The Misfits

The Democrats end up winning the student council elections, with the No-Name Party coming in second place. On Friday, Mr. Kiley asks Addie, Bobby, Joe, and Skeezie to come to his office. In his office, Mr. Kiley explains that he would still like to establish No-Name Day and asks Addie, Bobby, Joe, and Skeezie to help him organize it. Before Bobby leaves, Mr. Kiley says to him, “Bobby, up until yesterday morning I accepted kids calling each other names. [...] Well, I was wrong. It doesn’t have to happen” (261).

The group discovers that the notes in Joe’s locker were from Colin. Colin explains to Addie that he likes her but only as a friend. Afterward, DuShawn approaches Addie. He congratulates her on her campaign and reminds her that she only wanted him to be a part of their campaign because he is African American. Despite that, he says the reason he agreed to work with Addie is because “you’re smart and you don’t take sass from nobody. And I like that” (263). DuShawn asks Addie to the dance and Addie says yes. Addie and DuShawn end up going out together for the rest of seventh grade.

Colin meets up with Joe after school, tells Joe he likes him, and asks if they can go out together. Joe says yes. Bobby observes, “So there will be a whole lot of us going to the dance together, misfits and fits, couples and not” (266). Finally, Bobby points out that love and winning aren’t the things that make for a happy ending. Instead, it “is what Addie said all along: freedom. The freedom to be who you are without anybody calling you names” (266).