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Eric, Deedee, and Wolf hurry to the bottom of the hill, where a crowd of children hovers around Rose. The boys congratulate her and then head back to Eric’s house, all feeling like her victory was a big moment. On the way back, Eric sees Bench at the top of the hill. He waves, and Bench waves back. Eric’s mother offers to drive everyone home. She asks about the sticky note ban, saying she got a message from the principal. The group assures her they aren’t involved with the sticky notes, and she drops the subject.

After Deedee and Wolf are dropped off, Rose directs Eric’s mother to a neighborhood with big, expensive-looking houses. As Eric watches Rose walk up her driveway, he realizes everything he thought about her and her worn clothes isn’t true. Rose lives in the kind of house that signifies her family has money; she could be popular, but instead “spent last Saturday saving us from a horde of zombies” (306). At home, Eric goes to bed, certain things will be different at school the next day.

Rose’s message of choice for the bully’s sticky note is “I’m sorry.” None of the teachers say anything about it despite the ban, and the bully keeps quiet.