Through a series of chapters arranged in a non-linear fashion, mirroring the haphazard route that healing so often takes, we learn that Agnes spends most of her days alone since leaving graduate school, where she was the golden student, while her best friend, Lydie, who has since moved to New York, slacked behind. During one study session, Lydie jokes that Agnes should sleep with their professor. She brushes the thought away, saying it would upset her if that was what he wanted.
