The Rattle of Dice: Chapter 13 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Oliver begins the chapter feeling overwhelmed by Upper Bucks High. His old school had one class per grade, but UBH has three grades with three classes each—1,500 students total. He knows a few classmates from lab work or poetry readings, but he feels like a nobody among somebodies. The hallways remind him of the ALICE drill at his old school, when he collapsed sobbing and wet himself. He worries the other kids might know that story.

Dr. Nahid's voice comes back to him. She had compared making friends to encountering a snake in the woods—it's more afraid of you than you are of it. She told him the new kid has a mystique, but he has to take the first step: pick someone, introduce himself, and see what happens.

At lunch, Oliver spots the D&D table. Two boys and two girls sit with character sheets, dice, and lunch trays. There's an empty chair. Oliver asks to sit down, his voice squeaking. The players exchange looks. Hina asks if he plays. Oliver says yes. Caleb, the Dungeon Master, nods and tells him to sit.

Oliver introduces himself as Olly. The others share their names: Steven Rubel, Hina Hirota, Caleb Wright, and Chesapeake