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Chapter Thirteen

Summary: Chapter Thirteen: Sex, Prom, and Other Catastrophes

Sara, sixteen years old and a junior in high school, has never even French-kissed, even though some of her friends are already having sex. Her inexperience embarrasses her. She tells herself that she’s saving her first kiss for the junior prom and finds the perfect lavender velvet dress for the dance. Sara works up the courage to ask Evan Parker to be her date, but he turns her down because it’s too expensive. His refusal leads to Sara’s emotional meltdown. On prom weekend, Sara’s parents arrange for a family vacation. Sara spends quality time with Samira, who reminds her that senior prom is the prom that matters.

By the time her senior prom arrives, Sara has a boyfriend, “Slash,” an eccentric death metal nerd with long hair. Sara wears a black-and-white lace dress and Slash wears a maroon tux, a cape, and a top hat. Sara dates Slash through her freshman year in college. But the idea of sex terrifies her. She fears her parents’ disapproval and her own ignorance. When Sara finally has sex, she concludes that sex is wildly overrated. Two months later, Slash tells Sara he does not love her. Sara’s mom helps her see that such a relationship is not worth pursuing.

Analysis: Chapter Thirteen

In this section, Saedi continues to explore the theme of strong family bonds through her relationship with her mother. Shohreh agrees to buy a prom dress for Sara on the condition that she ask Evan to be her prom date, using Sara’s desire for the dress to encourage her to act on her long-time crush. In addition to motivating Sara to overcome her fear of rejection, Shohreh’s bargain teaches her daughter an important lesson about having the confidence to pursue what she wants. Saedi describes her mother’s empathy in the aftermath of Evan’s rejection, an example of her mother’s ability to bridge the cultural gap common between immigrant parents and their American-raised children. Although Shohreh had an arranged marriage and has no experience with dating, she understands Sara’s position well enough to give her comfort and empowering advice. Shoreh’s openness with her daughter provides a constant source of comfort and strength for Sara, even when she faces the end of her first real relationship years later, a scenario her mother has never personally experienced.

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