# Chapter 33: When the Duet Breaks, the Solo Soars
Hello everyone, it’s me again! How are you all doing? Today I will continue to walk with you and review Chapter 33 of *The Deal: Off Campus*. If you thought Hannah and Garrett had finally earned a peaceful stretch of happiness, this chapter reminds us that life loves to throw a brick through the window just when everything smells like roses. Get comfortable, because this one swings from sweet to furious to determined, with a little hockey-boy humor tucked in at the end.
Hannah opens the chapter floating on happiness. Life is good—wonderfully, amazingly, almost terrifyingly good. Two weeks of dating Garrett have turned into a blur of laughter, cuddling, steamy nights, and ordinary college chaos: classes, studying, rehearsals, and hockey games. She and Garrett have built a connection that surprised her, and even though Allie keeps teasing her about her sudden change of heart, Hannah doesn’t regret giving him a real chance. For once, the risk is paying off.
But Hannah knows the cruel rhythm of life. When things are this good, something inevitably goes bad. And it does.
Her performing arts advisor, Fiona, drops the bomb: Hannah has been dumped from her duet. Mary Jane and Cass got permission to cut her out so Cass can sing the composition as a solo. Just like that. Four weeks before the showcase. Hannah’s fingers curl around the arms of her chair as she stares at Fiona, barely able to believe the woman is calling this an “inconvenience.” Fiona suggests that Hannah talk directly to Mary Jane, but Hannah shuts that down immediately. Why would she speak to the girl who just helped destroy her scholarship chances?
In the back of her mind, Hannah isn’t even completely blindsided. Garrett had warned her that Cass was the kind of person who could pull something like this. Hannah had worried about it too. But she never expected Cass to actually do it four weeks before the showcase—or that her advisor would accept it so calmly.
The truth is ugly and predictable. Cass manipulated Mary Jane, coaxing her into telling their advisors that the composition is suffering in duet form and that she’ll pull it from the showcase unless it becomes a solo. Then Cass, ever the schemer, pointed out how tragic it would be to waste a perfectly good song and generously offered to let Hannah sing it. Mary Jane insisted it should be sung by a male voice. Hannah’s fury practically radiates off the page. Fuck you very much, MJ.
Hannah asks Fiona what she’s supposed to do now. She doesn’t have time to learn a new song or find a new songwriter. Fiona agrees—she doesn’t. And normally Hannah appreciates Fiona’s no-nonsense attitude, but today it makes her want to punch something. Then Fiona delivers a twist: because of the circumstances, the rules are being bent. Hannah won’t be paired with a composition major. She can sing one of her own original songs. The faculty head signed off on it. Fiona even frames it as an opportunity—a chance for Hannah to showcase not just her voice, but her songwriting. There’s a catch, though: Hannah will only be eligible for the performance scholarship, since composition isn’t her major.
Hannah’s mind spins. She has originals, yes, but none are close to performance-ready. She demands to know why Cass isn’t being penalized. Fiona admits she doesn’t approve of what Cass and Mary Jane did, but explains that this is one of the drawbacks of duet work. Every year, at least one partnership breaks down right before the showcase. She brings up Joanna Maxwell, who graduated last year. Hannah remembers—Beau’s sister. Fiona reveals that Joanna’s duet partner bailed three days before the senior showcase. It was pure chaos. Yet Joanna still won the scholarship and caught the eye of an agent who later got her an audition in New York.
That memory lifts Hannah’s spirits, just a little. Fiona’s voice turns firm and reassuring. Hannah doesn’t need Cassidy Donovan. She thrives as a solo performer. That’s her strength. And as Fiona pointedly reminds her, that’s exactly what she advised at the beginning of the term. Guilt warms Hannah’s cheeks. She can’t deny it. Fiona had warned her about the project, but Cass had convinced her they’d be a powerhouse together.
Then Fiona offers support: they’ll rearrange the schedule so Hannah has rehearsal space whenever she needs it. If she needs accompaniment, any number of orchestra students can help. She asks if there’s anything else Hannah wants. A tiny smile tugs at Fiona’s lips as she adds that Cass’s advisor isn’t happy either, so if Hannah wants something, now is the time to ask.
Hannah almost shakes her head—but then an idea strikes. She wants Jae. Kim Jae Woo. The cellist. Fiona furrows her brow, confused. Hannah lifts her chin in fortitude and says it again: she wants the cellist.
Then the story shifts to Garrett’s point of view, and the energy turns from tense to heated to unexpectedly funny.
Garrett is sitting in a booth at Della’s with Allie, Dexter, and Logan. Allie is livid. “I cannot believe he did that!” she practically explodes. Hannah is wearing her I’m-trying-really-hard-not-to-show-how-furious-I-am expression, but Garrett can feel the volatile emotions rolling off her. Hannah smooths the bottom of her apron and says she can totally believe it. In fact, she bets this was Cass’s plan all along: drive her crazy for two months, then screw her over right before the show.
Dexter mutters that someone needs to give Cass a good ass-kicking. He glances at Logan and Garrett and asks if one of the hockey players can rough him up. Logan cheerfully asks for Cass’s address. Garrett jabs him in the side and says they are not beating anybody up—not unless Logan wants to face Coach’s wrath and a suspension. Then Garrett turns to Hannah with a rueful look and says he’s beating Cass up in his head. That counts, right? Hannah laughs and allows it.
As Hannah heads for the counter, Garrett admires her ass long enough to earn three loud snickers from his companions. He reflects on how weird it is to share a booth with his best friend and Hannah’s best friends. He had been sure Hannah’s artsy friends would be condescending and frigid around him—especially after she told him what they think of Briar’s jock crowd—but his natural charm has won them over. Allie and Dex already treat him like an old buddy. Stella discovered a passion for hockey during the Harvard game and now texts him every other day with questions. Jeremy is still a bit snarky, but his girlfriend Megan is cool, so Garrett is willing to give him more chances not to be a dick.
Logan remarks that Hannah is pissed. Dex says she should be. What kind of selfish douchecanoe dumps his duet partner right before a show? Logan snickers and steals the phrase. Allie confidently says Hannah will be fine—her originals are awesome, and she doesn’t need Cass. Dex agrees. No one needs Cass. He’s like the human equivalent of syphilis.
Everyone laughs, but Garrett tunes them out and focuses on Hannah. He remembers the first time he came to Della’s, with the sole purpose of persuading her to tutor him. It was only a little more than a month ago, yet he feels like he’s known her forever. He thinks about how wrong he was to take that anti-girlfriend position. Having a girlfriend fucking rocks. He gets sex whenever he wants without having to work for it. He has someone to vent to after a shitty day or a devastating loss on the ice. He can make the worst jokes on the planet and chances are Hannah will laugh. And more than anything, he loves being with her. Plain and simple.
Hannah returns to the booth carrying drink orders. Allie and Dex get theirs. Logan and Garrett asked for sodas, but they get water. Logan whines for his Dr. Pepper. Hannah levels him with a stern look and asks if he knows how much sugar is in a soft drink. Logan guesses a perfectly acceptable amount, so he should drink it. Wrong. The answer is too damn much. He’s playing Michigan in an hour—he can’t get hopped up on sugar before a game. He’ll get a five-minute energy boost and then crash halfway through the first period.
Logan sighs and asks Garrett why his girl is their nutritionist now. Garrett picks up his water glass and takes a sip of defeat. “Do you want to argue with her?” he asks. Logan looks at Hannah, whose expression clearly says he’ll get a soda over her dead body. Then he looks back at Garrett. “No,” he says glumly.
And that’s where Chapter 33 leaves us: Hannah wounded but already plotting her comeback, Garrett fully smitten and supportive, and a hockey team forced to hydrate whether they like it or not.
## Reader’s Impressions & Star Rating
This chapter hit me harder than I expected because it mixes relationship sweetness with a very real professional betrayal. Hannah’s anger is completely justified, and I loved that she doesn’t collapse into tears—she gets furious, then strategic. Fiona’s advice and the Joanna Maxwell story give the chapter a hopeful undercurrent without making the pain disappear. And Garrett’s POV is a delight. He’s so far gone for Hannah, and the way he handles her friends, her fury, and even Logan’s soda tantrum makes him feel like the perfect balance of cocky and caring. The ending with the water is a small comedic release after all the tension, and it works beautifully.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ 4.8 / 5 Stars
## Next Chapter Prediction
Next, I expect the Michigan game to bring some on-ice intensity, with Garrett distracted by Hannah’s showcase crisis and Logan suffering through a sugar-free pregame. Meanwhile, Hannah will begin rehearsals with Jae, the cellist, and that partnership might spark something creatively—and maybe make Garrett a tiny bit territorial, even if he trusts her. Cass will probably slither back in with some smug comment or sabotage attempt, and Mary Jane may finally show a flicker of guilt. I also think we’ll get a passionate scene between Hannah and Garrett where he reminds her she doesn’t need anyone’s approval to shine. The showcase is four weeks away, and the countdown has officially begun.
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