Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World

Lilly’s teacher of the year award makes Ari realizes how many admirers she has in the community. The Catholic Daughters arrange for a street party to be thrown in her honor, and the school district has an award ceremony where Lilly is given a plaque and a check.

The best honor she receives comes in the form of a letter from a former student. Now a lawyer, the student, who still goes by the nickname he earned in her class, Lizard, tells her that he thinks of her all the time, even well into adulthood. He thanks her for all he taught her, and for setting a superb example for him when he was a boy. Enclosed in the letter is a gold-plated lizard pendant on a gold chain. Lilly tells Ari she will wear it until the day she dies.

Ari realizes that he and his mother never really talked about his trip to see Bernardo. He brings this point up to her one day, and she asks if he would like to talk about it. He asks her for the name of the person Bernardo killed, which she gives to him. She also gives him their burial site. Lilly knows all this information form reading the person’s obituary page. She refers to that period as the worst time in her life.

On Saturday morning Ari writes a note on a piece of paper and heads to Mount Carmel Cemetery. He finds the grave for the transgender woman Bernardo killed and discovers she died at 24 years old. Ari places flowers at the base of the grave, along with his note. In the note, he tells the woman who he is. He tells the woman that although the name on her grave is that of a man, he thinks of her as Camila. In Ari’s mind, Camila is beautiful. He tells her that he is sorry for what his brother did, and that he will take her name with him everywhere he goes.

Ari tells Dante over the phone that he is not sure if he is happy or sad that school will be over soon. They get into a rift when Dante suggests that he loves Ari more than he can realize. The comment annoys Ari so he hangs up. Dante calls back right away and apologizes.

Driving home from school, Ari notices Gina and Susie walking down the street. He offers them a lift. In the car, the girls tell him about the time he stood up for them in the first grade. Some mean boys were bullying the girls on the playground, and Ari told the boys off so the girls could play on the swings. Ever since then, Gina and Susie have liked Ari.

Mr. Robertson announces that Cassandra has been named valedictorian for the graduating class. Ari, Gina, and Susie go running down the hall to find her. When they do, they accost her with hugs. Cassandra is in disbelief. Despite not being a crier, she cannot help but cry.

Mr. Blocker sends Ari a note that he would like to see him after school. In his classroom, Mr. Blocker gives Ari his journal, which he left on his desk. Realizing that Mr. Blocker had to open it to know who it belonged to, Ari is mortified. Mr. Blocker tells him to be careful about where he leaves his journal, and to never “let anybody make you ashamed of you who are” (344).

Dante is named valedictorian at Cathedral High School. Dante is disappointed that he does not get to give a speech. He tells Ari that had he been able to address his peers, he would have mentioned that he was gay.

That night, Ari remembers about a fellowship program for young artists that Dante had mentioned to him once. The program was in Paris and took place over the summer. He wonders if Dante ended up applying to the program.

On the last day of school, Ari heads to Mr. Blocker’s room after the final bell rings. Ari tells him “when I think of learning, I think of you” (347). He also gives him a gift, a mini pair of boxing gloves. Mr. Blocker immediately recognizes the joke—“you’re hanging up your gloves” (347).

The graduation ceremony is something of a blur. Ari feels overwhelmed by all the excitement.

Cassandra gives a powerful speech, in which she references Ari, though not by name. She explains how they once disliked each other and were now good friends. She also mentioned her brother, who died of AIDS, and the unnecessary discrimination that was being aimed at gay men amid the crisis. She encourages her classmates to value all life, even those different from their own. The entire crowd falls in love with Cassandra that day.

After the ceremony, everyone wants to get a picture with Cassandra. Lilly jokes that Ari is Cassandra’s muse.

Ari goes to a party after the graduation ceremony with his friends. Everyone has the time of their lives. In the middle of the party, Ari notices Julio crying, so he asks him what is wrong. Julio tells Ari that he hates his life and has always felt like a freak, an experience Ari would never understand. Ari tells Julio that he does know what it feels like because he is gay. Julio stops crying and seems instantly relieved; he is gay too, and Ari is the first person he has ever told. Ari encourages Julio to tell his best friends, Elena and Hector. When Julio comes out to them moments later, they are supportive and loving, as well as sad that he was keeping it in for so long, afraid of their judgment. Watching the group walk away, laughing and joking, Ari feels happy.

Dante finds Ari outside and kisses him in the bushes. Ari wonders if he is going to spend his life kissing men behind bushes.

Ari and his friends decide to leave the party early. They hop in their cars and drive out to the desert; Julio, Elena, Hector, and Cricket also tag along. In the desert, they find a radio station and dance to the music. Elena is excited when she discovers that Cricket is the guy who set the crickets loose in Mrs. Livermore’s class. The group starts a chant in Cricket’s honor, and Ari realizes that the boy has likely never been celebrated in his life.

Ari dances with Dante, unafraid to be themselves in front of their friends. Dante even offers to dance with Julio, who has never danced with another guy before. The group dances until sunrise.

Once school is over, Dante and Ari go swimming every day. One day Dante announces that he has been accepted to the art fellowship program in Paris. Ari is ecstatic for him, but Dante has decided to turn down the offer. Ari insists that Dante go to Paris, telling him it is a rare and unique opportunity that he should not pass up. Dante wants to spend the whole summer with Ari and is upset by his assumption that Ari does not want the same. Feeling lost, Ari goes home, assuming Dante will calm down in a few hours.

Ari tries calling Dante every day for a week, to no avail. Mrs. Quintana tells him that he does not want to speak to him, but that she and Mr. Quintana miss him.

Several days later, Dante shows up at Ari’s house. He apologizes for how he reacted to Ari’s insistence he go to Paris. Dante tells Ari that their time apart may have been a good thing, as they will have to get used to being away from one another once they go to college.

Dante reveals that he is leaving for Paris the next day. Dante thanks Ari for everything, and tells him, “I didn’t mean to hurt you” (358).

Before Dante walks away, Ari tells him he loves him. Dante cannot bear to look at Ari, so he turns and walks back home.

Ari sits down to write in his journal. Instead of writing a normal entry, he decides to write a poem, “something to let out the hurt” (360).

When Dante leaves, Ari is met with love and support from his friends. Not wanting to talk about Dante, Ari suggests they talk about other things. The group goes out for pizza and to the movies. Though no one brings him up again, Dante “was like a ghost haunting [Ari’s] heart” (361).

Ari and Cassandra go running every morning. Ari spends most of his time reading and talking to his mother. With Dante out of his life, Ari lives “in that sadness that lay beyond tears” (362).

Ari is having a cup of coffee in the kitchen when Mrs. Q calls, telling him she has a few things for him to pick up at her house.

At the Quintanas, Ari is warmly greeted by Sam and Soledad. They bring him two paintings, the first being the one done by Emma’s done, and the second being a piece by Dante, along with a letter.

Dante’s parents tell Ari they hate to see him so sad, and that Dante still loves him.

Ari stares at the painting that Dante made for him. It is the painting that Ari suggested Dante make, one that depicts the two of them in Ari’s pickup, gazing up at the desert sky.

In the letter, Dante tells Ari that he loves him, but that they cannot be together forever. Dante apologizes for the way he left things, and for the fact that he is so difficult to love. He tells Ari he will probably never love anyone as beautiful as him again.

After reading the note, Ari calls his friends and asks them to come over. They all come over and stare at the painting, in awe of its beauty. Ari tells them that he thinks the painting is a symbol of Dante’s love for him, and that Dante is afraid of losing him. The girls are convinced that Dante was ready to let go and that perhaps it is time for Ari to do the same. Ari disagrees and tells them he is going to Paris.

Ari asks his mother to help him get a passport so he can go to Paris. Lilly is proud of Ari for following his instincts and for not being “afraid to love anymore” (367).

Ari walks to the Quintanas to talk about his plan to go to Paris. Mrs. Q tells him Dante is very stubborn and driven by his emotions. Unlike Ari, Dante is not selfless.

Ari tells the Quintanas he and Dante have unfinished business, and that he just wants to settle things between them. He hands them a note and asks them to call Dante and relay the information, which includes a date, time, and place to meet Ari in Paris.

Before he leaves, the Quintanas tells Ari they love him and that he is always welcome in their home, regardless of what happens with Dante.

Ari’s friends come over to see him off to their airport. Their love and support give Ari the boost he needs. Sam drives Ari to the airport and gives him the information he will need to get around Paris. He tells him to give Dante his love for him.

Ari enjoy the flight to Paris, his first time ever on a plane. Traveling abroad on his own to see his love, Ari feels “little-kid excited” (371).

In Paris, Ari is greeted by Gerald, a friend of the Quintanas. Gerald is a kind and friendly older gentleman who has been living in Paris many years. Like Ari, Gerald is a gay man. Gerald commends Ari for having the courage to be led by love. After lunch, Ari asks Gerald to take him to see the Eiffel Tower.

When they get close to the Eiffel Tower, they come upon a group of AIDS activists. Ari sees one young man he wants to talk to and asks Gerald to translate for him. Through Gerald, Ari tells the activist that he is very brave: “[I]t is a beautiful thing to love in the face of all this dying” (375). The young man is so moved by his words that he hugs Ari and tells him he is too handsome to be an American.

Ari realizes that the boy he once was does not exist anymore. The old Ari would have never had the courage to travel to Paris and talk to a stranger. The old Ari is gone, and the new Ari does not want him back.

Ari meets Dante at the agreed upon spot, in front of The Raft of the Medusa painting at the Louvre. He is standing before it, admiring it, when Dante shows up. They exchange few words and instead enjoy each other’s silent company. Dante takes Ari’s hand in his, despite the fact that they are in a public setting. Finally, Dante turns to face Ari and tells him to kiss him. Ari happily obliges, and reveals that he had wanted to propose, but their parents would not allow it.