Addie begins the chapter panicking over a math midterm she does not understand. She reflects that Hudson once helped her with math and Arthur Tuttle later did the same, but she has pushed away the people who supported her. Although she thinks she should ask her mother for a tutor, she knows money is tight at home and feels guilty asking for more help.

When Eve Bennett hands out the test, Addie realizes she can answer very little on her own. She notices that Kyle Lewis, a strong math student sitting ahead of her, has his paper visible because he is left-handed. Desperate to avoid failing, Addie talks herself into copying some of Kyle’s multiple-choice answers, telling herself she only needs enough correct responses to pass.

After the test ends, Addie feels sick with guilt despite believing she probably earned a B instead of failing. She is disturbed by the fact that she cheated at all and briefly compares herself to her father, wondering if she is worse than she wants to believe.

As class ends, Kenzie confronts Addie and makes clear that she saw the cheating. When Addie begs Kenzie not to report her to Mrs. Bennett, Kenzie uses the situation to blackmail her. Kenzie demands that Addie get on her hands and knees and lick the floor for sixty seconds in English class.

Addie refuses, especially because she cannot bear to humiliate herself in front of Mr. Bennett. Kenzie then implies she will report the cheating after all and walks away. Left frightened and cornered, Addie wonders why Kenzie hates her so much and begins to suspect Hudson may have told Kenzie their secret, which would create even bigger problems than being caught cheating.