What is it that spells the end of Luke and Falk's friendship? Do you think they would have remained friends if they hadn't lied about where they were at the time of Ellie's death, and/or if Luke had told Aaron where he really was in the first place?

"As they shook hands for what would prove to be the last time, Falk found himself struggling to remember, once again, why they were still friends." (p. 185). In spite of their shared childhood, Luke and Falk had very different personalities. What is it that spells the end of their friendship? Do you think they would have remained friends if they hadn't lied about where they were at the time of Ellie's death, and/or if Luke had told Aaron where he really was in the first place?

The lie. I believe it would have been much easier to remain friends if they all could have been honest with each other. But that is simplistic thinking. Relationships are always complicated, especially when it is stretched to the limits the way theirs was.

Agree. I believe the lie drove the friendship apart. Plus I think Luke was envious of Falk particularly when he witnessed Ellie Deacon kiss Falk in the classroom.

I'm not sure that Ellie's kiss factored into the end of their relationship 15 years later. I think the main issue is that they led such different lives and had almost nothing in common as adults. I didn't think of this while I was reading but I wonder now if Luke ever wondered if Aaron actually did kill Ellie or if he truly was always using Aaron not to face his own guilt about not doing more to help Ellie the day she died.

In descriptions of their young life together - double dating for example - Aaron seems to follow a different code of conduct from Luke, and while he remains socialable with Luke, the two are not truly friends. They are two very different people, and honesty, integrity, and commitment - elements of a lasting friendship are not part of Luke's relationship with Aaron. Aaron lives to exhibit these more toward Luke, especially when he returns to the town of their youth to pay his respects to the Hadler family. In staying to find the killer of his young school mate, Aaron proves that he was and remains a true friend.

I felt that their friendship grew strained after Ellie died bc of their shared lie- they both knew that they weren’t together, Ellie ends up murdered, and I think they were both afraid to ask questions bc neither one wanted to find out if they had any role in her death. And after awhile, they grew apart bc they didn’t want to be reminded anymore, but wanted to leave the sadness and suspicion behind.

Well, they did remain in limited contact, but,I think they always wondered about the other. But it was this same history which drew Luke's father with a hidden expectation that he would be drawn in to answer the question of who,killed Karen. I don't think their later lack of friendship affected the story.

I don't think they would have remained friends over time, casual acquaintances maybe. But through the flashbacks I think we learn that Aaron and Luke were not on equal terms in the friendship. Luke only wanted Aaron around when he had something to gain from it. If Luke had been able to start a relationship with Ellie, I think he would have dropped Aaron as a friend thinking he was competition.

I think they just grew up. Aaron found himself, Luke was all about he present and himself. Remember Aaron was the good student the rest were just followers. Luke was the "big man on campus" to say so he never cared how what he said affected others. Aaron was sensitive and caring not good for early adolscence.