The messages from the FordGroup underpin the metafictional aspect of the novel. About the supposed memoir, they email her, “The project is a firsthand witness account of a crime—unresolved, decades old, in a small town. You understand, of course, the need for privacy and sensitivity. The timing is urgent” (252). The sender is toying with Beckett, presenting her reality as a story to be resolved. The email plays on the fact that the narrative of You Belong Here is itself about an unsolved crime in a small town, highlighting that the story is a work of fiction.

As metafiction specifically engages with its audience, this technique encourages the novel’s reader to think more critically about the plotline and characters, specifically questioning Beckett’s interpretation of what’s occurring. Rather than relying on the tropes of the genre or trusting that the protagonist is whom the audience should sympathize with, metafiction urges an audience to be cautious and think beyond the framework of a traditional narrative. Within the story, the menacing emails about the nonexistent memoir force Beckett to face her reality and think of how others may interpret her personal narrative about what happened 20 years ago.

The FordGroup contributes to the suspense of the story as well. The word “group” indicates multiple people are bullying Delilah and Beckett. As many family and friends were impacted by the death of Charlie and Micah, it’s feasible that two or more people banded together to seek justice. The possibility of partners expands the mystery, the scope of the crimes, and the paranoia Beckett feels around other people. Now Beckett may not only be looking for one person, and this leaves her with fewer opportunities to trust anyone around her.

The supposedly honest and friendly conversation Beckett has with Violet and Bryce, for example, makes them seem innocent. Violet readily calls Bryce, and they use video so Beckett sees him and his reactions. He’s polite and tells Beckett about the thefts. There are no further clues that he’s involved with Delilah’s disappearance, and the lack of clues indicates that Beckett’s suspicion was falsely placed. Conversely, the scene has subtle foreshadowing. Violet tells Beckett, “Kids do all sorts of things” (233). The quote may allude not to Delliah but to Bryce, who still hasn’t proved what he was doing the previous night or why. More so, Beckett notices the contrasting physical traits between Joseph Wharton and Bryce, suggesting that Bryce has a different birth father.

The dart game at the Low Bar illustrates Adalyn and Beckett’s complex relationship. Though Beckett’s parents once labeled her a “wild child,” Beckett isn’t overly dramatic: Adalyn is the one who challenges Charlie and Micah to a game of darts. After Beckett loses, Adalyn doubles down and raises the stakes. Adalyn pushes the limits; she’s Beckett’s foil. Nevertheless, Beckett presents her and Adalyn as inextricable. As with Charlie and Micah, Beckett and Adalyn “moved together, as a pair” (255). This parallelism highlights the dichotomy often centered in dark academia books, as the two pairs of friends clearly represent the class divide. Even though the women are opposites in personality, they still both possess class privilege. Adalyn writing “trash” on the men’s truck only emphasizes this dynamic, as she’s insulting them for being poor. The fact that Charlie and Micah will later suffer dire consequences for their actions while the women escape justice, despite engaging in the same level of irresponsible actions, touches on how those without class privilege often experience repercussions that those with it do not.

Meanwhile, History’s Impact on the Present manifests with Fred Mayhew. Twenty years ago, Mayhew was a young police officer who interviewed Beckett about the fire. He’s currently a detective trying to find out information about Delilah’s disappearance. As Delilah isn’t forthcoming, she replicates Beckett’s past behavior. Connecting Delilah to Beckett, Mayhew is wary. He tells Delilah, “Eventually this will be a good story you can tell your friends. We might have some follow-up questions later.” He then winks at Beckett and tells her, “Guess I’ll be seeing you around” (310). The playfulness belies his suspicions because, based on the past, he doesn’t believe that they’re totally forthcoming. Beckett’s past mistakes could now impact how her daughter is treated by the detective, in addition to other parents or students, as Mayhew will demonstrate extra caution around Delilah due to his suspicion about her mother.

Furthermore, his statement once again underscores the metafictional aspect of the novel. He describes past and present events as the makings of a good story, just as an audience would read the events of You Belong Here. He’s additionally presented as antagonist, as he seeks to pry into the protagonist’s life and could expose something negative about her past. In reality, he has reason to be suspicious, and whether or not his actions are fair is a matter of perspective guided by the interpretation of the narrator.