Chapter 5 Summary, Analysis, and Study Notes

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Friday opens the Homecoming weekend, and Scottie wakes early, straightens her hair, and puts on her Fighting Reindeer shirt from freshman year. Daphne, the middle schooler, paints red GE letters on her cheeks, more excited than anyone for the game. Scottie notes the irony that she is ready earlier than she has been all week, and she almost wishes she still had to pick up Irene so she could apologize for what she said the day before. Instead, she uses the extra time to buy coffee for her friends at Sweet Noelle's, where the barista gives her a free chocolate muffin because of her shirt. Driving alone again feels private and good, but when she pulls into school and gets out of the car by herself, people glance and then turn away. She realizes she is back to being a nobody, and it stings.

Scottie meets Gunther, Kevin, and Danielle at the lockers, handing out the coffees. She announces that she is no longer carpooling with Irene. She expected to feel euphoric, but instead feels bereft. Kevin jokes that the witch is dead, and the group passes around the drinks. Gunther grimaces over his black coffee, and Kevin teases Danielle about her extra espresso shot for the AP Lit test. Danielle and Kevin banter about their grades, and Gunther tries to refocus the conversation on Scottie being back with them. Danielle admits she was getting used to having a cheering section, and Gunther mentions that Honey-Belle called the basketball players her "she-roes." Before they can respond, Scottie's phone chimes with a message from Tally Gibson: "Glad to see you're free of her." Scottie is confused about how Tally knows, and Kevin shows them an Instagram Story from Gino: a video of Irene and Honey-Belle getting out of Honey-Belle's Jeep, with a caption mocking Irene's new ride and calling them "the elites." Danielle is disgusted, but Scottie feels a hot wave of embarrassment, mortified that Gino would post that and that Tally saw it.

During first period, the school runs a special extended schedule for a video journalism broadcast. The segment is Homecoming-centric, covering the football team's practice and student government decorating plans. The last part features interviews with the ten Homecoming Court nominees. Charlotte Pascal speaks about the honor, and then Irene appears. When asked if she is excited, Irene says it's a trip and sounds casual. When asked if she is nervous, she talks about the game, her routines, and splitting her time between football and basketball cheerleading. The civics teacher questions why she didn't get bleeped and what's with her answer. A classmate explains she's cheerleading captain, and another sneers, "As a cheerleader?" Scottie stops listening, but an unwelcome feeling stretches over her—she is starting to understand Irene even if she doesn't want to.

Afternoon basketball practice is dead. The whole team seems to know their short-lived glory is over. Googy tries to lighten the mood by asking Scottie to hit Irene's car again, but nobody laughs. When Scottie and Danielle leave, they see fans tailgating by the football field, and Scottie is bitter that those fans will never show up for her games. She thinks about Tally wanting to transfer. Danielle and Scottie go to Danielle's house to get ready for the game. Dinner with the Zanders brightens Scottie's mood. Mr. and Mrs. Zander ask about basketball, the dance, and college applications. Teddy, Danielle's younger brother, wears a reindeer onesie with an alien headband. As they are about to leave, Mrs. Zander eyes Danielle's makeup with suspicion and asks who she is dressing up for. Danielle says nobody, too casually. Her dad reminisces about playing Dungeons & Dragons during Homecoming. Mrs. Zander presses, asking Scottie who Danielle is trying to impress. Scottie says nobody, and Danielle hikes her eyebrows, but Scottie notices Danielle nervously messing with her jacket zipper, probably thinking about seeing Kevin on the field during halftime.

The stadium is packed. Scottie remembers Tally squeezing her hand last year and promising they could escape to her car if they got cold. She imagines Tally at Candlehawk's game, enjoying a bigger stadium and brighter lights. On the bleachers, the band is loud, and the cheerleaders warm up on the sidelines. Scottie can make out Irene, a dark ponytail directing the team, obviously in her element. The game starts, and the cheerleaders amp up the crowd. Scottie hears the echo of Irene lecturing about cheerleaders' emotional intelligence. A few minutes before halftime, a touchdown is scored, and the cheerleaders run a victory routine. Irene is at the front of the pyramid before taking her place. Then everyone gasps: the cheerleader at the top of the pyramid falls off. There is a pause, and the sports medicine team rushes over. The announcer says there's been an incident. After a long moment, the girl hobbles to her feet, and Irene presses close to her, talking to her as the medics help her off. The announcer says it looks like a sprained ankle, calling it "yet another sacrifice these cheerleaders make to support our young men." Danielle mumbles about the injury, and Scottie says they're not cheering just to support the young men. Danielle agrees but hopes the girl is okay. Scottie doesn't answer. Irene disappears, leaving the cheerleaders in disarray.

At halftime, the Homecoming Court parades onto the field. Irene glides between her parents, easily visible with her long dark hair. Scottie wonders if her mom has been there all along to watch her routines or only came to escort her for Court. When they announce Homecoming Queen, no one is surprised to hear Irene Abraham. She smiles as she accepts the crown and flowers and poses for pictures with her King. To anyone else, she looks radiant, but Scottie's instincts tell her Irene is berating herself for the cheerleading stunt gone wrong.

Key Events

Scottie ends her carpool arrangement with Irene and announces it to her friends.
Tally Gibson texts Scottie, and Gino posts an Instagram Story mocking Irene's new ride.
A school news segment features Homecoming Court nominees, including Irene, who talks about cheerleading commitments.
Basketball practice feels flat, and Scottie feels invisible without Irene.
At Danielle's house, Mrs. Zander questions Danielle's makeup, hinting at a hidden crush.
During the game, a cheerleader falls from a pyramid and sprains her ankle; Irene helps her.
Irene is announced as Homecoming Queen and accepts the crown and flowers.

Character Development

Scottie experiences a shift in perspective. She initially feels relief at being free of the carpool, but that relief quickly turns to a sense of loss and social invisibility. She notices that people only cared about her when she was shuttling Irene around. Her reaction to the news segment and the cheerleading injury shows her growing empathy for Irene. She starts to understand Irene's dedication and the undervaluation of cheerleading, even as she remains conflicted. Her observation that Irene is likely berating herself after the fall reveals a new level of insight into Irene's character.

Irene is portrayed as dedicated and emotionally intelligent, despite her outward casualness. In the interview, she focuses on her routines and the hard work of cheerleading, which contrasts with the sneering reaction of classmates. Her quick response to the injured cheerleader shows her leadership and care. Her acceptance of the crown is undercut by Scottie's perception that she is internally critical of the failed stunt, suggesting that Irene holds herself to high standards.

Danielle shows signs of a hidden crush, likely on Kevin. Her mother's questioning about her makeup and her nervous zipper-fiddling hint at feelings she hasn't admitted. Her defense of the injured cheerleader and her agreement with Scottie about cheerleaders' value show her loyalty and growing awareness.

Gunther, Kevin, and Danielle serve as a supportive friend group, but they also reinforce the social hierarchy by joking about Irene and the "elites." Their reactions to Gino's post and the news segment highlight the casual dismissal of cheerleaders.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Social invisibility is a central theme. Scottie feels like a nobody when she is no longer associated with Irene. The crowd's attention to the football game and the cheerleaders, but not to basketball, underscores the arbitrary nature of social status.

Cheerleading undervaluation is evident in the sneering comments about Irene's interview and the announcer's dismissive framing of the injury as a "sacrifice" for the football players. Scottie's protest that cheerleaders aren't just supporting the young men challenges this undervaluation.

Athletic dedication is shown through Irene's split focus between football and basketball cheerleading, and through the basketball team's flat practice, which suggests that their brief glory is over. The contrast between the two sports highlights different kinds of dedication.

Conflicted relief is a motif in Scottie's feelings about ending the carpool. She expects euphoria but feels bereft, and she almost wishes she could apologize. This internal conflict drives her growing understanding of Irene.

Hidden crushes are hinted at through Danielle's makeup and nervous behavior, and through Scottie's memory of Tally squeezing her hand. These moments suggest that characters have private feelings that are not yet spoken.

Nostalgia for past relationship appears when Scottie remembers Tally at last year's Homecoming game, promising to escape to her car. This memory contrasts with the present, where Tally is at a different school, and it deepens Scottie's sense of loss.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 5 is a turning point in Scottie's emotional arc. It moves her from a place of resentment toward Irene to a reluctant understanding. The chapter uses the Homecoming game as a backdrop to expose the social hierarchies that both Scottie and Irene navigate, and it shows how Scottie's perspective begins to shift as she witnesses Irene's leadership and the injury. The chapter also sets up potential romantic tensions, particularly with Danielle's hidden crush and Scottie's lingering feelings for Tally. The ending, with Irene crowned Queen but possibly unhappy, creates a nuanced portrait of a character who is both privileged and burdened. This chapter deepens the reader's investment in both Scottie and Irene, making their eventual relationship more complex.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Scottie's reaction to ending the carpool reveal her internal conflict?

Scottie expects to feel euphoric when she announces she is no longer carpooling with Irene, but instead she feels bereft. She also almost wishes she could apologize for what she said the day before. This conflict shows that her feelings about Irene are not purely negative; she is beginning to see Irene as a person rather than just an inconvenience. Her sense of social invisibility when she drives alone further complicates her relief, as she realizes that her status was tied to Irene.

2. What does the news segment and the cheerleading injury reveal about how cheerleaders are perceived?

In the news segment, Irene's serious answer about her cheerleading commitments is met with sneers and a teacher's dismissive question. The announcer's comment about the sprained ankle being a "sacrifice" for the young men reduces cheerleading to a supporting role. Scottie's protest that cheerleaders aren't just supporting the young men challenges this perception. The injury itself shows the physical risk and dedication involved, which is often overlooked.

3. Why does Scottie believe Irene is berating herself after accepting the crown?

Scottie observes that Irene looks radiant to others, but her instincts tell her Irene is internally critical about the cheerleading stunt gone wrong. This insight comes from Scottie's growing understanding of Irene's perfectionism and dedication. Irene had spoken about wanting to get her routines right, and the fall would be a failure in her eyes. Scottie's ability to read this suggests that she is becoming more empathetic and attuned to Irene's true feelings.