Say You Swear (Boys of Avix, #1)

Noah is another of the novel’s primary characters and first-person narrators. At the novel’s start, he is preparing for his senior year at Avix University. He also lives in Southern California but has never had the same family and friend group that Arianna has. Rather, Noah has always defined family according to his close relationship with his single mom, Lori. Noah doesn’t have siblings and has never met his dad. His football teammates have always been his closest friends. Outside of football, he has never spent much time with these friends, as he has always enjoyed being at home. From a young age, he and his mom developed a tradition of cooking together, and Lori taught him all the recipes that he knows. Cooking is Noah’s way of feeling both peaceful and at home. He also uses cooking to show love and comfort to others. This is why he repeatedly invites Arianna over to make dinner with him; the pastime grants Noah a familiar way to connect with Arianna and show her how interested he is in her and her life.

Noah’s character is both mature and confident, humble and empathetic. He is physically attractive, with blue eyes the color of “a tropical, stormy ocean at night” (32). He’s also a star quarterback on the Avix football team and the team captain. He does well in school and is respectful to everyone around him. These qualities attract Arianna to him and make her curious to know more about this “blue-eyed stranger” (32). Even when she still has feelings for Chase, Arianna feels drawn to Noah and can’t help opening up to him. His authenticity, patience, and grace make Arianna feel safe, seen, and understood. The more time that they spend together, the more attached she feels to him, as he offers her an even deeper version of friendship and connection than she’s known with her childhood friends.

Noah’s love for Arianna gradually transforms his character. Before they start seeing each other, he expects to go into the professional football draft immediately after graduation and pursue a football career. He knows that this life will keep him “on the road” and that his “schedule [will be] nearly full for the better part of the year, every year” (304). He thinks that he wants this life because he wants to make his mom proud. However, falling in love with Arianna makes him question this path and inspires him to dream about creating a home and family life with Arianna instead. Meanwhile, Arianna’s consistent love and care teach Noah that when they are together, they can be safe and happy, no matter the challenges that life might present them with. Their dynamic cements The Healing Power of Love.

Mason is a secondary character and is Arianna’s twin brother. He also lives in Southern California and is preparing for his freshman year at Avix at the novel’s start. Mason is protective and looks out for Arianna and Cameron whenever he can. He is also “the most important person in [Arianna’s] life” and the “one person in this world” she wants “to make proud” (14). Indeed, the twins see each other as “the other half” of who they are and share an indelible bond (14). For these reasons, Mason often intrudes upon Arianna’s other relationships. He doesn’t want to hurt Arianna but often acts aggressively or possessively.

Mason does everything in his power to keep Arianna and Chase from getting romantically and sexually involved with one another, even though he knows that Arianna is in love with him. Mason is close with both of them and wants what’s best for them, but he also fears that Arianna and Chase’s dynamic might compromise the integrity of their friend group. At times, Arianna feels frustrated with Mason for being so involved in her life. At the same time, she knows that she can count on him and often turns to him when she needs love or support. Indeed, Mason stays by Arianna’s side even when she and Noah have a falling out and even after Arianna is in an accident and loses her memory. He fights for her happiness by trying to usher her and Noah back together. In these ways, Mason’s character plays a pseudo-protector and guide role in Arianna’s story.

Chase is a secondary, dynamic character. He also plays the role of the antagonist throughout most of the novel. Chase isn’t a stereotypical villain, but his character does create conflict between the other characters. Arianna, Mason, Cameron, and Brady have known him since he was 12 years old and moved into their neighborhood. They immediately befriended him and invited him into their group. Ever since, they’ve regarded him as a part of their family, and although they are all close to him, Arianna is in love with him. When she and Chase become sexually intimate the summer before starting college, Arianna is hopeful that their future together will soon begin. However, Chase breaks Arianna’s heart when he dismisses their encounter as nothing and insists that nothing further can happen between them. These actions cast Chase as an emotionally immature character who is more worried about protecting his reputation than Arianna’s feelings. Furthermore, Chase doesn’t see Arianna’s value or worth until he notices her and Noah growing close. He acts out of jealousy and resentment when he tries to come between Arianna and Noah repeatedly throughout the novel. Although Chase does try to convince Arianna that he wants to be with her, he must ultimately let her go. By the novel’s end, he can see the mistakes he made and make amends for his faults.

Cameron is a secondary, static character. She is Arianna’s best friend and another key member of Arianna’s friend group. She has also grown up with Mason, Arianna, Brady, and Chase and relies on these dynamics to understand herself and feel safe and accepted. Cameron’s unchanging character reflects her stability in Arianna’s life.

Cameron is a spirited, adventurous character who often encourages Arianna to enjoy life and have fun. She is less inhibited than Arianna and urges her best friend to pursue new relationships, experiment sexually, go out dancing, and participate in parties and events on campus. In these ways, Cameron’s character is a narrative device used to challenge Arianna’s character. She consistently supports and comforts Arianna when she’s down, too. However, Cameron also confronts Arianna when she thinks she’s being too self-pitying or is disregarding others’ feelings. In these ways, her character both provides perspective on Arianna’s character and helps balance out Arianna’s tendencies toward introspection and reflection.