A flashback shows a younger Isabella working at a library as her husband James comes to visit her at work. James tries to convince her to have sex or at least make out in the back of the library and reminds her of something they did in the ocean but Isabella doesn’t want to play it out since she is scared of losing her job, as she’s already in trouble and they’re doing layoffs. Bella notes that she got scolded for using the library’s copying machine for their wedding invitations. They continue talking about Bella not fitting in as her coworker Hilda overhears them and tells Bella she should go home. Realizing she’s been seen, Bella asks for forgiveness but is still sent home. On the street, Bella and James discuss whether she’s going to get fired and how she hates Hilda.

In the gym locker room, Chad and Troy discuss seeing each other and how bad Chad feels when the jocks bully Troy. Troy reveals that he has a new dorm mate and Chad says that he’s living with Alex for now. The protagonist walks out unseen and tells Josy what he saw, as Josy hypothesizes that Chad’s relationship with Sage was a cover-up for his homosexual relationship with Troy, which she explains is a common practice in same-sex relationships called a “beard”. The protagonist trains at the punching bag as Caleb comes around and mocks him. One of the gym staff members sees them and helps the protagonist get used to the punching bag, and advises him to practice more if he’s going to brawl with Caleb. The jocks mock Troy as he passes next to them and Dawe wants to tell the new jock Caleb why Troy was kicked out of their fraternity but Chad asks him not to open it up again as Dawe says he couldn’t chew normally for two weeks after that happened. They drop the subject and Dawe tells Caleb he’ll tell him about it later. The protagonist sees Nora training in the gym and asks her out.

Rusty and Tommy are in Rusty’s sports car. Rusty tells Tommy he should sort it out with Quinn and apologize to her. Tommy tells Rusty they need a plan B in case they can’t make enough money to fix the windows. In Quinn’s room, Quinn makes a drug deal with Lily. Quinn says that she doesn’t want to know about Lily buying drugs for the other girls at the club and Lily tells her she’s being paranoid. Quinn gets angry when Lily talks about Mona and Lily promises to not mention her again. As Lily walks out Riona comes in bringing the payment from another drug deal. Quinn tells her everything is going to be alright now as Riona feels she’s hiding something.

Derek is searching for Ashley in the HOT house and encounters Maya and Josy as Maya reveals that she’s considering rejoining the HOTs. Josy reveals to Maya that she told Sage a bit about Maya’s situation, and Maya reveals to Josy that she and Sage talked and Maya told her everything. Maya wants Josy to be in the loop on Sage’s plan and they go to talk with Sage. Ashley is having trouble talking to Derek. Riona tells Camila that she’s feeling uncomfortable with Quinn selling to Lily and hiding it from her. She complains about Quinn not treating her as an equal partner in the drug business. Camila reassures her about her being able to finish college and they kiss. Sarah and Melanie are scared that Sage knows about them and the secret they’re keeping. Melanie thinks of telling Sage but Sarah convinces Melanie that they should just lie to her and if she finds out, deny that they ever knew anything.

Jill invites the protagonist to her recital. The protagonist plans his first date with Bella. The protagonist organizes a romantic night in his room for Josy and Maya as Derek tells him a story about Becky, that she’s dumb and always chased popular boys when they were in high school. Jill plays the piano and talks with Jonathan about the campaign she wants to start, mentioning she’s hiding it for now because the Royce family will try to stop her when they find out, as they agree to work on it in the winter. Tybalt informs Jill that he’s organizing their third date. Rusty decides to go forward with the plan to buy the windows from Luis. Tommy asks the protagonist to cover for his shift cleaning at The Pink Rose next week. The protagonist invites Bella to their first date. On his desk, the protagonist leaves a black metal box with buttons on it, which he found while cleaning the old library.

Sage invites the protagonist over for a talk. She reveals to him that she heard everything from Maya and wants to try to help her and that she plans to ask her parents to help with Maya’s tuition. She also reveals that her parents aren’t her biological parents, that she was adopted from a foster home, and that she feels a need to pay back for the help she got by being adopted by helping someone like Maya with a large problem, but she’s scared of asking her parents for help because growing up she felt that they helped her too much and that asking them for help makes her less of an independent person. Sage cries and they kiss. The protagonist then reveals what he learned about Chad and Troy. Sage talks about having suspected Sarah and Melanie, but that it now makes sense that he’s gay. Sage has trouble figuring out why he stayed with her for so long and notes that maybe her mom was right. They sleep together.

A week skips by. Tybalt shows everyone that he is on the newspaper as his family, the Burkes, is donating more money to B&R. The newspaper article shows some concerns that the donations are quid pro quo. In class, Ashley is sitting with Anthony as the new math teacher Philip arrives. Philip reveals to Derek that he is Cathy’s favorite student. At night the protagonist goes to fill in for Tommy at The Pink Rose. Nicole and Sandy are glad to see him, and he gets to talk in private with Lily who is irritated by people being judgmental of her for working as a stripper, while she’s only working to get her education without drowning in debt. Lily says she likes him.

Sage goes to talk with Chad. She tells him she knows he’s been cheating on her and that she’s also been cheating on him. Chad is unamused and tells her that he already knew, to the surprise of Sage. Sage tries to get him to confess that he’s also been cheating so she can move on, as Chad is uncomfortable with the situation and still insists that he didn’t cheat on her.

The TV in the protagonist’s room is stuck on a hotel channel. Jade is planning another getaway with the protagonist. Luis comes to make measurements for the new windows. Jamie brings a plant to the protagonist. The date with Bella starts bad and becomes a disaster when Bella realizes that they’re going to visit the library where she worked and runs off in panic. The next day in English class it is revealed that the new teacher is Bella. Becky invites people to a dorm party she’s organizing. Josy, Maya, Derek, and the protagonist study in the library as Jill invites everyone to her recital. Jill also invites the protagonist to meet her friends from home as Maya and Josy discuss him still dating Jill and that it makes them uncomfortable.

Quinn invites the protagonist to hang out with her. They sit on a bench outside and Quinn talks of wanting to become president of the HOTs so she can run it the way she likes. Quinn reveals that she’s disgusted with showing affection in public, such as hugging or holding hands. The protagonist tries to convince her it’s not that bad, and that it’s something she never tried, like a child who refuses to eat something he’s never tried but then ends up liking it, to which Quinn replies by revealing that her dad used to cook her favorite food and then add stuff to it to make her try them, until one time he added broccoli which she despised. They kiss in public and Quinn says that the experience was “broccoli”.

Tommy invites Lily to his room to find out who she’s buying drugs from, revealing that Tania told him Lily has a new dealer. Lily asks to know who his existing dealers are, and he explicitly reveals that the ex-DIK Vinny is a drug dealer, and also that he bought from Quinn, but that he’s looking for a new dealer as he doesn’t like any of the two. Lily reveals that Quinn is her dealer and offers Tommy to buy drugs for him from her.

Jade picks up the protagonist and they go have sex in a motel as something watches them from the Motel’s ceiling fan. Maya, Josy, and Derek take the protagonist to a birthday hangout at a swimming pool and spa.

Sage and Heather discuss trying to talk to Mona to get her to rejoin but they are unable to reach her, as they think of visiting her physically. Sage talks with Melanie and Sarah to apologize for having suspected that Chad is cheating with one of them and reveals that she has evidence of him cheating to their surprise. They accept the apology as Melanie accidentally blurts that it’s been hard for them in the last weeks, which puzzles Sage, as Sarah saves the situation.

Jill takes the protagonist to dinner with her childhood friends at the house of couple Matthew and Bianca. There, are also couples Andy and Olivia, and Jeff and Carla. It’s a sushi dinner and the protagonist has a hard time fitting in with Jill’s rich friends and their stories of their rich lifestyles, but they seem to like him nevertheless. Jill reveals it’s her first time bringing someone to a meeting with her friends.

Rusty discusses his plan B for paying for the windows with the protagonist but they find out they have made enough money to pay for them and go out to celebrate at Becky’s dorm party. At the party, the protagonist mingles with the “dorm girls”: Becky, Christie, Clara, Gina, Kylie, Penny, Tara, and Tiffani.

Tiffani is dancing topless while the protagonist talks with Christie and Kylie. Kylie whispers something to Christie and as a result, Christie tells him that he “gets around” and that she’s going to watch out for him, and asks if he’s going to behave. Becky welcomes Josy and Maya to the party and Maya tells her that she joined the HOTs. Becky voices her dislike for sororities and tells Maya that the HOTs giving free tuition to their sisters is a secret HOT code, which confuses Maya. Leon is hanging out with Tara and asks the protagonist to look out for Jamie. The protagonist sees Gina having a threesome in one of the rooms. Penny is eager to get with Derek but he ruins his chances with her by being too drunk. Jacob is dancing with Clara. Kylie drinks shots with the protagonist. Sarah helps Tara and Kylie give the protagonist a blowjob through a glory hole in the bathroom and they talk about bragging to Becky about it.

When the protagonist talks with Riona he catches a view of someone watching her and chases him. He eventually corners the stalker in the dorm’s bathroom and he is revealed to be the third maggot who lost the CUM-petition when Riona was grinding on him and has since had a crush on her but was scared to approach her. The protagonist takes him to Riona where he confesses his feelings as a disgusted Riona declines him and sends him off crying.

Derek and Karen talk about gender studies class, as he tells her about his talk with Wendy and that Maya is his sister, and Karen tells him they’re not all like the feminists he quarreled with. When Ron sees Derek talking with Karen, he gets angry and throws a water balloon at him, which causes Derek to retaliate.

A student named Alvin is spreading conspiracy theories. In a discussion between Nick and Tommy, Nick promises Tommy that he’s not the one who told Heather about him cheating on her this time, but asks Tommy why he cares so much if he got a threesome as a result. Tommy tells Nick about him running out of weed and asks him to help him with some plan he has in that regard.

ANO member Gordon hits on Beth the cafeteria worker as his fellow prep Christian hits on a goth girl, and the preps ask the DIKs to call a truce. It is revealed that Sally and Magnar have relationship problems. Jamie is chatting with Dany and seems inclined to go back to being with her, as Leon thinks he’s making a mistake. Rusty is passing the night chatting on the couch with Micha whose friend Ida the protagonist has met on the dating app as Micha is chewing gum. The protagonist and Josy make out and John Boy and Elena watch them and discuss whether they are in love, mentioning that Tommy will freak out when he finds out. It is revealed that Maya’s full name is “Maya Victoria Bailey”.

Derek and the protagonist do shots and laugh at girls hanging signs with cliché sentences on their walls. The protagonist sleeps on the couch that Micha was sitting on and the next morning he wakes up in his room at the mansion with Derek in lingerie in his bed and gum in his hair. He goes to Isabella who helps him remove the gum and gives him a haircut. Jacob prepares the DIKs to do the walk of shame revealing that Jamie and Rusty came home with a girl last night.

At the HOT house, Sage is busy studying and she prepares the protagonist for his first midterm exams, telling him about different student stereotypes he will encounter when picking his desk, as he gives her a massage. In gender studies class, both Derek and the protagonist pass the oral exam for gender studies class, and Beth reveals to the group that she had sex with Gordon after the party. Outside the class, Maya is disappointed to hear that the protagonist will be hanging out with Quinn to organize the party.

In the evening in Quinn’s room, Sage and Quinn discuss Maya as Sage scolds Quinn for being too harsh with her, revealing that after her discussion with her Maya might be coming back. Sage reveals that in her younger days, she had a feud over who would get the HOT presidency with a sister who was the next in line for the role. The protagonist arrives as he, Sage, and Quinn begin planning the Halloween party at the now-repaired DIK mansion. When they discuss what to do with the alphas, Sage reveals that the decision to stop partying with the jocks is troublesome not only because of traditions and obligations, but because the college rules are that only fraternities are allowed to throw parties, and the HOTs have been able to circumvent that by inviting the alphas to their mixers, as Quinn mentions that this also relates to “the codes” and Sage tells her to not talk about it. Quinn volunteers to get rid of the alphas.

They talk about last year’s costumes as Quinn reveals she was dressed as a black widow and they complain that too many girls arrived in the same sexy nurse costume. They mention something which Joanne did last year, and reveal that Joanne is now abroad for this semester. As the night goes on Sage reveals that she always wanted to have a threesome and they end up having sex. After the threesome, Quinn goes out to have a smoke and the protagonist joins her. Quinn seems oddly interested in the relationship between him and Sage. He moves closer to Quinn as she notes that it’s kind of “broccoli”, but still rests her head on him. Quinn looks slightly sad.

The next day at the midterms the protagonist finds papers with the answers in the bathroom. He assumes they are Derek’s but Derek claims to have flushed his after using them. In the second exam, Lily teases him as she walks from the bathroom back to her table. Stephen tries to get Bella to meet him outside the school for drinks, but Bella tries to avoid the invitation. After he leaves, Bella invites the protagonist to her house for a dinner date. Lily and the girls discuss their new drug dealer being 30% cheaper than Vinny, and they make up a story about quitting drugs to tell Vinny so that he doesn’t realize that Quinn is stealing his customers.

Jill panics at her recital and refuses to come on stage. The protagonist warms the crowd with his guitar and they end up performing a duet. Outside the recital Derek, Maya, Josy, Jill, and Bella all group to congratulate Jill. Seeing them together, the protagonist suddenly feels bad for having pursued multiple women who are now all part of the same group of friends.

The next day at a breakfast at the DIK house, the protagonist compares the interactions between Elena and John Boy to those of Heather and Tommy and wonders about the difference between their relationships: with John Boy and Elena everything is transparent, and on the table, while Tommy and Heather keep fighting and going behind each other’s backs. He is reminded of his discomfort around dating multiple women and asks the table for their opinion. Tommy thinks it’s always alright but Elena presents a more responsible approach and advises that when things start getting serious, he should decide who he wants to be with.

The protagonist goes over the women he has dated recently and makes his mind up as to which relationship he is going to pursue.

Sage goes out for a run with the protagonist and asks him to accompany her, Josy, and Maya when visiting her parents to ask them to help Maya. On their third and final date, at a fancy restaurant, Tybalt asks Jill for her hand in marriage, to the absolute fury of Jill who takes out her anger at him in front of all the visitors, declines his offer, and leaves him crying at his table.

Luis installs the new windows in the mansion. The protagonist reveals to Rusty that he’s been planning the Halloween party with Sage and Quinn and they’re going to do it at the DIK mansion. Rusty is enthusiastic and they tell the rest of the DIKs. John Boy and Jacob confront the protagonist after having seen him do things with Maya and Josy. Maya decides to join the HOTs. Tybalt is still being harassed on social media by the “Tyballs” account.

The protagonist calls Tommy to let him know about the Halloween party expecting resistance, but surprisingly Tommy is calm and doesn’t care that Quinn will be in the party or that the protagonist is taking the role of organizing it, and doesn’t understand why the protagonist seems so concerned for his feelings.

The protagonist continues reading Lynette’s diary. As Neil and his crew begin breaking the walls of the old house, Neil accidentally encounters her and has a crush on her. Miranda and Vivian come to visit Lynette and they go to hang out in the evening. Neil, who was also hanging out that evening, meets Lynette on the street with her friends and asks her out. In the diary, there’s a photo of Lynette with Vivian and Miranda, which the protagonist hangs on his board. Unknown to the protagonist, Miranda is wearing the same necklace that Jill’s friend Bianca has, and in the background of the photo of Lynette with her friends is the house that Jill grew up in.

Back at the present, Tybalt is still crying in his room. Rusty is seen dating Micha. It is revealed that Maya’s father Patrick is working in a car dealership. Maya wears her HOT uniform. Quinn seems pleased counting her money. Riona makes a drug sale, still being watched. Tommy meets Vinny and buys drugs from him to the delight of Vinny and discontent of Tommy. A pregnancy test stick shows “Pregnant”. Cathy starts her new job. Nora is seen working in a lab. Neil opens the door at his house to see Zoey has returned, and they smile and hug.

Conditional story - Relationship choice outcome Sage and Isabella are notified by the protagonist if he chooses to commit to a different relationship, but Jill, Maya, and Josy are not, and the protagonist notes that he will let them know at a later time. If the protagonist chooses to pursue a relationship, Jade lashes out at him and threatens to take him down with her if he reveals their secret.

Jill The protagonist enters the restaurant right as Jill unleashes her fury at Tybalt, and confesses his feelings to her. At night, Jill throws pebbles at his window and enters the room. They have sex and decide to enter a relationship.

Isabella Isabella organizes a fancy dinner at her house, and apologizes for the incident at the date, explaining that the riverside library is a place that brings up a lot of bad memories for her and that she had to run away when she realized that they were heading there. They have sex. The morning after, they have sex again, and Jill sees them through the window as she arrives to visit Bella. Shocked and betrayed, Jill walks away. A few days later, Bella doesn't understand why isn't Jill replying to her texts. She goes to check up on her in her room at the ANO mansion, as Jill is seen sitting on her bed, still angry.

In the evening, Sage, Maya, Josy, and the protagonist go to meet Sage’s parents. Sage is stressed as Josy has a bad feeling about Sage’s plan, as it doesn’t make sense that her parents would just pay for a stranger’s tuition for no reason. They enter an expensive lobby.

The future narrator looks back at the events, not understanding how he initially missed the cues that something was wrong as he walked into the house. He notes that when he finally realized what was going on, he could only think one thing: fuck.

The protagonist stares at the cupboard, and on it stand the photos of Tybalt, Jade & Stephen, and Sage.