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I’m glad that Joel’s back home. I don’t really know what he’s going to bring to the story, but I’m so happy that he gets to have a “semblance” of a normal life. This made me really sad that he was bullied so badly because I know that stuff sticks with you for years, if not decades, if not your whole life. Having a good childhood is integral. Your childhood sticks with you forever. This chapter was actually very, very short. I wonder why its there. Still, great to see Joel.

@Raymond It’s very cool to see another perspective. Her speaking/acting out of fear is also very, very viable… and that adds a different tone of voice to her interactions. Hm! 

@J.R. So glad to have you here! Yay!

@Logan Glad to have you back.

Chapter 18:

No!! NOt Chase’s bad memories coming back even more! It’s like this horrendous downspiral and the more he discovers, the worse he realizes he was. He’s beginning to realize he wasn’t just that guy that picked on people. He was a monster.

Oh my goodness. Brendan’s scar. That made my heart break for the both of them. To scar someone so thoroughly and not even see their face. Not even know who they were. Brendan was basically a nobody and that must have scarred worse–realizing your assaulter couldn’t care enough to know your name, to know your face. You were just some kid. Also, imagine the medical bill? In America that’s so much extra money for what?! My parents would be so, so mad. 

“That’s how nothing it was. That’s how nothing I was.” 

Wow. Middle school is no joke. I feel like people are the most feral in those days. 

Also, oh my goodness, the Webers. Again. He was literally attacked by your dog. Y’all are smiling. These people are monstrous and reading about them makes me want to put the book down. How much hatred must you have in your heart to laugh and smile at a boy being attacked by your dog? “I suppose we can’t leave you like that.” Not even an apology? What? You do know that humans can get life-threatening infections from dog bites. Why does Chase be friends with Shoshanna? At that point, it wouldn’t be worth it. Her family is too spiteful and too evil. This part:

“It’s the worst agony I can remember since I fell off the roof, and I can’t shake the feeling that Mrs. Weber is loving supplying it. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Joel smile. Even Shoshanna is grinning a little, although she tries to disguise it as sympathy. I don’t know what’s worse—the pain or the reason they’re enjoying watching me suffer.”

WhAT?! What kind of friend? Shoshanna, what is wrong with you? The mother? Once again a grown woman happy at hurting a child! A child! What kind of psychopath? Okay, I get it, he bullied your child. That was disgusting. But reminder. If he’s normal 8th grader age, he’s thirteen. You’re forty-something. What is your problem?! Something is wrong with these people.

Also, what the heck? Shoshanna literally grinning? Grinning? Your “partner”, your “friend”, and you know exactly how much of a good person he is now that he doesn’t remember jack about his past–and you’re grinning at him being in the worst pain since FALLING OFF A ROOF?? Duly noted that Chase could have very well died falling from the second story that far off the roof. What? What?

What kind of friend? What kind of person? And I know for a fact that all middle schoolers are not that evil, not in this story, because Brendan exists.

Brendan shows this level of kindness that is so beautiful and mature for his age, just giving Chase a second chance. Inviting him to movie club. Doing all the stuff he does in the future. He’s such. A good. guy.

But Shoshanna? Other than, of course, making death threats all of the time, she laughs as he is literally in pain. Imagine being treated by this whole… oh my goodness.

And of course we’re not going to talk about how putting rubbing alcohol in your wounds is actually bad for you and can exacerbate injuries–not about how you’re supposed to clean them with soap and warm water. (This means that Mrs. Weber was actually torturing Chase for no good reason.)

They’re all crazy. I know that if I were in that situation, I would have cried. These are the kind of people that would make Chase turn into a bad guy again. Thank God for Brendan.

I despise the Webers. Sorry Shoshanna, that includes you. IDK why nobody talks about such bad people they are.

 

Be blessed,

Jade