Erin's Response to Chapters 1-10

This is how I chose to approach the book club discussion this time, but feel free to do it however you want to! And let me know what you think.

1. What was your first impression of Tim?
I was a little bit skeptical of Tim in the beginning because I couldn't really understand why a guy his age would be paying so much attention to a girl CeeCee's age. Sure, she was smart and different from most girls her age, but it still seemed a bit inappropriate to me.

After she receives the money and (we think) it's from Tim, I began to wonder how in the world he had that kind of money and why he'd just give it to her.

Now that I've read up to the end of Chapter 10, I'm wondering if Tim has been using CeeCee the whole time to gain her trust and manipulate her into helping him with his "project."

2. If you were in CeeCee’s position, would you be willing to help your boyfriend in the way that she is willing to help Tim?
I absolutely wouldn't do it. I know that 16 year old girls are willing to do a lot of things to make their boyfriend happy, but breaking the law shouldn't be one of them. And it's not something I would do, especially as he becomes more and more distracted with their "project" and less interested in his relationship with CeeCee.

3. Why do you think CeeCee is so eager to please Tim?
Going to be a little bit like Freud here, but this is really the first relationship she has had with a man, and her relationship with her mother was cut too short. She has a lot of love to give and finally has someone to give it to. I think CeeCee doesn't want this to end so she wants to do whatever she can to keep him happy even when the little voice inside her is telling her that things aren't right.

4. Who do you think has it harder? Tim or CeeCee?
They're both orphans and they're both alone for the most part. But I think CeeCee has it harder. Tim has a chance. His parents left him with something and he's on the path to getting a great education. But CeeCee has been picking up her life since she was a young girl and now she's about to risk it all. Tim's risking it all, too, but he doesn't have to.

CeeCee has been kept in the dark a lot on this plan and is going into it with complete faith in Tim- even though she seems to know that it's not a smart idea.


5. What character trait(s) about CeeCee stuck out the most to you in these first ten chapters?

I notice her loyalty, her compassion, her patience, and her intelligence. She's about to do something pretty stupid and even though she is naive, she is smart.

6. Do you think CeeCee is as mature as she seems?

CeeCee has been on her own for a while, but she doesn't know much. She's wrapped all of her emotion and her life into Tim and that is typical of a 16 year old girl, which is another reason I think he targeted her because of her age. Mature women don't drop everything for a guy and risk everything for a guy with a bad plan. There's no doubt that CeeCee can take care of herself, but she isn't making the best choices.