Stargirl leaves orange halves in her backyard and around the neighborhood, referring to them in code. Margie fires Alvina for fighting with boys around the shop. After Alvina is suspended from school for a day for fighting, Mrs. Klecko asks Stargirl to mentor Alvina, and include her in Stargirl’s activities, to be a “big sister without the bossiness” (156). Stargirl agrees. She, Alvina, and Dootsie visit the mall, where the blonde boy Alvina beat up provokes her. Stargirl prevents Alvina from chasing him and explains the Native American tradition of counting coup: The greatest honor a warrior could earn was touching his enemy and escaping, rather than killing his foe.

Stargirl and her father take Alvina on a milk run. Alvina grumpily ignores Stargirl’s father’s ribbing about boys. When he jokingly laments that Alvina will become a “monster” like other teenagers, Alvina responds she is rotten now, and will be a great teenager. Stargirl is touched and saddened by Alvina’s response. Alvina enjoys making milk deliveries and fixates on the family photos at the Huffelmeyer home. Stargirl starts a countdown to Winter Solstice.

Stargirl marks the two-year anniversary of the first time she saw Leo.