Tyler observes, “the weird part was that my classes were getting easier now that I wasn’t actually in them” (179). This is apart from English, which he still considers confounding.

Mr. Salvatore offers to tutor him one on one after school. Tyler takes him up on it, though doing so causes him to miss the late bus home. As he walks home from school, he realizes he is being followed by a car.

The car stops and, before he can turn around, someone places a blanket over his head. Three male assailants begin beating him up. Tyler tries to determine who they are by their voices. Before the three run off, Chip leans down and whispers, “[t]hat’s what you get for hurting my sister, you perv” (183).

Tyler takes the blanket that was covering his head, a pink and satin ruffled thing, home with him.

Bill and Linda get home from their marriage-counseling appointment and realize Tyler has been injured. Linda wants to call the police but Bill hesitates. When Linda leaves the room, Tyler confesses it was Chip who attacked him, but that he will not turn him in. Bill agrees.

Bill walks to the bookcase and retrieves some brochures, bringing them to Tyler.