During winter break, Delilah comes straight from the train station to Percy's house to comfort her. Percy admits that she ruined things herself, and Delilah listens as Percy retells what happened with Sam and describes the messages she has left without any reply. Delilah also tells Percy that she has not seen Sam on campus, but promises she will not hide it if she does.

Delilah's visit gives Percy her first sense of normal life since the summer. Although Delilah has reunited with Patel again, she spends most of her break with Percy, taking her downtown, shopping, eating, and distracting her. When Percy confesses that she is struggling at school and can no longer write easily because she misses Sam's feedback, Delilah reassures her and offers to be her reader instead.

On New Year's Eve, Percy and Delilah go to the city hall countdown and avoid talking about Sam. While Delilah is with her, Percy feels briefly clearer and steadier, but once Delilah returns to Kingston, Percy sinks back into exhaustion, loss of appetite, and a lack of ambition. Months later, in early March, Delilah calls with news: she saw Sam at a party, and he was extremely drunk.

Delilah then tells Percy that Sam hit on her and asked her to go upstairs with him. Percy cannot accept that Sam would do this, and instead of directing her pain at Sam, she turns on Delilah. Percy accuses Delilah of having encouraged Sam and calls Delilah “slutty,” deeply wounding her. Delilah, crying, tells Percy never to speak to her that way again and says Percy can call when she is ready to apologize; Percy knows she was cruel, thinks about calling back, but never does.