the orientation. Rosie challenges Willowdean’s motives and worries the girls will be ridiculed, but Willowdean argues that the concerns themselves imply they do not deserve to participate.
Rosie finally signs Willowdean’s consent form. The meeting explains the pageant’s procedures and rules, including the need for the talent and wardrobe to be approved.
The registration information session
Ellen and Willowdean Fall Out
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) accepts a folder and reveals that she is entering the pageant too. Willowdean sees Ellen’s potential to win as a threat to the meaning she has given her own entry, and asks her to step aside.
Ellen refuses, pointing out that the pageant cannot be a revolution if Willowdean gets to choose who joins it. Their argument turns personal, and Willowdean says she is tired of being treated like Ellen’s sidekick; Ellen walks away furious.
The Saturday after registration
The First Date With Mitch
Willowdean goes on the date she agreed to with [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c). They share dinner, discuss their families and preferences, and discover they can speak honestly even when the conversation is awkward.
Mitch is considerate, but Willowdean feels no romantic spark. She recognizes that she wants more than politeness, though she is not ready to explain the standard [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) has set for her.
The day after the first date
Willowdean Starts at Chili Bowl
Willowdean begins working at the [Chili Bowl](entity:location-recall-location-chili-bowl-443e1ad55ae0) and makes a list of its advantages and drawbacks. One item appears on both sides: there is no [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), which makes the quiet restaurant both a relief and a source of loneliness.
At school, however, Bo remains difficult to avoid. Willowdean’s body-image doubts persist even after she has left Harpy’s, showing that the insecurities triggered by their intimacy have not left with him.
The first week of classes
Bo Confronts Her at School
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) finds Willowdean in the girls’ bathroom and asks why she quit Harpy’s. He believes she ended their connection without giving him a chance to respond, while she says she cannot manage both school and work alongside him.
Willowdean maintains that he made choices all summer, including keeping his transfer quiet. Bo leaves without resolving the argument, and Willowdean washes her hands repeatedly as [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) witnesses the encounter.
Several weeks into the school year
Willowdean Invites Mitch to Sadie Hawkins
As Sadie Hawkins proposals fill [Clover City High School](entity:location-recall-location-clover-city-high-sch-ec0b0a04a8b9), Willowdean remembers that contestants will need pageant escorts. After Bekah publicly asks [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) to the dance, Willowdean writes an invitation backward on her face and approaches [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c).
Mitch accepts, and the gesture gives Willowdean a reason to spend time with him while she tries to move on from Bo. She does not make clear that she means the invitation as friends.
A Tuesday night in the fall
The Hideaway Drag Show
Willowdean takes Millie, [Amanda](entity:character-recall-character-amanda-f7c90eb37305), and [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) to [The Hideaway](entity:location-recall-location-the-hideaway-7c8c3de8e899), hoping for pageant guidance, but the group is initially turned away because they are under eighteen. The bouncer recognizes [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s name from her old email and lets them enter with strict limits.
They watch a Dolly Parton drag show, including [Lee Wei](entity:character-recall-character-lee-wei-db37c65816ec) performing “[Jolene](entity:expression-recall-expression-jolene-e1057e57e6ec).” Willowdean is moved by the performers’ confidence and by the discovery that Lucy had a life and community beyond the home.
After the drag show
Lee’s Message to Willowdean
[Dale](entity:character-recall-character-dale-fff2558efe87) introduces Willowdean to [Lee Wei](entity:character-recall-character-lee-wei-db37c65816ec), who remembers [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) and comforts Willowdean in her grief. Lee suggests that Lucy was not meant to be Willowdean’s compass forever; she may have been there long enough to help Willowdean learn to find her own way.
Willowdean leaves with a lipstick mark on her forehead, treating it as a blessing and permission to become her own role model.
A night during the pageant preparations
A New Friendship With Hannah
At Millie’s sleepover, [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) and Willowdean share beers in the dark and talk about [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), body shame, and the fear of being judged. Hannah admits that she entered the pageant partly to sabotage it, but her mother’s pride has changed what the contest means to her.
Willowdean says she likes Hannah and wants to be her friend. Their conversation offers an honesty Willowdean has been missing and begins a bond built on mutual recognition rather than reassurance.
Halloween, during the school year
The Halloween Dance
Willowdean attends Sadie Hawkins with [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) and dances with him, while [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) and Bekah appear together. Patrick mocks Willowdean and the other pageant entrants, but Mitch does not retaliate when Willowdean holds him back.
Mitch tells her that good friendships can survive distance and growing pains. Later he takes her trick-or-treating after midnight, trying to show her the pleasure of becoming someone else for a night.
Late on Halloween night
Willowdean and Mitch Kiss
In a gated neighborhood, [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) and Willowdean trick-or-treat together, receiving candy from a few late-night residents and being chased from one house by an armed old man. The absurd outing lets Willowdean see Mitch’s playful, generous side.
They lie on the grass and kiss. Willowdean realizes she does not feel the fear or urgency she associates with [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), but she does not yet know how to handle Mitch’s feelings.
The day after Halloween
Bo Offers a Ride
Willowdean learns that Rosie cannot afford the repairs for her car, [Jolene](entity:expression-recall-expression-jolene-e1057e57e6ec), and begins to accept the loss of her independence. At Harpy’s, [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) checks that she got home safely after seeing her with [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) and offers to drive her home after work.
Willowdean resents his assumption that his experience with money is like hers, not knowing he attended [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) on scholarship. The disagreement ends sharply, but Rosie accepts Bo’s offer of rides.
The following evening
Willowdean Learns Bo’s Past
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) drives Willowdean home and explains that he attended [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) on an academic scholarship arranged by basketball supporters. After a knee injury and a fight with Collin, the donor withdrew support, forcing Bo and his brother to transfer.
He also describes his mother’s death and the strain his choices placed on his younger brother. Willowdean apologizes for assuming he was wealthy, and Bo explains that his life is less secure than she imagined.
Soon after Bo’s transfer story
Mitch Gives Her a Magic Book
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) gives Willowdean a copy of [Magic for the Young and the Young at Heart](entity:object-recall-object-magic-for-the-young-an-921c4ceace40) to help her find a pageant talent. A note explains that he once loved magic and hopes she can use some of her own.
Willowdean practices a coin trick, though she feels it is a poor substitute for a talent she truly owns. The gift also becomes part of her growing obligation to be honest with Mitch.
A Saturday in the fall
Willowdean Studies at Bo’s Home
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) invites Willowdean to his house to study, where she meets [Loraine](entity:character-recall-character-loraine-f9b5f446189f) and sees the modest home and the keepsakes of his family. He explains his complicated feelings about his father, his lost scholarship, and the future he once expected to escape.
Loraine talks with Willowdean about astrology and describes her as a confident Leo who still needs approval. Willowdean enjoys being welcomed into Bo’s family, but the intimacy makes her feelings harder to keep undefined.
The Sunday after their study date
Bo Takes Willowdean to Mass
Willowdean accompanies [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) to Mass at [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) and lights a candle for [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) while he lights one for his mother. The unfamiliar service gives them a quiet ritual of remembrance.
Outside, Collin and Bo’s former teammates greet him and ask about his injury and school. When Collin asks if Willowdean is his girlfriend, Bo calls her by name and says he is working on it, then takes her hand in public.
Immediately after Mass
Bo Asks for a Relationship
In the truck, [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) tells Willowdean he wants to stop hiding her and wants to date her openly. He admits that he dated Bekah while trying to get over Willowdean and may also have hoped to make her jealous.
Willowdean wants the relationship but fears public scrutiny and the way people will question what Bo sees in her. She asks for time rather than saying yes, and leaves the possibility unresolved.
The following Monday
Mitch Offers to Escort Her
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) asks Willowdean to let him escort her in the pageant, offering to rent a suit and support her. She agrees, even though she knows the invitation carries feelings beyond simple friendship.
His mother is enthusiastic about the idea, while Willowdean remains uncertain about both Mitch and [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c). The escort arrangement makes the pageant more personal and raises the stakes of her unresolved relationships.
About two weeks before the pageant
Rosie Finds the Dress
Rosie brings home a red formal dress from a thrift store for Willowdean to try. The dress zips, but it pulls tightly over Willowdean’s hips, and Rosie’s involuntary reaction makes her daughter feel that her body is being judged again.
They try to imagine alterations that might make it work. For a moment, Willowdean believes her mother is making an effort to meet her where she is.
About two weeks before the pageant
Willowdean Returns to Harpy’s
[Ron](entity:character-recall-character-ron-6f149753c007) visits Willowdean at the [Chili Bowl](entity:location-recall-location-chili-bowl-443e1ad55ae0) and asks her to return to Harpy’s because the restaurant is short-staffed. She misses the familiar people and routine, and agrees to come back in exchange for a raise and flexibility around the pageant.
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) leaves a red sucker in her locker on her first night back. Willowdean reads it as a small olive branch, though the two still have not resolved what their relationship is.
The night Willowdean returns to Harpy’s
Rosie Remembers Lucy
Rosie tells Willowdean that she is altering pageant dresses for extra money and that [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) had visited to have her own hem fixed. The news reminds Willowdean how much she misses sharing the preparations with her best friend.
Rosie also recalls [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba) staying up all night sewing sequins onto her own pageant dress. Their memories briefly bring mother and daughter closer, even as Willowdean continues to feel that Lucy’s absence leaves a gap between them.
Homecoming week
Willowdean Takes the Mum
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) gives Willowdean a large homemade homecoming mum, and she is touched that someone has made one for her. She has to work during the game, but the gift remains a visible sign of Mitch’s care.
At Harpy’s, [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) and [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) arrive in coordinated [Halloween](entity:time-recall-time-halloween-c9b359236295) costumes. Ellen’s clipped greeting and refusal to talk confirm how deeply the friendship has fractured, despite Willowdean’s hope that they might reconcile.
Halloween night at Harpy’s
Bo Explains the School Change
After [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) and [Callie](entity:character-recall-character-callie-9daaf5dd4b50) leave, [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) tells Willowdean that he misses the routine of his old school and admits that the transfer was his fault. He does not yet explain the whole story, but the conversation marks a rare moment of openness between them.
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) waits outside Harpy’s to take Willowdean trick-or-treating. She goes with him, pulled between his kindness and the unresolved attraction she still feels toward Bo.
The day after Halloween
The Pageant Gown Crisis Begins
Rosie tries on her old Miss Teen dress and discovers that its zipper no longer closes. She decides to start a cleanse and exercise program, even though the pageant is only days away and Willowdean needs the car for work.
The crisis reveals that Rosie’s attachment to her dress is about more than appearance: the garment is bound up with her identity as the town’s former queen. It also foreshadows the pressure both mother and daughter feel to fit the pageant’s standards.
The night after Halloween
Willowdean and Bo Talk Dolly
While waiting for Rosie to collect her after work, Willowdean and [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) sit in his truck and discuss Dolly Parton. Willowdean explains that Dolly’s self-invention is not an act but a life she chose, and Bo begins to understand why she admires her.
Their conversation turns tense when Willowdean questions whether Bo understands financial hardship. He leaves before she can explain further, and she is embarrassed to learn that he had attended [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) on scholarship.
The next two school days
Willowdean and Bo Reconnect at School
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) takes the seat beside Willowdean in World History and begins speaking to her more openly. He also explains that he misses his [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) uniform because choosing clothes each morning is difficult for him.
The small exchanges renew Willowdean’s attraction, even as she tries to keep her attention on her life beyond him. She asks why he has started sitting beside her, and he says he would rather talk to her everywhere.
The second evening of their renewed conversations
Bo Reveals the Injury and Fight
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) explains that he lost his [Holy Cross](entity:location-recall-location-holy-cross-ac1ceb55b4f3) scholarship after injuring his knee and fighting Collin over Amber. He admits that the conflict helped force his family to leave the school, and that his younger brother resents the change.
Willowdean apologizes for assuming the worst about his finances. The confession deepens her understanding of Bo’s guardedness and the responsibilities he carries at home.
A few days later
Bo Fixes the Front Door
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) arrives at [Willowdean’s home](entity:location-recall-location-68d327fe77ca) with tools and repairs the jammed front door, explaining that his father is a locksmith and that he offered to help. The repair restores a small piece of ordinary access to a house that has long been entered only through the back.
Willowdean asks about his Saint Anthony pendant, and Bo says he may have found what he was looking for. His quiet gesture and answer leave her feeling that he is searching for something he cannot yet name.
The week before the pageant
Lucy’s Room Is Cleared Again
Willowdean finds Rosie sorting [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s belongings into donation boxes. Rosie says Lucy’s things cannot remain as a shrine, while Willowdean sees the clearing as another threat to the memories she has been protecting.
The pageant, the dress, the loss of [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33), and her unresolved feelings for [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) converge into a feeling that she has no place to turn. She considers losing weight to fit the dress, then recognizes the familiar cycle of dieting and self-rejection.
That evening at Harpy’s
Mitch Learns About Bo
[Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) arrives with supplies for Willowdean’s magic act and finds her sitting close to [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c). When he asks whether she likes Bo, Willowdean admits that she does.
Mitch leaves hurt, wishing her luck with the pageant. Willowdean recognizes that she has been unfair to him by accepting his attention while withholding the truth about her feelings.
The same night
Willowdean Rejects Bo
[Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) tells Willowdean he wants a relationship and wants to be seen with her openly. Willowdean asks what he sees in her and admits she fears the attention and ridicule that would come with dating him.
Bo calls her beautiful and says he wants to show her off, but Willowdean still cannot accept the relationship. She kisses him goodbye and goes inside, believing she cannot endure being publicly judged.
The following Monday
Willowdean Withdraws
Willowdean tells [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) she will not continue in the pageant and apologizes for hurting him. He asks if she likes [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), and she admits that she does; Mitch says he would have been good to her and leaves.
At school, Willowdean sees [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) crying but does not follow her into the bathroom. She then tells Millie, [Amanda](entity:character-recall-character-amanda-f7c90eb37305), and [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) that she is dropping out, convinced that the original reasons for entering have disappeared.
Two days after Willowdean withdraws
Hannah Brings Willowdean Back
[Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) shows up at Willowdean’s house with food from her mother and challenges Willowdean’s decision to quit. She argues that the girls cannot demand visibility or change the pageant’s assumptions if they withdraw when the challenge becomes difficult.
Hannah reveals that Millie’s parents only allowed her to compete because Willowdean was participating. Willowdean realizes that her withdrawal would cost Millie her chance, and agrees to return.
The day before the pageant’s interview and rehearsal
Millie Gets Permission
During rehearsal, Millie’s parents confront her for forging her mother’s signature on the entry form. Millie admits what she did and tells them that protecting her from mockery is not the same as supporting her.
Willowdean speaks up for Millie, saying that the girls have all been teased and that they cannot live in fear of other people’s reactions. Millie’s mother finally agrees to let her compete, and the other contestants visibly support her.
The week before the pageant
The Talent Auditions
At the talent approval session, Willowdean performs a simple coin-and-water-bottle trick from [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c)’s magic book. She misses the cut in the bottle, leaving the quarter on the floor, and receives only Millie’s applause before the committee approves the act.
[Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) sings “[Send in the Clowns](entity:expression-recall-expression-send-in-the-clowns-aa488011c463)” with surprising emotional force, while [Amanda](entity:character-recall-character-amanda-f7c90eb37305) demonstrates soccer tricks and Millie plays the xylophone. Willowdean recognizes the gap between her weak act and the confidence she wants to recover.
The afternoon after the talent auditions
Lee Trains the Contestants
Willowdean contacts [Dale](entity:character-recall-character-dale-fff2558efe87) and asks him to help her and the other girls prepare for the pageant. At [The Hideaway](entity:location-recall-location-the-hideaway-7c8c3de8e899), Lee teaches them how to walk, balance in heels, and present themselves with confidence.
The training is awkward and funny, but it changes the group’s sense of what they can do. Each girl attempts the walk in her own way, and even [Hannah](entity:character-recall-character-hannah-fb0714f3cb68) begins to laugh at herself rather than treating the pageant only as an enemy.
The Thursday before the pageant
Willowdean and Ellen Reconcile
During the pageant interviews and luncheon, Willowdean and [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) are seated together but remain painfully distant. Willowdean apologizes and tells Ellen she does not want them to remain angry, but Ellen says their friendship is changing and they may need space.
Later, Ellen removes the insulting nickname from Willowdean’s dressing-room name card and says that if it hurts Willowdean, it hurts her too. The small gesture opens the door to a real conversation, and they finally share the truths they have been withholding.
During their backstage reconciliation
The Truth About Bo
Willowdean tells [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) about meeting [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c), their summer kisses, and her shame when he touched her body. Ellen says she also felt self-conscious when [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5) first touched her, helping Willowdean understand that intimacy can stir up insecurities without making her unworthy of affection.
Willowdean also explains that Bo wants to be her boyfriend but that she fears other people’s judgment. Ellen points out that a relationship belongs to the two people in it, not the bored spectators watching from outside.
The Thursday before the pageant
Willowdean Rejoins the Pageant
After the reconciliation, Willowdean and [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) acknowledge that their friendship can change without ending. Willowdean confesses her jealousy and admits that she wants Ellen to make new friends even when it frightens her.
The conversation restores their closeness and makes Willowdean feel less alone. She decides she can take part in the pageant without treating Ellen’s participation as a threat.
Friday night before the pageant
The Pageant Eve
Willowdean learns that her planned formal dress will not be suitable for the show and prepares an alternative from [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba)’s belongings. The pageant’s rules and schedule leave little time for another solution, and she feels overwhelmed by the possibility of failing in front of the town.
At home, she and Rosie work together on an opening-number prop inspired by [Cadillac Ranch](entity:location-recall-location-cadillac-ranch-258fb49bde78). Their shared project briefly replaces the tension between them with laughter and cooperation.
Late Friday night
Rosie and Willowdean Make the Prop
Rosie helps Willowdean cut, paint, and assemble a cardboard [Cadillac Ranch](entity:location-recall-location-cadillac-ranch-258fb49bde78) prop, sharing champagne as they work. Their collaboration becomes a rare stretch of uncomplicated closeness, and Rosie tells Willowdean she will have the best prop in the opening number.
Willowdean tries it on and sees that its absurdity is exactly right. For once, she and her mother are making something together without arguing about her body.
Saturday evening, the day of the pageant
Pageant Day
Willowdean arrives at the theater to find flowers and messages from [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) and [Loraine](entity:character-recall-character-loraine-f9b5f446189f), Lee and [Dale](entity:character-recall-character-dale-fff2558efe87), and Rosie. [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) discovers that [Tim](entity:character-recall-character-tim-911e77da50b5) has food poisoning and lacks an escort, while Willowdean also has no escort because she had refused Bo and [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c).
The two friends agree to escort each other in the evening-wear segment. Their decision turns a logistical problem into a gesture of loyalty and companionship.
Early in the pageant show
Willowdean Takes the Stage in Swimwear
Willowdean changes into her red-and-white polka-dot swimsuit and tucks [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c)’s heart-shaped sunglasses into her hair. Though her thighs remain her deepest source of shame, she walks onto the stage and refuses to hide or rush away.
She sees that no audience reaction can erase her right to be there. The experience crystallizes a simple principle: anyone with a body can put on a swimsuit.
During the talent round
Willowdean Performs “Jolene”
[Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33) helps Willowdean transform into a Dolly-inspired version of herself, complete with a blond wig, gloves, and a fringed outfit. Instead of performing the approved magic trick, Willowdean lip-syncs to “[Jolene](entity:expression-recall-expression-jolene-e1057e57e6ec),” tracing the song through memories of [Lucy](entity:character-recall-character-lucy-680a57cd8fba), Ellen, her mother, and the Hideaway.
The audience sings along and applauds, though Willowdean knows the rule change may disqualify her. She considers the performance worth it because it expresses the music and confidence that have shaped her.
During the talent round
Rosie’s Gown Crisis
Backstage, Rosie discovers that her old Miss Teen dress will not zip and panics because she has worn it for the pageant every year since winning. Willowdean is disqualified for replacing her approved talent and is told she cannot finish the contest.
Instead of leaving, Willowdean uses clamps to secure Rosie’s dress so it looks presentable from the front. She helps her mother face the stage and recognizes that a garment’s failure does not diminish the woman wearing it.
During the evening-wear round
Willowdean Escorts Ellen
When [Ellen](entity:character-recall-character-ellen-35bd441f3a33)’s escort is called and no one answers, Willowdean steps forward and offers her arm. Though the organizers initially question her, Willowdean walks Ellen across the stage in the evening-wear segment.
Rosie announces Willowdean as Ellen’s escort, and the two move together confidently. The moment makes their restored friendship public and gives Willowdean a way to complete part of the pageant despite her disqualification.
Near the end of pageant night
Millie Places Second
Willowdean stays long enough to learn that Millie is named second runner-up. Millie accepts her flowers and gives the audience a practiced pageant wave, vindicating her determination to compete.
Willowdean leaves before the winner is crowned. The outcome matters less to her than seeing Millie take part and realizing that the pageant can hold more than one kind of beauty.
Immediately after the pageant
Willowdean Confronts Patrick
In the theater lobby, Patrick mocks Willowdean for being disqualified and suggests she has been dumped. [Mitch](entity:character-recall-character-mitch-cd6ea165576c) begins to respond, but Willowdean stops him and tells Patrick that nobody finds him funny.
Patrick turns away without a comeback. Willowdean’s response is quieter than her earlier violence, but it shows that she no longer needs to prove her worth through his approval.
Late on pageant night
The Return to Harpy’s
Still wearing her red dress, Willowdean walks to Harpy’s and enters the busy restaurant with the sparkling cider from Lee and [Dale](entity:character-recall-character-dale-fff2558efe87). [Marcus](entity:character-recall-character-marcus-b3dea9e9568d) compliments her, and [Bo](entity:character-recall-character-bo-05fd4284a40c) comes around the corner with a red sucker.
Bo calls her Willowdean, and she sighs, no longer trying to hide the feeling his voice brings out. The novel closes with the relationship still unresolved but Willowdean more fully able to inhabit her name, her body, and her own choices.
