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

The morning's excitement over the pride flag fades as the school day settles back into routine. Classes feel duller than usual because everyone knows what's coming: the pep rally rehearsal for that night's basketball game. The rehearsal is a dry run for the cheerleaders, dance team, pep band, and students, who practice cheers like the school's trademark Gooooo, Barton Bulldogs! Woof, woof, woof! For most students it's a chance to scream and forget about schoolwork, even if it's stressful for the coach and players.

After putting their bags in their lockers, Jacob and Jenna meet and walk to the utility room near the band room, which doubles as the janitor's office. The room is familiar to Jacob: metal shelving with cleaning products, vacuums and floor polishers, and bags of kitty litter that his mom uses when someone gets sick in the cafeteria. Jacob's mom is there helping the night shift with trash. She greets them, reminds them to close the door when they leave, and asks if they want a ride home. They say they'll take the bus, and she leaves.

Jenna mentions that Brett better not be late because she doesn't want to miss the band—specifically the drumline, and even more specifically, the bass drummer named Zack, who moved to Barton Springs at the start of the school year. Jacob teases her about her crush, noting that Zack probably doesn't know she exists, which is hard to pull off in a grade of only sixty students.

Jenna then shares the results of her Facebook research. She has a fake