You've Reached Sam

The next morning, Julie remembers the golden fields like a lovely dream. After breakfast, she and Oliver walk to Sam’s grave, which Oliver visits frequently. At the graveyard’s gates, fear stops her, so she convinces herself Sam isn’t there, that his soul is in a better place. Oliver holds her hand.

They reach Sam’s grave, and Julie goes still. After some silence, Julie tells Oliver that she thinks Sam would be touched that he visits his grave and takes care of the flowers. Oliver doesn’t want Sam to feel alone. Julie wishes she could call Sam so he could hear Oliver’s heartfelt care. Oliver sometimes talks to Sam out loud, at the grave, which she assures him isn’t stupid.

Oliver says that if he could talk to Sam again, he would tell him he loved him and always has. Julie states Sam loved him too, although Oliver replies, “But not the way he loved you,” which confirms his romantic feelings for Sam (119). He feels it’s better he never told Sam, but Julie says he would be his friend no matter what and that maybe Sam already knew.

Afterward, Julie goes to work at the bookstore. Tristan left her a note with her ticket to the film festival. She writes back a thank you and her excitement to see his film. Julie takes care of bookstore tasks, then writes. When people think of Sam, she wants them “to think of his best moments,” to remember him as a musician, an older brother, and all the reasons she fell in love with him (121). She writes until she loses track of time.

Yuki visits her at the bookstore. When Julie shares her dreams, Yuki understands, as she had similar dreams after her grandma died. Dreams can sometimes mean the opposite of what they show, she says. Yuki gives her a selenite crystal, which is supposed to bring good luck, protection, and ward off negative energy. Julie carries the crystal.

Julie and her mother have dinner for the first time in a while. Her mother says she missed her, and Julie promises to spend more time together. They bond over college, as Julie got accepted in Central Washington University, where her mom works.

Julie calls Sam and shares her writing progress. He’s excited that she’s found a rhythm and feels strongly about writing their love story. Sam wishes he left something behind, like Julie with her writing or Tristan with his film. Julie asks what he wanted to accomplish, but Sam says it doesn’t matter anymore. He’s happy that Julie and Oliver are finally friends. Julie wonders what would happen if she shared her calls with someone else, and Sam says he isn’t sure, but it’s risky. It could ruin their connection.

Julie doesn’t have bad dreams again, thanks to the crystal, but she still wakes up feeling empty, like an unfillable void inside her without Sam. She relies on Sam’s things, like the bookend or his shirts, to keep her calm. Though she wishes she could tell someone about the magical calls, Julie fears it will harm their connection.

She and Oliver walk to school as part of their new routine. Julie gives Sam’s plaid shirt to Oliver, who is stunned. Oliver lets her borrow his letterman jacket until graduation. Oliver laughs that he never played a sport though, just bought it off someone for fashion.

With only a few weeks left of school, Julie tries to be excited for the future, though it’s hard with her mind on Sam. At lunch, they need five more signatures on their Asian Student Club form. Since he’s popular, Oliver volunteers to help. They spot Mika, who looks disheveled. Julie has tried to reach out, but Mika keeps ignoring her. Rachel suggests they invite Mika to light the lanterns for Sam. Yuki explains that people whisper their messages to those lost into the candle-lit lantern and then let it fly into the sky, a traditional ceremony. Julie’s phone missed that text, but she loves the memory lantern and knows the perfect field.

Taylor confronts Julie at the end of the day, grabbing Oliver’s letterman jacket and snapping that it’s Julie’s fault Sam is dead. Though Julie protests she isn’t to blame, Taylor says, “You made him drive an hour away to pick you up. […] You made him leave and ruined everything” (137). Julie screams that she’s wrong and doesn’t know the whole conversation, but she can’t show Sam’s texts since she deleted them. People crowd around as they argue, and Julie continues, “It wasn’t me who was driving the truck. It wasn’t me who swerved into his car. How can you seriously blame me for that?” (137). Taylor asks why she didn’t show up to the funeral, but Mika steps in. She slaps Taylor across the face, then uses her martial arts skills.

Julie waits for Mika after she’s disciplined. Julie thanks her, but Mika has been suspended and hurries away. Julie calls Sam, who blames himself for causing so much pain and hurt. Julie says the fight wasn’t his fault, but he feels useless. Sam suggests she go visit Mika in person. She wants to tell Mika about the phone calls to bridge the gap in their friendship, but Sam is leery. He lets Julie make the decision.

Julie can’t wait to help Mika, as guilt is eating at her. At Mika’s front door, Julie asks if they can talk, but Mika closes the door in her face. She waits, and Mika finally opens up. They sip tea and look at a photo and altar of Sam in her living room, a symbol of respect for the dead in their Japanese culture. Mika has a black eye from one of Taylor’s friends throwing a purse at her, though she insists she’s fine. Julie thanks her for defending her, but she clarifies she did it for Sam.

Mika thinks Julie is trying to let go of Sam, but she can’t release him so quickly. Julie insists that she isn’t trying to forget anymore, but what bothers Mika the most is that Julie was so busy trying to forget Sam “that you were willing to forget me” (143). It was the three of them, Mika says, not just her and Sam. Mika thought she and Julie wouldn’t be alone in grief, but it was like Julie left too. Julie apologizes and promises that she loves Sam and thinks about him daily. Mika knows Julie is holding back; she’s called her a dozen times since he died, but Julie hasn’t responded. Julie never got the messages due to talking with Sam, so she chooses to reveal her secret calls.

Mika isn’t convinced, since Julie’s call history never shows her calls with Sam. Julie begs her to trust the truth, and calls Sam to prove it—but he strangely doesn’t answer. She turns to leave, but Sam calls back from an unknown number. She gives the phone to Mika, who is in shock. She asks Sam questions from their childhood that only he would know, and then cries that it’s really him. Julie is filled with relief that Mika can find peace and that her calls are confirmed as real. After Mika talks to Sam, Mika and Julie hug and cry together.

Later that night, Julie and Sam discuss the talk with Mika. Sam tells her that any time he calls her, she must answer, or their connection will end forever. It’s one of the rules, which he didn’t explain before. Their calls turn staticky and shorter, showing the call with Mika affected their connection.