Chapter 26 begins with a time jump. Students in a classroom ask Reef questions about himself after he gives them a presentation about his story. He says that Leeza can walk now, and even though this has been hard for him, he is glad that Judge Thomas decided to take a chance on him instead of trying him as an adult and risking his incarceration. He says that until he saw Jink, he didn’t know how badly a body could be broken. Reef also tells the class that fear is worse than anger and that fear motivated most of his problems. Most of his worst decisions arose from fear.

Mr. Brighton, the teacher, says Reef should make a career of speaking. Surprisingly, Reef finished his requirements—as far as class presentation—a semester ago, but he keeps speaking to classes because he thinks he can actually make a difference for anyone who might be on a path similar to his own. He stays after to chat with a girl named Kelly, who wants to know if he saw Leeza again. The teacher stays to listen.