- It's planting/picnic time, and Cassia hangs out with Em, who is so nervous about her upcoming Match Banquet that she's already taken her green pill. Since Em has no artifact, Cassia offers to lend her the golden compact for the banquet to make her feel better.
- Flashback time: While planting beds of newroses, Cassia remembers her mom's disdain for them. Her mom preferred oldroses, which took care to grow and had a subtler smell, and she thinks newroses are too hybridized and durable.
- Cassia and Xander eat ice cream and talk about kissing. Then—wait for it—they kiss for the first time. Aw…
- For their last hour of free rec time before curfew, Cassia, Xander, and Em go to the music hall, where they run into Ky. Cassia asks Ky if he gets bored listening to the same songs, but he just says, "'they're different when you're different.'"
- Em has an anxiety attack (diagnosed by Xander, who apparently works at the medical center), but has no green pill. Ky tells Xander to give her his pill, and Cassia worries that Xander will wonder why Ky didn't offer his (Aberrations get no tablets).