Punk 57

Punk 57 (2016) is a dark romance novel by Penelope Douglas that follows long-term pen pals Ryen and Misha’s tumultuous relationship. The novel explores themes of Staying True to Oneself, The Consequences of Bullying, and The Importance of Maintaining Close Relationships as the two main characters work through their passionate yet thorny relationship.

This study guide refers to the paperback First Berkeley Romance Edition 2023 version of the novel.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of bullying, cursing, antigay bias, substance use, sexual content, sexual violence and harassment, death, emotional abuse, and rape.

Plot Summary

High school seniors Misha Lare and Ryen Trevarrow have been pen pals since fifth grade. Their friendship is deep, and they rely on one another for emotional support, inspiration, and advice. They have never looked each other up or met in person. Misha sees Ryen as a dorky girl who has a good heart but is lonely at school. Misha accidentally meets Ryen at a party his band hosted and is surprised to learn she’s popular and attractive. He doesn’t tell Ryen who he is. That same night, Misha’s sister dies suddenly while jogging.

Three months later, Ryen doesn’t understand why Misha hasn’t written to her in months. Ryen goes to The Cove, an abandoned theme park, with friends and steals a page of lyrics from a journal she finds.

Someone is leaving graffiti all over the school, and a new guy, Masen Laurent, appears in Ryen’s classes. Ryen recognizes Masen as the person she met at the party. Ryen is a cheerleader, and her friends aren’t the greatest. She’s been holding off advances from the popular jock, Trey. Masen shields a student from Trey and Ryen’s bullying and begins to antagonize Ryen at every opportunity.

Masen breaks into Ryen’s house to steal her journal as collateral for his stolen page, and they physically tussle. Masen threatens Ryen with scissors. Masen keeps Ryen’s journal, even after he has his things back.

Misha didn’t create the fake Masen identity to mess with Ryen, but he’s enjoying it. He tries to write to Ryen, but all he wants is to hurt her. He feels betrayed that Ryen isn’t the person she seems to be in her letters. Misha steals a file of his sister’s photos from the principal’s office before finding Ryen teaching swimming lessons and returning her book. They argue until Ryen angers him so much that he throws her in the pool.

Ryen wishes she could figure out why Misha abandoned her. She continues to write to him dutifully because she previously promised she’d never stop. There are several new messages at school from the vandal, Punk. The messages amuse Ryen. Masen watches her.

Masen corners Ryen in the library. He writes the word “SHAME” on her hand and criticizes her for not speaking up when people are being bullied around her. He jokes about taking Ryen from Trey before walking away. Ryen quickly retaliates, pinning Masen down and writing insults on his neck. Misha likes seeing Ryen’s feisty side and wants to see more.

Misha meets with the principal, who apologizes for her stepson, Trey’s, behavior. She doesn’t catch on that “Masen” isn’t a real student. Afterward, Ryen finds him in the hall and offers him a scarf to cover the pen she left on his neck. Misha ruins her scarf by wiping at the pen. Misha retrieves one of his late sister’s scarves from home to give to Ryen. He leaves it in her Jeep and returns to find his truck vandalized. He and Trey fist fight. The principal comes out. Ryen takes the blame for the vandalism and offers to clean it immediately.

At the carwash, Misha fantasizes about Ryen. She drives him crazy. Ryen squirts Misha with water, and he chases her around the truck. In Misha’s back seat, Ryen kisses and plays with Misha’s lip piercing. Misha snaps out of the moment when she calls him Masen.

Ryen begins to use Masen’s image as a stand-in for Misha in her sexual fantasies. She likes the way Masen challenges her and the physical moments they’ve shared. She worries that falling for Masen will mean she leaves Misha behind, as Misha has always had her heart.

Ryen visits Misha’s house, deciding to risk their exclusive pen pal relationship to see if he’s okay. Misha’s dad answers the door, confirms Misha is fine, and suggests Ryen call him. Ryen is happy Misha is alive and still at the same address, but she is angry that he’s ignoring her.

Masen antagonizes Ryen in front of her friends and makes sexual innuendos. When she’s alone, he sweeps her into an empty classroom, and they make out, grinding on one another passionately. They continue their antagonistic banter during the encounter. When Ryen calls him Masen again, he asks her not to.

Misha realizes that he needs to come clean to Ryen. Every physical encounter makes things worse. He goes to school to shower after hours, but the security guards almost catch him. While hiding, Misha finds Ryen, who has freshly vandalized the school. She’s been Punk all along. Misha likes her even more. They run from security guards into the library. There, Misha kisses and fingers Ryen, bringing her to orgasm. Ryen admits she doesn’t want her friends to know how much she likes Masen. When they’re done, Ryen quickly returns to her mean girl persona, upsetting Misha.

Ryen feels guilty for pushing Masen away because she genuinely likes him, but she isn’t sure of his intentions. Masen watches Trey try to kiss Ryen in the parking lot after school. Ryen sees a fellow cheerleader, Katelyn, asking for Masen’s number. She brags that she and Masen hung out and things got sexual. Ryen is so upset by this information that she gives Masen the cold shoulder when he approaches her at the drive-in that night.

Ryen breaks into Masen’s truck to vandalize it, but he catches and traps her in the backseat, climbing on top of her. He brags about his encounter with Katelyn until Ryen cries and then admits it’s a lie. He just wanted to provoke something in Ryen and wants her to be honest with him. Ryen confesses small things to Masen, admits she wants to have sex with him, and they do. She doesn’t understand why he’s quiet after.

Ryen tells Masen about her pen pal, Misha, and confesses to not being entirely honest with Misha about her social life. She feels safe and comfortable with Masen. They have a secretive, flirtatious relationship at school. Misha contemplates how he’ll tell her he’s Masen. He invites Ryen on an illegal errand.

Misha and Ryen break into Trey’s house. Misha searches for something. He reassures Ryen that he won’t let her get into trouble. They don’t find what Misha came for, but they find Trey’s stash of nude photos of girls at their school and leave them where his stepmom, the principal, will find them.

Ryen looks up some words Masen said, thinking they are lyrics, and finds a video of Misha’s band performing. She realizes Masen has been Misha all along. She vandalizes his hideout at The Cove, stealing some letters he’s saved from her and leaving her collection of Misha’s letters scattered across the floor. When Misha discovers it, he realizes Ryen knows and goes to her house to talk to her. Ryen won’t talk to Misha. They argue about the lies they’ve told one another. Misha says he loves Ryen, but Ryen is too distraught and makes him leave.

Misha tries to talk to Ryen at school, but she won’t engage. Ryen goes to a party at Trey’s house. Misha crashes it with his bandmates and sees Trey wearing a watch—Misha’s grandfather’s timepiece, which has been missing for years. Misha steals it back, and the police take him away. Misha’s family bails him out. Ryen meets him there to make sure he’s okay. She’s still angry with him, but they have sex in the back of Ryen’s Jeep. Misha rescues Ryen from bullying by her former friend group the next day. They make amends and have sex.



Ryen goes to prom with a reformed friend group. Misha surprises her with a performance from his band. They graffiti the school one last time with incriminating quotes from Trey, who has sexually threatened many girls at school. Misha is called to the office, where he reveals to the principal that he’s the son she abandoned when he was a toddler. He scolds her for not being there and not showing up at his sister’s funeral. Misha tells Ryen everything about his sister, the principal, and why he stopped writing. They never want to lose each other again.

Misha tours with his band, and Ryen goes to college. Misha eventually joins Ryen in college and becomes a famous singer and songwriter. They live happily ever after in a penthouse apartment. The novel ends with Ryen expecting their first child.