The three girls continue to become friends over the next weeks. Mrs. Atanabi is fun but pushes them hard at practice. She encourages them and tells them fun stories but makes sure that every detail about the dance is right. Charlotte discovers that Ximena’s isn’t always snarky, just when she is around popular kids. When Ximena and Summer come over to Charlotte’s house, she’s nervous to feel accepted. Eventually she relaxes, and the girls have fun.

Charlotte doesn’t like that getting older means seeing that “sometimes stories don’t have happy endings” (233). Summer and Charlotte, and eventually Ximena, Google Gordy Johnson but can’t find anything concrete.

The fifth graders have their science fair, and Charlotte and Reno get a B+. She’s happy that Auggie and Jack get an A because she likes to see Jack happy. The “boy war” grows more intense. Charlotte feels bad that Julian is leaving mean post-it notes for Jack and Auggie. One day at lunch, Maya becomes invested in the conflict. Charlotte realizes that Maya has a “little crush” on Jack too. As Maya explains her dot game, Charlotte becomes bored, seeing how much fun Summer’s table and Ellie’s table are having.