Six Years Before
A flashback of Peter in sixth grade begins the chapter. Peter had duck taped a piece of newspaper to his binder to hide a superman display. As Peter and Josie walk into the cafeteria, Drew Girard slammed into Peter's lunch tray. Drew yells at Peter, "Watch where your going, retard"(140). Peter's milk spilled all over his splayed binder, melting the newspaper into a muddy clot and revealing the Superman graphic beneath it. Drew and Peter were sent off to detention.
When Peter and Josie were in sixth grade, a horrific event took place in New York, on September 11, 2001. The world trade centers had been attacked, and that morning the students in grade six were rushed to the library where they all watched in horror. The librarian had set up a television so that they could all watch the unfolding coverage. The two friends, terrified, questioned each other if terrorists could attack Sterling. Lacy and Alex coincidentally meet at the school both to pick up their child.
Peter had gone into the boys dressing room to shower after his soccer game. Peter had gotten into the shower to wipe his eyes and turn around to find blurred edges of the bodies that were Matt and Drew. Matt looked at Peter and shouted, "Jesus Christ. Stop looking at my dick"(147). Peter had questioned himself why he really was looking at Drew and Matt, if he really was gay. Matt and crushed Peters glasses on the floor to say, "Now you can't look at me"(148)
Later that night Josie and her mother were out for dinner. A special celebration was underway for Josie's birthday. Alex cannot believe her daughter is twelve years old at this point! Josie and Alex have a conversation of how far Alex's job really would go. Alex confesses that no matter what trouble Josie is in, she would never report her to police, and she could always keep a secret.
While Josie and Alex are out for dinner, Peter is at his soccer game. Rather than playing, Peter sits on the bench with his only friend Derek Markowitz. They realize how much they have in common when both their parents force them on the field. Derek's mother is nuts about fitness and nutrition, while Peter's mother just wants him to "fit in". Peter is nervous about after the game to go shower, so he tries to delay and pretends to retie his cleats. Lacy meets Peter and his coach out on the field. Lacy questions the coach why Peter never got to play. The dramatic conversation Lacy and the coach have, spills over to the team that had not left for the locker room yet. The boys hear the conversation and bully Peter until he can barely speak without crying.
Joey always had better grades then Peter. He was the athlete in the family, which left Peter's achievements hidden behind Joey's. He was funnier, he had more common sense then Peter, he was the one people gravitated to at a party. The one thing Peter had that Joey didn't, was a special bond with his father while the two went hunting.
Peter and his father where out one brisk morning at the crack of down to hunt. The two were stealth through the bushes until Lewis held his hand up to signal a stop motion. The deer then turned and looked at Peter, the eyes trained on Peter's face. Peter squeezed the trigger, sending the shot wide. On purpose. The three deer ducked in unison, unsure of where the danger was. Before Peter could explain what happened, the does bolted away and the buck dropped like a stone. Peter's father forgave him by comforting his mistakes with, "Next time"(158).
Peter confronts Josie about the reasoning behind her being friends with the "popular crowd". He tells Josie how fake she is with her new friends and Peter soon realizes how much Josie doesn't want to be friends with him anymore. She has made it clear this is due to Peter's "status" at the high school. The two then part their separate ways.