Simon Sort of Says

Simon’s dad tries to find a way to inspire the church attendees to celebrate Ordinary Time, the time between Easter and Christmas. Simon is just glad that he has almost finished his first year back at school and that things are becoming more normal again. Just as he begins to think this, Kevin tells him that he Googled the alpaca incident while in the next town and found out about the shooting. Kevin awkwardly tells Simon that he can’t believe they reopened the school afterward, and so soon, and regrets that his mom already knows and has likely told other people. Simon has no choice but to think back on the day of the shooting and reflects on how the shooter had nothing to do with the school and could have shot anyone, it just happened to be his entire class. Simon goes home and ends up in an argument with his parents about how the incident affects them all. Simon believes that his parents’ problems are minimal in comparison to his own. When his mom reminds him that he still needs to tell Agate, Simon hangs his head.