Noughts And Crosses

Callum is told about Sephy’s attack by another nought student, who tells him, “Serve[s] her right!” since “that Sephy Hadley thought she’d play Lady Magnanimous and sit with us” (88). He rushes over to Sephy’s house to check on her. Sephy’s mother refuses to let him in and tells him never to come back again.

Sephy recovers at home. Her sister Minnie wants to know who attacked Sephy so she can make sure they know that attacking a Hadley will have consequences. Sephy vows to get revenge on her attackers.

Callum is doing well in his math class, which is the one class where the teacher is not treating him poorly for being a nought. Sephy returns to school five days after her attack. The only empty seat in the class is next to Callum, so she sits next to Callum reluctantly. She refuses to make eye contact with him. Callum prays to the Cross God, asking that his relationship with Sephy not be ruined.

Callum and Sephy finally speak after class. She confronts him for not reaching out to her while she recovered. He tells Sephy he attempted to see her every day, but her mother refused to let him in. They make plans to meet at the beach later that night, but Callum tells her, “if you aren’t there, I’ll understand” (105).

Callum waits for Sephy at the beach. He admits to himself that he did not stand up for Sephy during lunch because he “was scared” (106). Sephy arrives and tells Callum she believes that he came to see her, which is a relief for Callum, who feels “the old Sephy, my Sephy, was back” (106). Callum asks Sephy to recall their last picnic at Celebration Park. Sephy remembers it being “a lovely day” (108). Callum claims he remembers the day differently, setting up the flashback comprising the next four chapters.