They Never Learn

Carly, Allison, and Wes wait in an emergency room. There, while filling out paperwork, Allison and Wes find out that Carly’s given name is Scarlett. She goes by Carly because it is what her parents call her. When they finally see a male doctor, he is dismissive. He tells Allison to drink fluids and that her head will heal without scarring “that pretty face” (159). He asks how much she drank, and does not believe Carly when she says Allison was drugged. The doctor asks if Allison would like a rape kit. Stunned, she tells Carly that she does not remember Bash removing her shirt and groping her.

Scarlett knows she cannot disguise Kinnear’s death as a suicide or accident. Taking Viola Vance’s diary, she sets the house on fire and flees. At her own home, she burns everything that she was wearing. Because Scarlett ignored Jasper’s texts, he shows up at her house. He questions her whereabouts, and their argument dissolves into passionate, violent sex. She hopes his nail marks will mask any left by Kinnear.

In the dorm, Carly changes out of Allison’s corset and into a sweatshirt. Allison refuses to return to the hospital, and tells Carly that she just wants to sleep. The phone rings: It is Carly’s mother, who wants her to come home for Thanksgiving. She tells Carly that both she and Carly’s father miss her, and Carly blurts out that she saw her father with a younger woman in Pittsburgh. Carly’s mother refuses to believe her, so Carly hangs up.

On the morning after Kinnear’s murder, Jasper is in Scarlett’s kitchen making breakfast, and she wishes he’d gone home. She receives a phone call from her colleague Drew, who informs her that Kinnear died in a fire.

Unlike Wes, Carly attends their writing seminar, exhausted. Her professor, revealed to be Dr. Alex Kinnear, asks her to stay after class. Although she is certain that Alex wants to criticize her writing, he instead asks if she is alright. Carly tearfully admits she spent the previous evening in the ER with her roommate, but does not disclose the sexual assault. Alex tells her that freshman year is difficult for everyone, and gives her his home number.

Scarlett kicks Jasper out and takes back his key to her house, as she doesn’t want “boyfriend” behavior. On campus, the atmosphere is somber: Classes have been cancelled, and counseling staff made available to faculty and students. As Scarlett organizes a department meeting, she learns the police believe the fire is a cover-up for murder.

Carly and a disheveled, traumatized Allison are in the dining hall. Carly suggests that she report the assault, but Allison is scared due to how dismissive the ER doctor was. She then suggests informing campus officials instead, and Allison tentatively agrees.

Scarlett attends Kinnear’s on-campus funeral, carefully composing herself to appear saddened and shocked. One of the speakers is Judith Winters—the head of the Women’s Academy—and as she waxes poetry about Kinnear, Scarlett is certain that he seduced her. Mina is visibly distraught, and the women are approached by detectives investigating Kinnear’s death. One of them, Abbot, asks Scarlett to contact them to arrange an interview. Mina asks Scarlett to accompany her home, and she feels pressured to agree.

Carly and Allison meet with Dean Bowman to discuss the assault. The dean, a woman, is not sympathetic to Allison’s story: She points out “nothing” happened, that Bash was interrupted before a “real” sexual assault could begin, and that Allison should not have encouraged him by flirting and dressing suggestively. Allison is cowed, but Carly flies into a rage. Mortified, Allison runs out.

Scarlett accompanies Mina to her house, which is devoid of personal touches. Mina pours herself a large whiskey, the same brand Kinnear favored. Although upset, she tells Scarlett that Kinnear was a terrible person, and recounts how manipulative he’d been when they met. There is a moment of sexual tension as Mina leans toward Scarlett and places her hand on her knee; although Scarlett is drawn to Mina, she gently rebuffs her advances.

Carly has not heard from Allison in hours, and learns from Wes that she skipped rehearsal. She texts him that she intends to look for Allison. While out, she runs into him, and he insists on accompanying her. They do not find Allison and head back to Wes’s dorm. The two awkwardly fall asleep in Wes’s bed. Carly has unsettling dreams about Allison.

On campus, Scarlett receives a call from Judith Winters, the head of the Women’s Academy. Judith has called to set up a time to speak about Scarlett’s application. After the two pick a date, Scarlett runs into Jasper, who tells her that he’s provided her with a fake alibi: Investigators have already spoken to him about Kinnear’s death, and asked about her relationship with Kinnear and whereabouts on the night of the crime. Scarlett believes Jasper gave a false alibi so she would be beholden to him. He grabs her, the two kiss, and then Mina walks in. Noting Scarlett’s smeared lipstick, she narrows her eyes and leaves, telling Scarlett that she can see the two are busy.

Carly wakes in Wes’s room and realizes they didn’t check the roof, where she and Allison watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. She finds Allison, who wants to forget the assault. She is angry at Carly, insisting she hadn’t wanted to go to the dean, and that the dean was right to partially blame her. She has a large pair of scissors, and though Carly fears she intends to harm herself, Allison instead cuts off her blue ponytail.

Scarlett visits Mina, who greets her icily for having kissed a student. She has made progress in her investigation, and Scarlett is chilled to see a list of her kills in order. Mina has tasked Mikayla with in-depth fact-finding, and while she lacks evidence, her current hypothesis is vigilante justice—due to Scarlett’s targets being rumored to have assaulted women on campus.