How It All Goes Down
A Fork in the Road
- Ethan is driving Lena's hearse. Not for fun—he needs it to get home because Link dropped him off at Ravenwood.
- While he's in the car with Lena, Ethan wonders about Macon's weirdness—telepathy, lighting candles sans matches—and all his mumbo jumbo about protecting Lena, boundaries, and other assorted craziness.
- After a brief argument, Ethan tells Lena how wonderful she is. "You're incredibly, absolutely, extremely, supremely, unbelievably different" (9.15.39). It's a compliment, trust us.
- Lena's never heard so many adverbs used to describe her before. It moves her to tears.
- When Ethan catches one of her tears on his finger, it burns him. Um, is she crying battery acid or something?
- Just then, Fatty, the truant officer, knocks on the car window. He thinks they must be up to some hanky-panky. Also, he seems like the type of guy that would still use the phrase "hanky-panky."
- Lying in bed that night, Ethan hears Lena's voice in his head. She wants to be let in. Just into his bedroom or into his life?
- The window starts rattling and the shutters bang open. Lena, wearing her pajamas, is outside on the lawn.
- Ethan joins her and finally finds out her deal. Turns out she's a Caster, someone from a long line of magical spell-casters.
- In an effort to bond, Ethan tells Lena that his dad is a shut-in, too! "I'm a freak, you're a freak" (9.15.98). Those are his actual words.
- They talk all night long.