Summary

Chapter 9 opens on the first day of seventh grade. Mike and John, now best friends, observe Penn, who is as cheerful and friendly as ever. Mike messes with Penn and acts like they are good friends. Penn proudly reveals that his shirt is secondhand and was possibly purchased at the Second Time Around thrift store. Mike and John crack up but try to hide it from Penn. Neither of them would ever go to school wearing secondhand clothes.

John and Mike both wonder "Who is that?" and Chapter 10 opens with the boys struggling to identify an attractive, unfamiliar girl standing by herself. John wonders if she is one of their female classmates who has transformed over the summer. John thinks she is someone named Michelle Pratt and goes over to talk to her, much to Mike's amazement that his friend is now interested...