One of Us is Lying: Chapter 19 Summary & Analysis

Monday afternoon, Nate listens to his mother and father talking in the next room while wondering what he can say to Bronwyn to make amends for allowing her to believe that his mother was dead. He can’t decide what to say, though, and puts his phone away. Nate’s mother comes into the room; she apologizes for abandoning him and tells him that she’s been sober for three months. As soon as she saw the news, she started coming by the house—but Nate was never home. Nate gestures to the dilapidated house and asks his mother if she would spend any time here if she were in his position.

Nate’s mother apologizes for having left Nate with his father—she admits that she hoped he’d step up in her absence, but sees now that he hasn’t. She tells Nate that she doesn’t expect him to forgive her, but offers up the fact that she’s sober and on the right medication for the first time in her life. She tells Nate he deserves more than what he’s gotten in life—Nate brusquely dismisses her, telling her to leave and to send him a postcard sometime. She begs to help him, or at least take him out to dinner. Nate tells her that if she leaves a phone number, he might call her, and then slams his way out of the house.

Nate rides his motorcycle aimlessly. When he stops for gas, he considers calling Bronwyn, but still has no idea what to say. He drives out towards the desert, getting closer and closer to the campgrounds at Joshua Tree—the only place he and his parents ever went on vacation. It is midnight by the time Nate finally loops back to Bayview; there is a text on his phone notifying him of a party happening that night, and he decides to stop by.

It is not a Bayview High party, and Nate enjoys a little anonymity until two girls recognize him from Mikhail Powers’ show. Nate says it wasn’t him on the show, but the girls know he’s lying. They tell him that they think he’s innocent, and believe “the girl with the glasses”—Bronwyn—is guilty. The girls offer Nate acid, but he declines, and leaves the party. Out in the yard, his phone buzzes—it’s Bronwyn, and Nate feels an enormous sense of relief.

The perspective switches over to Bronwyn, who is nervous about sneaking Nate into the house. Her parents are already furious with her and have grounded her for not telling them about Simon’s blog post. Nevertheless, when she receives a text from Nate telling her he’s waiting outside, she opens the basement door, sticks her head out, and beckons him in. Though her parents are three floors up and sound asleep, she keeps quiet, afraid of being heard. She and Nate sit together on the couch, and she asks him why he never told her the truth about his mother. 

Nate resignedly states that the lie about his mother was easier than facing the truth—not to mention the fact that he half-believed it, sure that she’d never return. He promises Bronwyn that he hasn’t lied to her about anything else—he really has stopped dealing drugs, and really didn’t do anything to Simon. Bronwyn believes Nate, and asks him to tell him about her mother. They talk for over an hour, and Nate reveals many stories about his childhood.

After a while, Bronwyn starts to get tired. Nate switches the subject, telling Bronwyn that his mother thought Bronwyn was his girlfriend earlier when she saw them together. Bronwyn asks if that would be out of the question, but Nate insists he “doesn’t know how to be with somebody like [Bronwyn.]” Bronwyn insists she’d liked to try, and confesses her true feelings for Nate. They begin kissing, but Nate stops and admits he’s afraid of being caught by Bronwyn’s parents. He suggests they watch a movie together—Bronwyn doesn’t care what they do, she thinks, as long as she gets to “stay wrapped around [Nate] for as long as possible.”