Summary

In Chapter 6, Bret began to feel numb to what was happening around him, as if he were no longer a “tangible participant” (153) in life. Meanwhile, nothing out of the ordinary happened the rest of the first week of school.

Debbie planned a get-together at Bret’s house for the two of them and Thom and Susan. Debbie arrived early because Bret did not pick up the phone when she called him. When Bret heard the doorbell, he secretly hoped it was Ryan, even though Ryan had refused when Bret invited him to get together. Ryan wanted their relationship to be a secret.

Bret knew Debbie wanted to talk, but he resented she had come early. So, he pretended not to know what she wanted. She asked him how serious he was about their relationship because he had been a “zombie” (161) for the past...