Books By Bullets: Opposite of Always | Justin A. Reynolds

This Books By Bullets (BBB) post is for Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds. The main goal of BBB is to provide a bulleted summary of the plot points that occur in the book. I will also include a list of other information such as characters, trigger warnings, setting and representation. The below information is intended for people who have already read the book and need a refresher. The trigger warnings and list of characters may be useful to people who are in the process of reading the book or are thinking of reading the book, but I just want to make sure that you are wary of potential spoilers below.

LIST OF CHARACTERS

• Jack King: Main character. African-American young boy. High school senior. 5’9”.

• Kate: African-American young woman. Bright, brown eyes. Black, shoulder length curly hair.

• Officer #1: Man

• Officer #2: Woman. Dirty blonde hair.

• Regina Edwards: Kate’s mother.

• Nina: Jack’s mother.

• Abe: Jack’s father.

• Jillian: Jack’s crush and best friend. Dating Franny.

• Francisco “Franny” Hogan: Jack’s other best friend. Dating Jillian.

• Kira: Kate’s older sister. Stylist.

• Reginald “Reggie”: Kate’s younger brother.

• Albert: Jack’s dorm host.

• Ms. Anderson: Jillian’s mom. Dark hair.

• Francisco “Coupon”: Franny’s dad.

• Abuela: Franny’s grandmother. Coupon’s mother.

• Ms. Calloway:

• Mr. Edwards: Kate’s father

• Mrs. Holstein:

• Mrs. Nielsen: Kate’s ninth grade English teacher.

• Mrs. Randleman: Jack’s study hall and AP History teacher.

• Xander: Kate’s ex boyfriend.

• Grandma Charlie: Jack’s grandmother.

• Molly Hendricks: Jack’s classmate.

• Ms. Haggerty: Art teacher.

• Corky: Jack’s next door neighbor’s German Shepherd

• Dr. Sowunmi: Kate’s sickle cell doctor

• Rita: Franny’s girlfriend in one of the timelines

The above list includes all characters mentioned in the book. Characters are listed in order of appearance. Bolded characters are important/main characters. Generally, characters get less important as you go down the list. If there is no/little description, these can also be assumed to be relatively unimportant characters.

SETTING

• Michigan, US

TRIGGER WARNINGS

• Chronic illness. 3

  • Important to the story, however not told in a particularly graphic way.

• Death. 2

• While this is an important plot point, it’s not discussed graphically. Death and grief also aren’t addressed very much (it’s more avoided).

• Car accident. 1

• One scene, not too graphic

• Police action. 1

• Events involving police that could be perceived as police brutality. A few scenes in the book.

• Racial profiling. 2

• Two scenes, not too much information given.

REPRESENTATION

• African-American main characters

• Chronic Illness/sickle cell

PLOT

Chapter titles are bolded.

• How To Save No One

• We are thrown into one of the time loops. Jack is being held down by police. He thinks about how Kate is dying for the third time. He mentions time travel.

• 45 Minutes Earlier

• The police are here at the hospital. Jack grabs a package and leaves the car. He stuffs the box’s contents into his shoe.

• He implies that this is a Groundhog Day kind of situation. He’s from the future.

• The police catch him and cuff him.

• His girlfriend, Kate, is dying in the hospital. He convinces the police to let him see Kate for five minutes.

• The police escort Jack up. They keep having minor inconveniences preventing them from getting to Kate. Jack is worried he’s not going to make it.

• He makes it in time and shoots a syringe in Kate’s thigh.

• Every time Kate dies, the time travel clock starts again.

• The police take Jack back into custody. He starts having a time travel “seizure.”

• The Beginning Beginning The Experience of Having Zero Experiences

• Jack is an only child. He feels a lot of pressure from his parents. He tries out for all the sports and clubs and never was accepted into any of them. He has had a lot of hobbies but none of them stick.

• Jack has a crush on Jillian.

• A Brief History of Strong Like

• Jillian is Jack’s best friend. They met freshman year and he developed a crush quickly. Jillian got a boyfriend almost immediately. Her boyfriend is Franny, Jack’s other best friend.

• The Thing About Stairs Is That They’re Up And Down

• Jack meets Kate at this party after his college tour. Kate was their tour guide. She noticed during the tour that Jack was really clingy to Jillian. Kate gives Jack pointers. They flirt. They decide to grab a drink on the back porch together.

• Jack runs into Jillian. She finds out that he made a girl friend. She tells him he should stay at the party, but she is going to head back to the dorm for the night.

• Jack and Kate talk all night into the morning. He says something that annoys her. They say goodbye. She wishes him the best during his senior year. He asks how they’ll keep in touch and she says not to worry, they’ll see each other again.

• Sunday Funday

• Jack goes to sleep and can’t stop thinking of Kate.

• Jillian wakes him up in the morning to drive back home. Jack convinces her to let him look for Kate before they leave.

• He finds her at her dorm. He gives her his number. She says she’ll see him next year.

• Jack drives home with Jillian.

• Jack and Jillian will be going to Whittier College. Franny applied but didn’t get in. He will be going to a state college that is close by.

• Jillian says that Jack could get a high school girlfriend if he wanted to. Something about the conversation makes her mad. She drops him off at his house.

• Overthinking Overthinking

• Jillian is mad at him for a while. She gives him the silent treatment. He shows up at her house. They have a movie night. He convinces her to talk to him. She says she’s scared things are changing. It shocked her that her best friend was choosing Kate over her during this trip. They make up and say they’ll always be best friends.

• Kate texts Jack.

• The Thing About Shooting Ones Shot

• Jack decides that he’s going to go for it with Kate. He asks her to meet up.

• Silly Rabbits, Tricks Are For (Big) Kids

• They meet up and have a cereal date.

• Truth & Consequences

• Jack gets in trouble with his parents. He’s on thin ice and will have to do extra chores.

• Franny tells Jack that his dad, “The Coupon”, is coming home from jail.

• The Coupon’s A-Coming

• The Coupon never sticks around in Franny’s life. Franny and Jack got to be friends when they were kids. Franny was tall and intimidating and was able to defend Jack against bullies.

• Some Joy For Your Toy

• The three friends are in band at school. They also have their own band called Joytoy. Their first performance will be at Jack’s parent’s 30th anniversary party.

• Compositions

• Over email, Jack asks Kate to prom. He tells her he’s on “house arrest.” She says maybe.

• How Not To be So Alone In This World

• Franny spends the night at Jack’s house. He’s been doing that for a long time. Every two weeks he spends the night because his Abuela is working. Jack’s parents really like Franny and support him at all of his games.

• Franny and his Abuela are going to have a welcome home dinner for The Coupon. Franny asks Jack to be there with him so that he can act as a buffer.

• Status Unclear

• Kate tells Jack she’ll go to prom with him, as long as he’s fine with them not labeling their relationship. She’s in an “it’s complicated” type of relationship with her ex-boyfriend. She’s still trying to untangle herself from him.

• I’ll Build A Mighty Moat Around Your Love

• Jillian, Franny, Jack and Kate meet up at Jack’s house to all hang out and meet before prom. They hang out and have a good time. Franny and Jillian leave, leaving Jack and Kate alone. Jack and Kate play video games together. They kiss.

• Mall Talk

• The three friends go shopping for prom outfits. Kate couldn’t come because she had an appointment for something.

• Orchid

• Jack and his mom go corsage shopping.

• Exits

• Kate was supposed to meet Jack at his house for prom. She never shows up so he drives over to her house. Her house is dark. She calls him and says sorry but she can’t go. She doesn’t explain why.

• How To Get Over Someone (How To Re-Solidify Your Heart When It’s The Bad Kind of Mushy

• They have band practice. Jack is pouty so Franny and Jillian try and cheer him up. Jillian’s dad left her mom a few months ago.

• No-Show City Doesn’t Have To Be A Sad Place

• They go to Franny’s game. They lost. Franny’s dad didn’t show up to the game. He didn’t show up to the welcome home dinner either.

• The three friends hang out after the game.

• Party of the Year

• The three friends play at Jack’s parents’ anniversary party.

• Jack gets a call from Kate. She apologized and says she just wants Jack back. Jack leaves the house to go to her.

• As A Time Of Day

• Jack shows up at the hospital. He meets Kate’s mom. Kate is sick. She says it’s genetic, but doesn’t give many details. Kate’s mom convinces Jack to go home.

• He goes home. Late in the night he gets a call from Kate. It’s Kate’s mom and she tells him that Kate is gone. He says he’ll be right there. He runs down the stairs and falls. He can’t move or process anything. He hears someone scream and call 911.

• So Sequels Usually Suck But… Do You Believe In Life After Love?

• Jack wakes up expecting to be in heaven or in the hospital. He wakes up and is back at the college party where he met Kate. They don’t have the same conversation on the stairs. They part ways. He goes looking for her later

• Remind Me How I Know You

• Jack finds Kate. They go get some food at a diner. Kate has this feeling that they know each other from somewhere. They go to the Gorges. He asks her to prom.

• Cereal Killers

• Jack and Kate go cereal shopping and have a cereal date. They give the rest away to people in her dorm.

• Close Encounters Of The Friend Kind

• Jack tells Jillian to go home without him. He ghosted her that morning and now she’s mad at him. He stays with Kate and they study in the library together.

• High Off Life 2.0

• Jack buses home late. He wonders why he time traveled. He emails Kate about prom and waits for her answer.

• Way More Than 100%

• At school Jillian sits with him during lunch. She’s still a little mad. She says she has home problems.

• I Got Threads On Threads On Threads

• Jack and Kate chat over email. Kate comes up with a lot of excuses for why she shouldn’t go to prom (She can’t dance, she knocks over punch bowls a lot etc.). She talks about her ex boyfriend, but she says yes.

• The Irony of Prison Sentences

• Franny is spiraling. He is drinking at school, avoiding band practice and lunch. He is mean to Jack. He finally tells him that The Coupon is being let out of prison. Jack realizes that maybe one of the purposes for the time travel could be to help Franny too.

• Jack and Kate talk over email.

• Franny and Jack hang out. Jack tries to convince Franny to have low expectations of The Coupon.

• Drifting, Drifting

• The only way Jack can think of to prevent Kate from dying is to spend as much time with her as possible. They always study together and kiss. He’s addicted to her.

• The Flip Side To Happy

• Jack's dad confronts him when he gets back. Jack has been forgetful lately. He missed chores with his dad and family dinner with Franny and Jillian. Franny and Jillian helped with chores and they all had family dinner without him. Jack’s dad is worried that Jack and Kate’s relationship is moving too fast.

• His friends are also annoyed. Franny invites Jack to the welcome home dinner. Kate wants to hang out the same night. Jack decides to try and do both.

• He needs to skip out of school early to do both. He pretends to be sick to get sent home early.

• Quickie Mart Quicksand

• Jack leaves Kate for Franny’s dinner. He hits traffic and gets a flat tire in the rain. He makes it to the dinner an hour late. Franny is outside, drunk. He tells him that he convinced his family to wait for Jack and said he’d go get ice cream for dessert. The Coupon offered to pick up the ice cream. He was gone for a while, so Franny decided to go check on him at the store. When he arrived at the store there were cops outside. His dad was in one of the police cars.

• Franny is upset with Jack. Jack’s mom and dad help Franny with prom stuff.

• The Coupon gets 90 days in the county jail. The owner assumed he wasn’t going to pay and called the police on him.

• How To Come Home

• Jack’s parents throw a dinner for Jillian, Franny and Jack. They try and get the friends to make up. Jack apologizes for being so focused on his relationship. They all make up.

• Prom-ises

• Kate comes to Jack’s house and meets his parents. They go to prom. She meets Franny and Jillian there. They dance. Kate starts feeling off and tries to escape without telling Jack what’s going on. He follows her. She starts driving off in a cab, but the cab comes back because she’s sick. They call for an ambulance. Jack goes with her to the hospital

• They stabilize her. Jack goes in to see her.

• She still won’t tell Jack what’s going on with her. She also tells him that she is getting back together with her ex-boyfriend, Xander. Jack leaves.

• Life As We Know It

• Jack mopes around school for a while. He decides to try and get Kate back. He goes to her dorm room and Xander is there. Kate wanted Xander to mail a letter for her. The letter was for Jack. She gave him three Mighty Moat concert tickets with a short note.

• The three friends go to the concert. When he gets dropped off at home, Kate is waiting for him. He drives her back to her dorm. She tells him she has sickle cell.

• They got to the Gorges. They kiss. Jack tells her she needs to stop running away.

• At home he starts researching about sickle cell. His mom sees what he’s researching. She says black communities (and others) are disproportionately affected by sickle cell. Jack’s mom is a carrier. One of her college friends had sickle cell.

• Jack sets up an appointment for Kate with a fancy sickle cell doctor.

• He’s Got No Game

  • Franny has another game. The Coupon can’t go because he’s in jail.

• Graduates

  • They graduate. Jillian was valedictorian. Kate was there.

• Not This Time

  • They have the anniversary party for Jack’s parents. Kate doesn’t show up. Jack calls her but gets no answer. They play the party. He gets a call.

• Second Chances Are Still Just Chance

  • He goes to the hospital. He falls asleep. He wakes up to her coding. They kick him and Kate’s mom out of the room. He starts time traveling again.

• The Charm of Third Times Things Happen in Threes

• Jack starts over at the party again.

• The Plan To (Hopefully) Save Kate

• This time he’s going to bet on the March Madness games to raise money for Kate's treatment.

• Fresh 2 Death

• He gets Kate’s number at the party. He goes back home with Jillian. This time he won’t spend as much time with Kate. He also makes more of an effort with Jillian. He asks her how she feels about her dad leaving. He warns her about the power bill.

• Franny tells him his dad is getting out next week. Jack starts selling stuff to get gambling money.

• We Don’t Accept Coupons At This Establishment

• They have band practice. Franny says The Coupon isn’t going to be staying with them. He’s upset and thinks he’s a disappointment to The Coupon. Jack’s parents reassure him.

• Jack gets The Coupon to help him with the March Madness bet. He also says that Franny wants to see him. The Coupon says that doesn’t make sense since he’s been ignoring all his texts and calls. He says he’ll think about going to see Franny.

• Selection Sunday

• The three friends and Jack’s parents watch parts of March Madness together.

• The Good Doctor

• Jack meets with the doctor. He was persistent with calls and emails to get an appointment. He agrees to see Kate.

• He leaves the doctor, and Franny asks if he’s on his way.

• Wait, What?!

• They’re having dinner with The Coupon. He comes over and hugs Franny. He’s very friendly. Franny is standoffish. Franny asks to be excused from dinner early. They go to Jack’s house. Jillian comes over. They watch TV together and Franny cries.

• Mighty Magical

• They go to see Mighty Moat again. This time Kate is with them. She takes them backstage. They meet the band and go home.

• Kate stays at Jack’s house. They’re in the basement watching TV and she tells him about her condition.

• Mandrake Moolah

• Jack’s March Madness team wins. He wins the $200,000 from the bet. The Coupon takes him to drinks to celebrate.

• The Coupon wants to be a better dad to Franny. He says he’ll go to his game.

• Pants On Fire

• The Coupon doesn’t go to the game. Franny’s team wins the game. They go to Jillian’s grandparents’ cabin to celebrate. Franny tells everyone that he got into Whittier College. Jack goes to the bathroom. While he’s in the bathroom, Franny answers a call on Jack’s phone from The Coupon. Franny confronts Jack in the bathroom about why The Coupon was calling him. Franny gets aggressive. Jillian has to calm him down and then they leave.

• A Cure For Bad Blood

• Jack hasn’t talked to his friends in a while.

• Jack takes Kate to her doctor appointment.

• He is going to have dinner with her family in a few days.

• A Nutshell: What Sickle Cell Is & What Dr. Sowunmi Intends To Do About It

• The doctor will give Kate two injections. The second one will be six months after the first. The problem is that she only has six months according to the timeline. Jack asks what happens if she gets the second injection too early. The doctor says she could go into shock and die.

• Operation: Try Not To Make A Total Fool Of Yourself

• The dinner with Kate’s family goes well. As Jack is about to leave, Kate’s dad asks to talk to him privately. He tells Jack that if he cares about Kate he should break up with her now. Her health doesn’t need to be jeopardized by heartbreak and stress.

• Jack goes home. Jillian talks to him. He finds Franny and talks to him. He’s still mad but seems open to being friends again once he’s had time to get over it.

• Makeup Texts

• A few days later, Franny texts them to get together for band practice. They do. They hug and make up.

• Caps And Gowns

• They’re graduating. Kate meets Jack at his house before the ceremony.

• Thirtieth

• Kate comes to the anniversary party this time. She goes home for the night. This is the night that she always dies. In the middle of the night Jack gets a call from her. She says she doesn’t feel good. He rushes over to her. He thinks she needs the second injection. He calls the doctor and goes off on him. He gets in a car accident, and then he time travels again.

• Four You & Me I Can’t Even

• Jack decides this time he won’t meet Kate. Maybe this is how he saves her. He goes to Jillian at the party and kisses her.

• How To Betray Everything You’ve Known

• Franny is mad at Jack. He’s nice to Jillian because he now realizes he was taking her for granted.

• The Disappointment of Ancestors

• Jack’s parents find out about him and Jillian. They are disappointed.

• Jack, You Suck, Man

• Jack goes to visit Jillian at work. They are dating now. They talk about Jillian’s mom who is still struggling after Jillian’s dad left. Jillian’s dad left her for someone else.

• Jillian tells Jack that The Coupon is getting out of jail tomorrow. Jack already knows because he is going to meet him tomorrow.

• Why I Already Know

• Jack and The Coupon meet for food. He tells The Coupon how much Franny missed him. Jack still wants to help Franny in this timeline even if they’re not friends anymore.

• Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News

• Jack goes to see the doctor and talks him through everything again. The doctor says he needs to see Kate before starting any treatments. He finds out that Jack doesn’t really know her. He is confused how Jack will be able to convince her to go and get this treatment when they don't even know each other. Jack has a plan.

• Jack calls Kate’s mom and pretends to be on some board at the college. He says that Kate won a contest where they sponsor a kid in need that year.

• Dilemmas, Dilemmas

• Kate’s mom was skeptical, but starts to relent. Jack checks in with the doctor to check on Kate’s progress. The doctor can’t tell him much without Kate’s consent. Jillian is suspicious why Jack is going to the doctor all the time and why he’s so interested in sickle cell lately.

• The Talk

• Franny wants to talk to Jillian. She talks with him after school. She updates Jack later when she goes to his house. She says that they hurt Franny.

• An Exploding Appendix

• Jack is at the hospital with Jillian visiting her cousin. In the elevator, he runs into Xander. He strikes up a conversation with him. Xander says he’s there with his girlfriend. He says she’s in the hospital a lot. He says he can’t really dump "the sick girl."

• Jack buys all the flowers from the shop and delivers them to Kate. She asks who they’re from. He says they're from her boyfriend. Then he says they’re from her family. Kate doesn’t believe either answer. He puts the last set of flowers on her bed stand. She wonders how he knew those were her favorite.

• Jillian is perfect, but he can’t stop thinking about Kate. He thinks he made a mistake.

• Like This

  • Jack and Jillian talk about how they always thought they would eventually end up together.

• Duffel Bag Baggage

• Jack wins the bet. He gets the money from The Coupon. They go for drinks. The Coupon says it was difficult to get the money. He’s also grumpy about reaching out to Franny. Jack leaves abruptly and on bad terms.

• Jack gets home and sees the duffel bag (with the money) is gone. He gets a text that says to meet them in the woods.

• The text was from Franny. He came by the house to get some things he left. No one was home so he used the spare key. He found the duffel bag. He wants to know where he got the money. Jack tells him it was from a bet. Franny wants to know who he got to do the bet for him. Jack eventually tells him and says it was The Coupon who helped. Franny says he already knew that but he wanted Jack to admit it. Franny makes Jack leave.

• Prom and graduation happen. Jack and Jillian go to one of Franny’s games. Franny plays well and his team wins. Franny's new girlfriend, Rita, is there. They invite Jack and Jillian to the after party.

• The two girls drive together, and the two boys drive together. Franny thought it would be a good idea to talk things through. They make up, but things won’t be the same. Then, Franny gets mad and leaves the car. He says he wants to walk the rest of the way.

• Jack drives around for a bit instead of going straight to the party. When he gets there, Franny still hasn’t arrived.

• Worst Thing Ever

• They find out Franny’s been shot. He’s in the hospital.

• He was walking through someone’s yard. The white lady said she called the police and told Franny to wait on the curb. He blew her off and reached in his pocket. She shot him. He was reaching for his phone, which was playing the ringtone for a call from his dad.

• Franny has surgery. The Coupon comes to visit. Jack and The Coupon talk. The Coupon says that he knows he’s messed up. He’s messed up so bad that he’s not even going to try anymore.

• They finally allow people to visit Franny one at a time. Jack goes in to visit. Franny tells him to go away. Jack says he’ll leave, but he’s not going to “leave.”

• Break It Up, Everybody. Party’s Over

• Jack breaks into the doctor’s office to steal the syringe.

• He goes into the hospital. He gets caught by the police. He convinces them to let him see his girlfriend. He sees her and fires the syringe in her thigh. The police tackle him.

• Five-Ever What Would Bill Murray Do?

• Jack time travels again. He decides that he wants to be with Kate. He’s destined to be with her.

• Some Good Advice Amid Grocery Story Grossness

• Jack and his dad have a conversation about love and girls. His dad says you have to love yourself. He also says that having a girlfriend can be beneficial too. They can make you a better person.

• All Things

• This time Jack talks to Franny about placing the bet with The Coupon. Jack wins his bet. He schedules the appointment with the doctor. Kate gets the first injection. Kate and Jack go to prom. The Coupon goes to Franny’s game this time. Franny is happy about that. They graduate.

• Franny plays well at another game. The Coupon and Franny’s Abuela come to support him. Franny announces he got into Whittier College. Kira, Kate’s sister, announces she’s pregnant.

• The anniversary party goes well. Jillian and Franny leave for the night. This time Kate stays with Jack.

• Jack takes Kate to the hospital even though she feels fine. He tries to get the doctors to run tests on her etc, but they all think he’s crazy since she doesn’t have any symptoms. Jack tries to barricade him and Kate in an exam room. Kate starts feeling symptoms. The doctors treat her.

• The Agony, The Horror

• Jack wakes up in the hospital room in the middle of the night. He realizes everything is fine and he is probably past the time loop.

• Almost The End

• Jack says he was stuck in this time loop for a long time. He realized that almost isn’t bad. It means you tried and did all you could.

• Fin, For Real This Time.

• They’re at Kate’s house in her room. They have a cute romantic moment together. They dance badly together.

The above information is from my memory, notes and interpretation of the story. It's definitely not perfect, so let me know if you have any proposed edits to this BBB post.