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== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
At swim class in the [[Roseville High School]] pool, an older Siamese student takes a sudden interest in [[Daisy]]. This is [[Augustus]], who says he remembers her cheerleading back when his little brother played middle-school soccer, and who wonders why one of those "peppy cheerleaders" is swimming in a t-shirt. Daisy insists she's ugly right now, since her curls frizz the moment they touch water. He answers, "Well, I think you look beautiful." She's still blushing about it when class is called to the shallow end.<ref name=":c31p1">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p1}}</ref> Across the pool, [[Katie]] badgers [[Mike]] over why his "girlfriend" gets out of swimming without even asking. Mike will only say it's complicated and private, so Katie tries telling the teacher she's allergic to water instead.<ref name=":c31p1" />
At swim class in the [[Roseville High School]] pool, an older Siamese student, [[Augustus]], takes an interest in [[Daisy]]. When she insists she's ugly because her curls frizz in water, he answers, "Well, I think you look beautiful," and leaves her blushing.<ref name=":c31p1">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p1}}</ref> Across the pool, [[Katie]] badgers [[Mike]] over why [[Lucy]] gets to skip swimming, and he'll only say it's private.<ref name=":c31p1" />


Katie's question gets its answer in a flashback to the spring of seventh grade, when [[Roseville Middle School]] opened its newly renovated pool. Mike can't wait for their class to be the first ones in. [[Lucy]] admits she's no good at swimming, and once he's out of sight she punches her locker.<ref name=":c31p2">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p2}}</ref> The gym teacher refuses to make any exceptions, so Lucy forces herself to the water's edge, where she quietly falls apart. She imagines not being able to climb back out, then remembers Mike being swept away and the two of them sinking. Her fear, it turns out, is mostly for him. "What if '''HE''' can't get out?"<ref name=":c31p3">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p3}}</ref> She grips Mike's hand hard enough to hurt, goes unresponsive, and faints. Mike catches her just before she tips into the pool, and the school nurse decides Lucy's parents will need to be called.<ref name=":c31p4">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p4}}</ref>
Katie's question gets its answer in a flashback to the spring of seventh grade, when [[Roseville Middle School]] opens its newly renovated pool.<ref name=":c31p2">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p2}}</ref> The gym teacher refuses to make any exceptions, and Lucy falls apart at the water's edge. She remembers Mike being swept away and the two of them sinking, fearing most for him: "What if '''HE''' can't get out?"<ref name=":c31p3">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p3}}</ref> She goes unresponsive and faints, and Mike catches her just before she tips into the pool.<ref name=":c31p4">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p4}}</ref>


In the present day, Lucy sits out the period writing at a desk, enjoying the quiet right up until Katie barges in. Katie has proudly "figured it out" — the exemption must be Lucy's time of the month. Lucy is unimpressed. "That excuse doesn't work every week."<ref name=":c31p4" />
At lunch, Augustus seeks Daisy out again and asks to sit beside her. When she asks if he really meant what he said, he answers, "Is this the first time '''ANYONE'S''' told you you're beautiful?" [[Tess]] glares at Augustus on sight, which only confuses [[Paulo]].<ref name=":c31p5">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p5}}</ref>
 
At lunch, Daisy is still turning the morning over, and Augustus isn't done with her either. She starts to ask [[Paulo]] whether guys would find her attractive, but he drops the conversation the instant [[Tess]] shows up, leaving Daisy comparing herself to Tess and coming up short. Then Augustus appears, asks to sit beside her, and explains he'd like to spend time with a girl he likes. When Daisy asks if he really meant what he said, he answers with a question of his own: "Is this the first time '''ANYONE'S''' told you you're beautiful?" Tess, for some reason, glares at Augustus on sight, which only confuses Paulo.<ref name=":c31p5">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p5}}</ref> Katie, for her part, splashes bottled water on Lucy to check whether that counts too, and gets sent back to her own table.<ref name=":c31p5" />


Walking through the woods, Lucy stops at a river and tries to face her fear, remembering Mike urging her to trust that she'll be okay. She manages a few steps toward the bank before she starts to faint again. Jolting awake, she gives up, telling herself, "I don't need his promises. I can handle it. By avoiding it." She walks off without ever noticing Augustus, who watches her from behind a tree with a smile.<ref name=":c31p6">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p6}}</ref>
[[File:c31_p6_panel15.png|alt=Augustus smiles from behind a tree while Lucy walks away from the river.|thumb|Augustus, doing some very casual standing behind a tree.]]
[[File:c31_p6_panel15.png|alt=Augustus smiles from behind a tree while Lucy walks away from the river.|thumb|Augustus, doing some very casual standing behind a tree.]]
Walking through the woods afterwards, Lucy stops at a river and tries to face her fear. She remembers Mike gently urging her to try — if the water's still, she just has to trust she'll be okay. A few steps toward the bank is all she manages before she starts to faint again. Jolting awake, she gives up and settles the matter for herself: "I don't need his promises. I can handle it. By avoiding it." She walks off without ever noticing Augustus, who watches her from behind a tree with a smile.<ref name=":c31p6">{{Cite chapter|url=https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/c31/p6}}</ref>


== Character dynamics ==
== Character dynamics ==

Latest revision as of 13:12, 21 July 2026

Carry On
Chapter31 of 127 (list of chapters)
PublishedFebruary 4, 2007 (2007-02-04)
Page count6
Major charactersMike, Lucy, Daisy, Augustus, Katie
Minor charactersPaulo, Abbey, David, Tess, Gym Teacher (High School)
LocationsRoseville High School, Roseville Middle School
Collected inVolume One, Omnibus 1
Chapter navigation
← Troubled WatersFollow Me →
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Swim class stirs up more than pool water. Augustus makes his debut by telling Daisy she's beautiful, a flashback shows why Lucy won't go near a pool, and somebody is watching her from behind a tree in the woods.

Synopsis

At swim class in the Roseville High School pool, an older Siamese student, Augustus, takes an interest in Daisy. When she insists she's ugly because her curls frizz in water, he answers, "Well, I think you look beautiful," and leaves her blushing.[1] Across the pool, Katie badgers Mike over why Lucy gets to skip swimming, and he'll only say it's private.[1]

Katie's question gets its answer in a flashback to the spring of seventh grade, when Roseville Middle School opens its newly renovated pool.[2] The gym teacher refuses to make any exceptions, and Lucy falls apart at the water's edge. She remembers Mike being swept away and the two of them sinking, fearing most for him: "What if HE can't get out?"[3] She goes unresponsive and faints, and Mike catches her just before she tips into the pool.[4]

At lunch, Augustus seeks Daisy out again and asks to sit beside her. When she asks if he really meant what he said, he answers, "Is this the first time ANYONE'S told you you're beautiful?" Tess glares at Augustus on sight, which only confuses Paulo.[5]

Walking through the woods, Lucy stops at a river and tries to face her fear, remembering Mike urging her to trust that she'll be okay. She manages a few steps toward the bank before she starts to faint again. Jolting awake, she gives up, telling herself, "I don't need his promises. I can handle it. By avoiding it." She walks off without ever noticing Augustus, who watches her from behind a tree with a smile.[6]

Augustus smiles from behind a tree while Lucy walks away from the river.
Augustus, doing some very casual standing behind a tree.

Character dynamics

  • Augustus and Daisy: They start the day as strangers, more or less — Augustus claims he only remembers Daisy from her middle-school cheerleading days.[1] Over one school day he calls her beautiful at the pool, then seeks her out at lunch to insist he meant it. Daisy finds the attention flattering and a bit unnerving ("What do you want to sit here for..?"), and his compliments land squarely on her worst insecurity. She now has an attentive older admirer, whether she asked for one or not.[5]
  • Lucy and Mike: Mike has been coaxing Lucy toward the water for a while now, promising she'll be okay if she trusts it. He isn't there to see her try at the river, and he isn't there to see her fail. Lucy decides on her own that his promises aren't needed, and that avoiding water will do just fine.[6]

Trivia & observations

Veronica's rough draft of the chapter's final page, shared alongside her confirmation of who's behind the tree.[7]
  • The watcher on the final page is hard to make out on-panel. Veronica confirmed on Tumblr in 2019 that he's Augustus, not Mike, adding "God Volume 1 was so freaken edgy".[7][6]
  • Augustus's story about a little brother who played middle-school soccer was invented. In Veronica's words, "Augustus was a damn slimy liar!!"[8][1]
  • Veronica has said Augustus was introduced in this chapter as "a pseudo-unwanted love interest to Daisy, who would be the opposite of Abbey".[9]
  • Veronica's commentary under the fifth page shares that she really was excused from high-school swimming for her period, and that because hers ran over a week, she was later made to swim while still bleeding.[5]
  • Per Veronica's commentary under the third page, Mike was unconscious for much of the original water incident and "didn't think what happened was that big of a deal, but it really took a toll on Lucy".[3]
  • Oliver's commentary under the final page nicknames Augustus "Final Fantasy Cat".[6]

Related chapters

  • Follow Me: The chapter that comes directly after this one. Once you've seen Augustus lurking behind that tree, the title alone is enough to raise an eyebrow.[6]
  • Love My Way: According to Veronica, the authors' old favorite arc was Daisy's self-confidence arc, which starts around this chapter and culminates in Love My Way.[10]
  • Pillow Talk: Veronica has said Augustus was originally planned as a sinister antagonist, and stayed on that track until scripting Pillow Talk revealed his chemistry with Lucy.[9]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Chapter 31: Carry On, page 1
  2. Chapter 31: Carry On, page 2
  3. 3.0 3.1 Chapter 31: Carry On, page 3
  4. Chapter 31: Carry On, page 4
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Chapter 31: Carry On, page 5
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Chapter 31: Carry On, page 6
  7. 7.0 7.1 "Tumblr post by Veronica". 2019-01-04.
  8. "Tumblr post by Veronica". 2018-04-26.
  9. 9.0 9.1 "Tumblr post by Veronica". 2025-12-31.
  10. "Tumblr post by Veronica". 2019-05-02.