Summary

Chapter 8 is a flashback from 1985. Ben was working at the school as a janitor, trying to make money because he was frustrated with how little the family had. He once again blamed his mother for having so many children when she wasn’t even able to take care of him. Ben thought back to when he first met Diondra. She had hit him with her car, but Ben apologized even though she was driving drunk. She enjoyed the attention that Ben gave her, and they started to date.

Ben was grateful since it helped spare him judgment from other students. Ben had a much younger girl he also saw at the school, named, Krissi. He enjoyed spending time with Krissi because she wrote him a poem once, and she was more of a perfect fit for his idea of femininity than his actual girlfriend...