Katherine Danziger is the protagonist of the text. At the beginning of the text, Katherine characterizes herself as someone who might “fall apart over important things” (5). Throughout the text, Katherine shows herself that this is not the case as she navigates many significant life milestones, such as falling in love, having sex for the first time, and experiencing her first heartbreak with maturity and responsibility.

As Katherine falls in love with Michael and feels comfortable taking the next step in their sexual relationship, she approaches this with a sense of personal responsibility. Katherine takes it upon herself to start birth control, telling the social worker at Planned Parenthood, “I think it’s my responsibility to make sure I don’t get pregnant” (125). In taking responsibility for her reproductive health, Katherine can engage in a healthy sexual relationship that is physically and emotionally satisfying to her.

Michael and Katherine promise each other that they will be together forever, which causes friction between Katherine and her parents. They are concerned that Katherine is “too young to make lifetime decisions” (81), especially as college looms in the fall. Katherine insists that she is not making lifetime decisions because she does believe that she and Michael will be together forever.