Loveless

Georgia researches the term “aromantic asexual.” She’s overwhelmed by information but relieved to know thousands of people identify as asexual or aromantic. She also finds Sunil’s blog. One of his posts is about discovering their asexuality, and how they had not felt part of the community because it was mostly white. When he found other Indian asexuals, they started feeling proud of their identity. Georgia whispers the terms asexual and aromantic to herself, trying to get used to her newfound identity. She can’t help but grow angry at not being like “everyone else” and losing out on romance.

Pip and Jason both drop out of the Shakespeare Society via text. Losing her friends causes Georgia to spiral into loneliness. She long internalized society’s elevation of romantic partners over friends, but now knows this isn’t true.

Georgia returns home for Christmas. When her grandmother asks about boys, she politely says she isn’t looking for a boyfriend. Georgia is grateful that her cousin Ellis is present. Ellis is a 34-year-old model-turned-artist, whom the rest of the family teases for being unmarried and childless. Georgia wonders if Ellis is happy as a single woman, or lonely.

Georgia sends Pip a Christmas message, but Pip continues to ignore her. She worries about having to tell her family about being asexual. She hears Ellis’s parents, Uncle Gavin and Auntie Sal, confront her about being unmarried and childless. Ellis says she’s uninterested in relationships and wishes they could be proud of her accomplishments. When Sal suggests going to therapy, Ellis walks out. Georgia follows and finds her in her car. Ellis brings Georgia to McDonald’s.

Georgia asks Ellis if she believes what her parents say about her never being happy without a husband or a child. Ellis explains she never had crushes, and that all types of sexual expression disgust her. Georgia is thrilled that she is like her, and voices such. Ellis hasn’t heard of asexuality before. Georgia explains the terms asexual and aromantic, and assures Ellis that there are many people like them. Ellis encourages her to focus on her friendships instead of the romantic relationships society wants her to have. She jokes about putting her feelings into a painting titled “Platonic Magic.”

When Georgia returns to her dorm, she finds the room a mess and Rooney’s fern, Roderick, brown with thirst. Rooney doesn’t go out anymore, but Georgia convinces her to go to the pub to eat. At the pub, Rooney relaxes a little. She tells Georgia that going home wasn’t fun because she ran into her ex-boyfriend, blaming him for being the way she is. She finally confesses to having a crush on Pip. Georgia already knows this and assures Rooney that Pip likes her too. Rooney struggles with her crush because she hadn’t considered herself bisexual or pansexual. The pair runs into Pip, who yells at them for being selfish.

Rooney starts getting dressed to go out. Georgia knows what she is going to do and tries to stop her, but can’t.

Georgia attends a social hosted by the Pride Society, hoping to find Pip. Instead, she finds Sunil. Sunil expresses how much joy Shakespeare Society gave him and how much he misses it. He offers to speak to Jason about rejoining or at least speaking with Georgia so they can figure things out. He then makes a speech about the power of community. Sunil and their best friend Jess hug, and their friendship inspires Georgia. She overhears Lloyd mocking Sunil for bringing up asexuality again, and Georgia surreptitiously pours wine on him as she leaves.

Sunil reports to Georgia and Rooney that Jason agreed to meet. Georgia gets Scooby-Doo costumes for the three of them, and they surprise Jason at his dorm. He’s delighted, and they bring him to a costume party. Jason and Georgia talk, and he asks if she’s aromantic or asexual. Georgia apologizes for using him. He confesses that he fell in love with her in high school when she stood up for him against their musical theater director. Jason agrees that they’re better off as friends, that being friends is not settling, but admits he needs time to get over his crush. They both miss Pip.

Jason attends a Shakespeare Society rehearsal but points out it’s pointless without Pip. He suggests Georgia and Rooney apologize to Pip in person. Using Pip’s jacket left in their room as a pretense, the girls go to Pip’s dorm. They try to apologize, but are nervous and say the wrong things. Finally, Georgia says she just wants to be friends again. Pip says she needs time to think about it.

Rooney starts skipping classes and staying out all night. One night, she texts Georgia at 3 am to let her into the building because she lost her key. However, Georgia doesn’t get the message until 5 am. Georgia rushes outside and finds a freezing Rooney. When she brings Rooney inside and gets her to bed, Rooney asks why she cares about her. She has many acquaintances and sexual partners, but doesn’t believe people truly care about her.

Rooney’s phone rings at night, but she doesn’t wake up, so Georgia answers it. The caller is Beth, Rooney’s friend from high school, a picture of whom is in the room. When Georgia answers, Beth explains she received several phone calls from this number, which she doesn’t have saved on her phone. Georgia explains Rooney was drunk the night before and probably called her. Beth is surprised because she hasn’t spoken to Rooney in five years. Georgia is surprised because Rooney told her that Beth was her best friend.

Georgia realizes Rooney has been lying to her. She calls for a Shakespeare Society meeting, planning to win Pip back for her and Rooney’s sake. Sunil has his friend Jess join so they’ll have a fifth member. Now, Rooney knows Georgia spoke to Beth, but doesn’t know Beth no longer has her number saved on her phone. Georgia asks Rooney who Beth is, but she doesn’t tell her.

Rooney finally tells Georgia the real story about Beth, with whom she used to perform Shakespearean plays. In the ninth grade, Rooney started dating her now ex-boyfriend. He attended another school and even though she had close friends like Beth at her school, she insisted that she transfer to be with him. She stopped talking to Beth once she got a boyfriend because she didn’t think friends were necessary. For three years, Rooney’s boyfriend cheated on her, repeatedly broke up with her, and controlled what they did.

The Shakespeare Society executes their plan to win back Pip. Dressed in suits and holding musical instruments, they row down the campus river. When they find Pip, they sing to her from the boat. They sing “Your Song” from Moulin Rouge, Pip’s favorite and the fantasy of her romantic dreams.

When the song ends, Georgia asks Pip to be her college wife. Pip accepts and cries. Georgia and Pip have a private conversation. Pip explains she was hurt by the kiss because she was desperately trying to get over her crush on someone she assumed was straight. She tells Georgia that she’s not required to talk about her sexuality, but is available to listen. Georgia reveals she’s aromantic asexual. Pip assures her there’s nothing odd about this, but wonders how she can be certain she’ll never meet a potential partner. Georgia says it’s the same self-knowledge as Pip knowing she’ll never be attracted to men. They laugh over the many years they tried to force themselves to like boys.

Rooney arrives in the early morning to Pip in her bed. Pip spent the night after falling asleep talking to Georgia. Pip and Rooney are awkward with each other. When Pip leaves, Rooney is frustrated that Georgia hadn’t warned her. She still thinks Pip hates her. Georgia suggests it’s time they figure out their feelings. Pip texts the Shakespeare Society to inform them that she’s rejoining the group.

The Shakespeare Society returns to rehearsals. An argument between Rooney and Pip turns into them chasing each other, laughing. In their room, Rooney and Georgia push their beds together, both coming to terms with their lives; they often wake up lonely and sad in the middle of the night.

The night before the Shakespeare Society’s first performance, Georgia stays with Pip and Rooney as they rehearse their scene from Much Ado About Nothing. Pip and Rooney argue over their interpretations, so Georgia makes them take a break. They all watch the film Easy A. Georgia, a virgin, finds it strange that so many teen movies are about losing virginity. Pip is also a virgin, but she’s not ashamed of it. Pip teases Rooney for preferring heteronormative teen movies, but Rooney reveals she’s not straight. Georgia leaves for her dorm to give them a moment. She goes to sleep and wakes to texts from Pip, saying she messed up and Rooney is gone.

Pip and Rooney stayed up late rehearsing. Rooney agreed to stay with Pip for the night, and they started kissing—however, when Rooney took off Pip’s clothes, she panicked and left. She hasn’t returned Pip’s calls or texts.

Georgia looks all over campus for Rooney, but can’t find her. She remembers the “Find My Friends” app and locates Rooney in a field by a bridge off campus. At the spot, she finds Rooney’s friend but not Rooney. Frightened, Georgia cries until she sees Rooney running across the bridge toward her.

Georgia is embarrassed because she never cries in front of people. Rooney explains she often goes for morning walks in the area and simply dropped her phone. She further explains that she ran away from Pip because she worried she was using sex to emotionally detach from her. Georgia voices platonic love for her friend, and she reciprocates. Rooney admits she’s never had a connection like her friendship with Georgia, that Georgia saved her from the worst parts of herself. Rooney gives her a bouquet of flowers as a way of expressing her love.

Georgia and Rooney sprint to their Shakespeare Society performance. The other members have been panicking. Rooney hurriedly tells Pip that she likes her, which is why she ran. They make out. Georgia hadn’t expected an audience, but between Pip’s new friends, Jason’s rowing friends, and Sunil’s orchestra and Pride Society friends, they have a sizable crowd.

Jason makes a pre-show announcement, dedicating the performance to Georgia for bringing them all together. The performance is messy but charming. The Durham Student Theatre president, Sadie, decides to officially reinstate the Shakespeare Society.

Georgia, Pip, Jason, Rooney, and Sunil decide to rent a house the next school year. Pip and Rooney are dating. Sunil proposes creating a new society for asexual and aromantic people, but Georgia is uncertain if she’s ready to do so publicly. She is still coming to terms with her identity, but is excited for her future.