Content Warning: The source text and this guide describe psychological manipulation and a sexual relationship between an adult man and a minor.

The motif of cycles and dancing is prominently featured throughout the novel, serving as a powerful metaphor for the repetitive, often unhealthy patterns that characterize Freddy’s relationship with Laura. The book’s narrative structure itself reflects this cyclical nature, beginning and ending with two school dances that highlight the transformative journey Freddy undergoes between them.

In the opening scene, Freddy attends a Valentine’s Day dance with her friends, eager to share a romantic moment with her girlfriend, Laura. However, when Laura disappears and Freddy later finds her kissing another girl, Freddy is left heartbroken and alone, her hopes for the evening shattered. This sets the stage for her tumultuous, on-again, off-again relationship with Laura, during which Freddy is caught up in a seemingly endless cycle of breakups and reconciliations.

The motif of dancing takes on a deeper significance when Freddy reveals that she and Laura first met and fell in love while square dancing in gym class. This connection between their relationship and the structured, repetitive nature of square dancing is further emphasized by

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