Monday’s Not Coming: Chapter 39. The After Summary & Analysis

Instead of doing Mrs. Walker’s worksheets, Claudia sits in the library, looks through one of her colored gel filters for dyslexia, and listens to “All I Ask” on her iPod. Adele is singing to a lover, begging for one last moment. Claudia tries to think of anyone she’d beg for another moment with—but she can only think of Monday. Claudia knows she loved Monday, not romantically but like a soulmate. But what if April was right that Claudia didn’t really know Monday? That might explain why Monday left.

With a huff, Michael slams his bookbag onto the table and sits down. Claudia asks what he’s doing here, feigning annoyance, but Michael begs to not act like this today—his dad wants to stay in Dubai. The money is too good. Worst of all, there’s no football. Claudia knows how much football means to Michael, so she suggests he find a family member to stay with. She suggests Ms. Walker, and Michael thanks Claudia for the good idea.

Laughing, Claudia tells Michael that he wrote the wrong year in his notebook. He gulps, crumples the page, and then asks Claudia what she’s up to. He says there’s a kid on the football team who goes to the TLC, and he does better on tests than anyone else. He admits he knows what the gel sheets are for. Claudia panics and asks if he’s told everyone. Though he assures her he never would, Claudia runs away crying. She’s worked so hard to keep this secret and feels humiliated Michael now knows.

Claudia goes to the dance studio on Saturday afternoons. Dancers can practice on their own—but most of the older girls chill with boys on Saturdays. As she stretches, Claudia thinks that she can read and she’s getting better. She just doesn’t want people to think she can’t. When she’s ready, she plays “All I Ask” on repeat. Claudia dances, feeling like she’s moving heavily. Megan’s voice interrupts Claudia from the doorway, saying she has to smile. Megan drops her bag and tells Claudia to relax, demonstrating one of the turns.

Claudia follows along, but Megan laughs again for Claudia to loosen up. They smile and practice the turns, trying to make each other laugh. After a bit, Megan says she has to go. Claudia is disappointed for the afternoon to end, but Megan invites Claudia to a sleepover later.

In the car on the way to Megan’s, Ma says that Claudia will have so much fun. She suggests that Claudia could have a sleepover party for her birthday and invite her new friends. Claudia asks if Monday can come, and Ma’s eyes widen. She says they can talk about it later, but Claudia knows this is the perfect test. Monday adores birthdays and if she doesn’t come, Claudia won’t speak to her again. Ma stops in front of Megan’s house and tells Claudia to try to forget everything else. Claudia knows the subtext: forget about Monday.

Claudia grabs the cookies Ma made and walks up to the door. Megan answers with a smile, accepts the cookies, and says the pizza just arrived. She introduces Claudia to the other attendees: Shannon and Kit Kat from dance, and Paris from school. As Claudia accepts her pizza, the other girls talk about boys. Claudia adds nothing to the conversation until Shannon asks who wants to do her nails. Claudia volunteers and pulls out her nail kit. Shannon looks nervous and says she definitely wants her nails to look good for “later.” Claudia settles into her work.

As Claudia paints Shannon’s nails, Kit Kat asks why Claudia chased after April at the game. Everyone goes silent when Claudia says April is her best friend’s sister, as though they can’t believe Claudia has a friend. Claudia says that she and April aren’t close, and Shannon says that’s good—April’s a “ho.” Megan tells Claudia to be careful. People will think Claudia is like April if they hang out. Claudia wonders if she should defend April and wonders what Monday would do, but Monday’s not here. She abandoned Claudia. So Claudia giggles. It’s nice to feel like she belongs to a group.

Claudia does everyone else’s nails over the next hour. They laugh, drink soda, and gossip. Megan’s mom bustles downstairs, introduces herself to Claudia, and tells the girls to be good—she’s off for the night shift at the hospital. As soon as she’s gone, the atmosphere changes immediately. Paris and Shannon strip to their lacy underwear and start to change into sexy clothes. Megan puts on a tight dress and Kit Kat pulls out a skirt and top for Claudia. Megan says they wanted to make sure Claudia was cool before they told her they’re going to a party.

An hour later, Claudia steps out of the cab. She knows Daddy would kill her if he could see where she was and how she’s dressed. Megan leads the group to the back of a house to a door to the basement. She whispers in a guy’s ear at the door, and his eyes fall on Claudia. Claudia is certain he knows she doesn’t belong here, but he lets the group in. The basement is full of high school kids and Paris’s boyfriend instantly finds her. Kit Kat leads everyone else to get drinks. Claudia is terrified that someone knows her parents and will tell on her. When Kit Kat puts a drink in Claudia’s hand and tells her to not be a baby, Claudia tells herself to be cool.

Claudia spits her drink out when she hears Michael ask what she’s doing here. Megan says that she brough Claudia, and Claudia is never going to be ready for this sort of thing if people keep babying her. Michael asks if Ma knows Claudia is here, and Claudia asks if Michael’s parents know he’s here. He sulks away and Megan leads Claudia to a smelly sofa. Claudia sits, watches Michael, and wonders how to tell Monday about this. Megan whispers that Michael likes Claudia, but Claudia insists they’re just friends. Megan smirks that he doesn’t act this way with other girls at school. She also says that Claudia will be popular with the boys when she gets to high school.

The DJ turns the music up and Megan leads everyone onto the floor. A boy jumps into the middle of the circle, doing the moves that Monday and Claudia used to practice. Claudia whispers that she could do that, so Kit Kat pushes her into the middle. The alcohol makes Claudia feel light and she dances her heart out. The DJ puts on a go-go song next and then, Kam arrives. Claudia dances on her own until she feels a boy push up behind her. Megan nods to Claudia that it’s okay, so Claudia keeps dancing. It feels good and she wonders if Michael is watching.

The boy whispers that he didn’t know Claudia could dance like this. It’s Jacob. Claudia leaps away and runs, her stomach heaving. Jacob chases her and says he needs to tell her the truth. Claudia refuses—he’s going to spread lies about her. Jacob realizes that Claudia is here with Megan and reveals that Kam is his brother. Claudia asks what the truth is, and Jacob says that Monday gave him a blowjob once. His mom said she was “too fast.” The words burn Claudia; Monday would never do that. She reminds Jacob that he told everyone they were lesbians. He said he went to apologize to Monday right after school ended, but Mrs. Charles chased him away—and even though he expected to see Monday at swim lessons all summer, she never showed. And now she’s gone.

Claudia mumbles that Monday never swam at the rec center, but Jacob says she was there daily. He says he keeps thinking about what happened and asks if Claudia misses her. Claudia sways. Just then, Michael comes up behind her, tells Jacob to back off, and leads Claudia to get some water. Claudia shares that she’s here with fellow dancers, and Michael shares that he’s here with guys from the team. Claudia smiles at him and leans into him. Michael says the other day, he was just trying to make Claudia feel better and as though she’s like everyone else. Claudia stares up at him.

Suddenly, the energy seems to leave the room as April walks in with a group of guys. Everyone stares at her. Jacob sits down next to Claudia. Some people ask, loudly enough for April to hear, if she’s sleeping with the entire group of guys. When April notices Claudia next to Jacob, she bolts. Afraid that she’s going to tell Monday that Claudia was with Jacob, Claudia races after April. Outside in the cold, Claudia begs April to not tell Monday. April looks confused, but agrees angrily. Claudia asks if Monday can come to her birthday party. April gives Claudia a look and then laughs. She can’t believe they’re “still doing this.” She says, in a dark tone, that Monday’s not coming.

April spits that Claudia has nerve—she held Monday back from so much and now, she’s out drinking and wants to throw a party. Claudia knows April is right and asks if she can apologize to Monday. April says that Monday is never coming back. Claudia doesn’t understand and says that Daddy talked to Tip—he hasn’t seen any of the kids in a year. April says it’s been three. Claudia says she knows Monday didn’t have the flu. April begs Claudia to let it go, and when Claudia persists, she says she has no choice but to tell her. Michael bursts outside, interrupting the conversation—and when Claudia turns back to April, she’s gone.

Michael chuckles and asks if Claudia is following April again. Claudia says that April is like a big sister and ignoring her is stupid. Michael pulls Claudia into an intimate hug and apologizes. Claudia wants him to kiss her and, a moment later, he does. They kiss passionately against the house, but it feels sloppy. Claudia wonders if she should do more, like Monday did. She pushes Michael against the wall, drops to her knees, and fumbles with his belt. He tells her to stop, but she knows this is how she proves she’s not a lesbian or a baby—and she’ll catch up to Monday. When Megan calls for Claudia, it shakes Claudia out of her daze. She falls back and thinks that she’s not acting any better than April does. She pushes Michael away and runs for Megan.