Daydream

Henry Turner is another of the novel’s main characters and first-person narrators. The chapters titled with Henry’s first name are written from his first-person point of view. Like Halle, Henry is starting his junior year at Maple Hills when the novel opens.

Henry’s personal and academic situation contrasts with Halle’s. Henry is the only child of Maria and Yasmine Turner. Henry feels especially “appreciative of [his] moms” whenever he talks “to [his] friends about their parents” (229). Unlike his friends’ parents, Henry’s moms “have never made [him] feel not good enough, never made [him] think [he isn’t] capable of making [his] own choices, never discouraged [him] or asked too much of [him]” (229). His moms have given him a loving and supportive familial base that Henry can fall back on when he is overwhelmed or anxious, which contrasts with the sense of burden and responsibility Halle feels within her own family dynamic.

However, Henry’s junior year does present him with academic and personal challenges. Henry’s new position as captain of the hockey team makes Henry question if he’s capable of being a leader. Although he makes “the effort to encourage the new, less confident players” and tries “to be positive” for the sake of team morale (12), Henry still struggles to believe in himself. His coach Neil Faulkner’s high expectations for the team captain particularly weigh on Henry: Coach pressures Henry to do well academically and to set a behavioral example for his teammates. Henry is a devoted player but often questions his ability to lead his team to success while managing his academic and social spheres.

Henry is a sensitive, forthright, and open-minded character. Henry is often overwhelmed by rowdy and noisy spaces and becomes immobilized by busy, demanding schedules. At the same time, Henry’s distinct manner of processing experiences and expressing emotions makes him empathetic to others. In particular, Henry does everything in his power to be there for his friends and to invest in Halle’s life. He doesn’t conceal his frustrations or his excitement and never uses shrouded language to communicate with his loved ones. These facets of his character endear him to Halle: Unlike her relationship with Will, her relationship with Henry is loving, reciprocal, and supportive.

Henry is also a dynamic character who develops over the course of the narrative. He eventually realizes that he is ready to commit to an exclusive, romantic relationship with Halle after spending some time apart from her, and he also accepts that he cannot always fulfill others’ expectations when he resigns as team captain. At the novel’s end, his plan to pursue an art course in New York City over the summer suggests that he is also growing in his confidence as an artist, just as Halle is becoming more confident as a writer.

Will Ellington is a secondary character. He also acts as the antagonist throughout the novel. He and Halle met when her family moved into Will’s neighborhood after they relocated from New York. Will’s parents and Halle’s parents “quickly became best friends” (3), which instigated a connection between Will and Halle. Over the years, everyone expected them to start dating. They ultimately got together after they started college.

Although Will and Halle have been friends since they were young, in the narrative present they’ve “outgrown each other” and have little in common outside of their “hobbies or [their] family commitments” (7). Furthermore, Halle is the only person in the relationship who makes sacrifices. Will doesn’t invest in Halle’s personal or academic interests, instead expecting her to rearrange her schedule to accommodate his. Will is also an impatient, pushy character who constantly nags Halle to go further with him sexually. He does nothing to make her feel valued, which isolates Halle in their relationship. His selfish approach to the relationship makes him a foil to Henry, contrasting with Henry’s more considerate and mutually beneficial behavior.

Will’s character acts as a constant, peripheral threat to Halle and Henry’s relationship throughout the novel. Will and Halle break up in Chapter 1, but Will doesn’t entirely disappear from Halle’s life afterward. This is primarily because their families are still connected and because Halle is reluctant to tell her parents and siblings what happened between her and Will. She’s used to others lauding Will for his good looks and hockey skills, and fears that others will blame her for their breakup. Whenever Will texts or calls Halle, Halle feels anxious and worried.

When Will comes to Maple Hills to play Henry’s team, Will stirs up trouble in the locker room. He also tries to shame and bully Halle in private, with Halle’s ability to stand up to him demonstrating her growth and bringing a definitive end to his influence over her. Will is a static character who fails to change over the course of the novel.

Campbell Walker is one of Halle’s friends. She is a secondary character whom Halle primarily refers to as “Cami” throughout the novel. Halle and Cami meet when Halle interviews for her new job at The Huntington Hotel. Cami is also working at the hotel and is also a student at Maple Hills. She and Halle immediately establish a connection and begin to spend time together after Halle gets the job at The Huntington Hotel. Cami is therefore one of the first friends that Halle makes outside of her relationship with Will. Cami’s loving, supportive, and energetic character traits inspire Halle to open up to others, teaching her the empowering nature of close bonds between women.

Nate Hawkins is a minor character. He is one of Henry’s close friends and plays a supportive role in Henry’s life throughout the novel. In the narrative present, Nate has graduated from Maple Hills but does his best to stay in touch with Henry. As the former captain of the hockey team, Nate particularly encourages and coaches Henry through his experience as captain. Nate is also the one “who convinced Coach [that Henry] deserved” the captain position (17). Henry often worries about letting Nate down if he doesn’t do well in this leadership role. At the same time, he knows that he can go to Nate for advice and support. In particular, Nate assures Henry that it’s okay to step down as captain near the novel’s end, giving Henry the space to care for himself.

Gigi Scott is a minor character. She is Halle’s younger stepsister. Gigi has become reliant upon Halle and the sisters maintain a close bond. In particular, Halle invests in Gigi’s academic career. Halle is “the one who originally suspected [Gigi] was dyslexic and had ADHD” and therefore “worked with her for hours practicing dictation until she mastered it” (36). Although Halle isn’t living at home in the narrative present, she continues to support Gigi throughout the novel. She helps her with her homework over the phone and even plays a pseudo-parental role in Gigi’s life. Halle loves Gigi, but these responsibilities often complicate her ability to be present at school and take care of herself.