Overview

Thirteen-year-old Hallie celebrates her birthday with her family and the DeLucas, revealing her quiet crush on Rio and their close, intertwined households. After Rio chooses to stay with Hallie instead of gaming with Luke, the two share an intimate late-night moment on the roof and in Hallie’s room, trading a mixtape and talking about dreams and doubts. Rio admits he is thinking of quitting hockey, and Hallie encourages him to keep pursuing the NHL. The chapter closes with Rio hinting that someone liked Hallie before Kevin Gross, implying his own feelings.

Full Summary

At Hallie’s thirteenth birthday party, both families—the Harts and the DeLucas—gather around the table. Hallie notices Rio singing loudly for her, and she makes her birthday wish, the same one she has been making all year. When Luke prods her to reveal it, Rio defends the secrecy of wishes and quietly reassures Hallie that hers will come true, deepening her private feelings for him.

As the adults chat, Luke teases Hallie and tries to monopolize Rio, but Rio offers Hallie his attention. After Luke invites Rio to play Mario Kart, Rio instead chooses to stay with Hallie, suggesting they make friendship bracelets and play the new cassette he gave her. Hallie reflects on Rio’s thoughtful gifts: a grid-paper notebook for her interior design drawings and a cassette that matches her preference for tapes over CDs. The families’ closeness is emphasized—mothers are best friends, fathers spend Sundays together, and the homes are connected.

That night, Hallie completes her thirteenth mixtape, signing it with “H” and a heart. Near midnight, she sees Rio on the shared roof between their rooms. She joins him despite the cold; Rio gives her his hoodie, and they sit together under the moon. Rio confides he might quit hockey because he feels inferior to his teammates and doubts he will make the high school team. Hallie urges him not to give up on his dream of playing in the NHL for the Boston Bobcats, saying coaches and he will improve in high school and that she likes watching him play.

Rio notices the mixtape and asks about it, appreciating Hallie’s yearly tradition of compiling “important-moment songs.” He asks to listen and hear the stories behind them. They sneak into Hallie’s room to play the tape quietly; Rio lies on the floor while Hallie stays on her bed, still wearing his hoodie. When Hallie explains the first song is tied to a boy, Kevin Gross, who said he liked her, Rio reacts with disgust toward Kevin, then asks if she liked Kevin back. She says no.

In a quiet moment between songs, Rio says that while Kevin may have been the first to say it, someone else liked Hallie earlier. The implication lingers unspoken as the next track begins and Rio casually asks about the second song, leaving Hallie to overthink whether he meant himself.

Who Appears

• Hallie Hart — narrator; turns thirteen; harbors a crush on Rio; makes a yearly mixtape; encourages Rio not to quit hockey; shares an intimate late-night moment with him.
• Rio DeLuca — Hallie’s neighbor and Luke’s best friend; kind and attentive to Hallie; gives thoughtful gifts; contemplates quitting hockey; hints someone liked Hallie before Kevin, implying his own feelings.
• Luke Hart — Hallie’s older brother; Rio’s best friend; teases Hallie; tries to pull Rio away to play video games.
• Mia DeLuca — Rio’s mother; close with Hallie’s mom; bakes Hallie’s birthday cake and spends the morning with Hallie.
• Mr. DeLuca — Rio’s father; present at the party; friendly with Hallie’s father.
• Steph Hart — Hallie’s mother; shares cake recipe exchange with Mia; part of the close family friendship.
• Hallie’s father — present; affectionate and proud of Hallie.
• Kevin Gross — classmate; mentioned as the first boy who told Hallie he liked her; disparaged by Rio.