When Mr. Franka sends him to the office to pick up a file, Scott encounters Wesley Cobble, who asks Scott what got him sent to the office. Scott replies, “Perambulation” (169). Wesley is impressed and sits at Scott’s table for lunch. The next day, Wesley picks up Scott at the bus stop and gives him a ride to school. Scott is too intimidated to turn down Wesley’s continued rides, but when he arrives late one day because Wesley wanted coffee and cigarettes, Scott tells him that he can only ride with Wesley if they get to school on time. Wesley agrees, partly because Scott lies and says he is on the verge of being expelled for being late.

At play practice, the older stage crew expects Scott to do all the heavy work while they play cards. Meanwhile, Lee notices that Scott is in love with Julia and urges him to talk to her. Instead, he tells Lee that he can’t talk to girls, hurting her feelings. At the next student council meeting, Scott quits after the older students again reject his ideas. Most first-year students, including the president, quit the following week. As runner-up, Julia becomes the freshman student council president.