The Perks of Being a Wallflower Part 1, Chapter 7 Summary

How It All Goes Down

October 6, 1991

  • For the first time since Michael's death, Charlie goes to the high school football game. He doesn't really watch the game—our guy is more of a people watcher.
  • Charlie sees the kid from his shop class at the game, the one he still calls Nothing.
  • Nothing—who calls himself Patrick, of course—introduces Charlie to Sam, a very pretty girl if you ask Charlie.
  • Now that Patrick has introduced himself as "Patrick," Charlie figures he'll call him by his actual name.
  • After the game, the three teenagers go eat at the local Big Boy. Topics of conversation include favorite songs, movies, and books; and Charlie finds out that Sam and Patrick are step-siblings.
  • Charlie really wants to ask Sam out on a date, but he doesn't. (Hey, what do you expect from a wallflower?) But that night, he has a sex dream about her. Yikes. That's definitely the stuff you only find out if you're reading someone's diary—which we essentially are.
  • He wants to tell her about it because he's ashamed, but he definitely doesn't want the dream to ruin their new friendship.