Punk 57

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual content, sexual harassment, substance use, death, physical abuse, and bullying. 

Misha uses the key hidden under the flowerpot to get into Ryen’s house again, this time at five am. He contemplates how and when to tell her he’s Misha, terrified of how she’ll react. He regrets how out of control things have gotten.

Misha enters Ryen’s room, expecting her to be asleep, but he catches her masturbating. Misha becomes aroused and encourages Ryen to keep going as they pick up their flirtatious banter. Misha watches until he can’t contain himself anymore. He and Ryen have sex. 

He invites Ryen to join him in an illegal activity tonight, but he won’t share the details. Ryen says she doesn’t trust him because she doesn’t really know him. Misha reassures Ryen that he’ll protect her because she’s his tribe, a term Ryen originally used in one of her letters. He hopes she won’t notice. Ryen agrees to join him because it means she might get to learn about him.

Ryen, Lyla, and the other cheerleaders work a bake sale at the baseball game that night. Masen shows up to flirt with Ryen. Ryen likes that she and Masen are sneaking around so she doesn’t have to explain their relationship to anyone else.