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Paper Towns Part 3, Chapter 12 Summary

How It All Goes Down

Hour Twelve

  • Everyone is asleep except Ben and Quentin, which is good since he's driving.
  • Ben tries to set Quentin's expectations realistically, saying "it's easy to like someone from a distance" (3.12.10), but it's different when you actually get to know the person.
  • Quentin gets mad that Ben is trying to lecture him, but he doesn't have time to get snippy because suddenly there's a cow in the road.
  • Ben grabs the steering wheel and guides the car off the road.
  • The car slides into a ditch.
  • Quentin is bleeding because of a bottle broke, but everyone is okay.
  • Scared, Quentin cries while Lacey uses the Confederate flag shirt to clean his wound.
  • Ben sees gas pouring out of the car and he runs away screaming "it's gonna blow!" (3.12.21).
  • But it's just the beer bottles that broke. Phew.
  • Ben returns, and Quentin hugs him and thanks him for saving everyone's lives.
  • Quentin doesn't want to drive anymore, so Ben takes the keys, and they get back on the road.