Birthday candles represent hopes and dreams. Pike creates a makeshift candle for Jordan in the form of a lit match. Since birthday candles are meaningful to Jordan, Pike’s gesture resonates with her, creating an instant connection between the two. Jordan also loves to light candles around the house, making a wish each time she blows them out. The wish she makes is always the same: “[L]et tomorrow be better than today” (39). This wish reflects on Jordan’s troubled childhood. It also shows Jordan’s positive outlook and resilience.

When Pike misses Jordan intensely after her move to Virginia, he gets a birthday candle tattooed on his forearm to remind him of her. For Pike, the burning candle represents light and fire, like Jordan. In the Epilogue, Jordan puts out a candle again, telling Pike that she always wishes for the same thing, suggesting that her wish is to be with Pike. According to Jordan, her wish comes true every time. This symbolizes the power of love, dreams, and hope to conquer all obstacles.

References to 1980s movies, such as Evil Dead (1981), Cocktail (1988), and The Breakfast Club (1985), as well as music artists and bands like George Michael and Metallica, pepper the text.