Matthew should do something to stop the bullying. But he doesn’t. Not anymore. He tried once. It did not end well.
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)

Importance: Matthew feels guilty because he does not do anything to protect Naomi from the students who bully her. He notes that he tried to stand up for Naomi once, but it made things worse. It made things worse because the students began to bully Matthew until he agreed to help with a scam to prank Naomi.

If Naomi had just stayed home that day, would it all have gone differently for her?
-- Narrator (Chapter 1)

Importance: Matthew wonders if Naomi had not gotten sick in class, would that have changed her future as the bullied student in the school. Matthew suggests this is a "sliding door moment" for Naomi that changed the course of the rest of her life. He refers to what is traditionally known as the butterfly effect, the idea...