Our Fault

Nick Leister is another of the novel’s protagonists and first-person narrators. All of the chapters titled with his first name are written from his first-person point of view and trace episodes from his storyline. In the narrative present, Nick is 23 years old and trying to get used to his new life in New York City. Roughly a year earlier, Nick’s paternal grandfather Andrew James Leister died and left Nick his properties, fortune, and business, Leister Enterprises. Desperate for a change, Nick left LA to take over the business operation in Manhattan. His new life in the city has offered him physical distance from Noah in the wake of their breakup, but he is still emotionally reeling from Noah’s betrayal and his subsequent heartbreak. Without Noah, Nick has learned to harden his heart. He continues to engage in sexual relationships with other women but actively resists forming any new emotional attachments. He does engage in a fake dating arrangement with his close friend Sophia Aiken but isn’t interested in developing this relationship beyond its superficial terms. Therefore, when Nick sees Noah again at Lion and Jenna’s wedding, his old emotions resurface, and he is forced to confront his unresolved heartbreak. 

Nick is a dominant, aggressive, and assertive character. He has controlling tendencies and often tries to dictate what Noah does and how she behaves. He thinks that his actions are a sign of his love and protectiveness for Noah—even after their breakup—but Noah often feels stifled by his possessiveness. When Noah starts speaking up to Nick, he is forced to reflect on and change his behavior. His first-person narration reveals that he has a softer heart than he usually lets on. Nick is accustomed to presenting an unemotional exterior because he doesn’t want others to see his weakness. He is afraid of getting hurt again and thinks that compartmentalizing his feelings will protect his heart. (He has primarily learned these self-defense mechanisms from his childhood with William and his mom Anabel.) Over time, Nick’s fear of vulnerability isolates him from others, precludes him from healing, and complicates his chances at sustainable intimacy. 

Nick is a dynamic character who changes as a result of his harrowing experiences. His recurring encounters with Noah, his impending life as a father, his challenges at work, his wounds from the shooting, and his failure to protect Andrew during the attempted kidnapping are all plot points that usher Nick along his quest for personal growth. Over time, he learns to put others’ needs and well-being before his self-interest. He learns how to humble himself, express his feelings, own his mistakes, and demonstrate his love in new ways.

Sophia Aiken is a secondary character. She is one of Nick’s closest friends. In the wake of Nick and Noah’s breakup, he begins to rely on Sophia’s support more heavily. They start spending regular intervals of time together, which affords Nick a semblance of companionship and human comfort. The two also engage in a casual sexual relationship that Nick is convinced has no chance of going anywhere. However, the parameters and stakes of their relationship change when Sophia asks Nick to be her fake boyfriend. Because her father is running for governor, she wants to keep up appearances in the press. Nick poses as her significant other both to help Sophia and to maintain distance between himself and Noah. 

Over time, Sophia grows increasingly attached to Nick. Nick fails to notice Sophia’s investment in him although he does understand Sophia’s goodness. He knows she would make “a good girlfriend, a perfect life companion” because she’s “the kind of woman who would always be there, supporting you, giving you advice, hugging you when you needed it, kissing you till you were breathless” (116). Despite these positive aspects of Sophia’s character, Nick isn’t in love with her the way he is in love with Noah. Sophia offers Nick an alternative to Noah but doesn’t ultimately quell his feelings for his ex-girlfriend. 

Sophia’s character creates conflict throughout the novel. She isn’t a typical antagonist because she doesn’t have nefarious intentions and does nothing to endanger Nick or Noah. However, Noah experiences extreme emotions whenever she sees Sophia. Sophia acts as a foil for Noah, representing the person Noah isn’t, and the life Nick has without her. Ultimately, the conflicts surrounding Sophia dissipate when Nick decides to be honest with her and himself and end their arrangement.

Steve is another of the novel’s secondary characters. Since Nick inherited his grandfather’s fortune, Steve has become a fixture in his life. He is Nick’s “right-hand man, [his] driver, [his] bodyguard, [his] fixer” (33). He has “been working for the [Leister] family since [Nick] was seven” and thus knows Nick “better than almost anyone” (33). He is kind, sensitive, and loyal. He knows “when to talk and when to keep silent” (33). Nick relies on him because he often feels alone. Steve isn’t a typical friend, but he is a constant in Nick’s life. Nick appreciates his consistency and reliability because his life otherwise feels unpredictable, alienating, and tumultuous. 

Noah also comes to rely on Steve once she becomes involved in Nick’s world again. She trusts Steve and often goes to him for help. She also allows Steve to stay with her when she gets pregnant, and Nick has to return to New York. Steve is thus a static character, and his changelessness is a sign of his dependability.

Jenna Tavish is another of the novel’s secondary characters. She is Noah's best friend and is also close to Nick because he’s Lion’s best friend. At the novel’s start, Jenna and Lion’s wedding forces Noah and Nick back into physical proximity. Jenna is sensitive to how difficult this will be for both of her friends but also hopes that Noah and Nick will be able to work out their differences. She is a positive, buoyant, and determined character who often encourages Noah and Nick to make up. She loves Noah and Nick equally and believes that they are meant to be together. Therefore, when she pushes Noah to be honest with Nick about her feelings for him, Noah knows that Jenna has her best interests in mind. 

Jenna also does things that prove her love for Noah like helping her move, inviting her to stay with her when she’s on bedrest, keeping her secrets from Nick, and staying by her side when Nick is in the hospital after the surgery. She is also a static character, but her lack of change is a sign of her reliability. Noah particularly depends on Jenna because she doesn’t have many close relationships. She loves her mother but doesn’t see her often. Jenna is thus a constant companion and voice of reason for Noah.