A List of Cages

This chapter is narrated by Adam. He picks up Julian from class, but instead of taking him to Dr. Whitlock's office, he loops around the school. Julian is concerned that Adam might get into trouble because he's not taking him directly to her office, but Adam tells Julian that Dr. Whitlock said it's okay for them to just hang out. Adam is now officially getting class credit for being Julian's friend, and he's supposed to report anything of consequence. However, Adam isn't going to tell everything he knows. Adam invites Julian to a concert and buys Julian's ticket for him. Julian is very happy he's going to a concert with Adam.

Julian narrates this chapter. He returns to Adam's house for the first time in four years, and it’s just like he remembers it: "yellow and cluttered and alive like an electrified current" (89). He sees a picture of himself from when he was 9, standing on a box and pretending the box was a stage. Julian feels a "squeezing heart" when he sees Adam's mother again, the same feeling he has when he sees his trunk at his uncle's house. Julian doesn't know Adam's older friends are attending concert until the last minute, and he tries to back out because they are going, too, but Adam assures Julian that his friends are "cool," and Julian ends up going anyway (91).