Help with my home work.
The Hate you Gave: Chapter 1case note
The novel is about the experience of a sixteen years old Starr Carter who lives in a gang-contested neighborhood of Garden Heights. Starr feels out of place in the spring break party, which is crowded with a lot of teenagers dancing with a strong small of marijuana. “Garden Heights has been a battlefield for the past two months over some stupid territory wars. I was born a “queen” ‘cause Daddy used to be a King Lord. But when he left the game, my street royalty status ended. But even if I’d grown up in it, I wouldn't understand fighting over streets nobody owns”.
Kenya, whom Starr knows because they share an older brother named Seven: Seven’s father is Starr’s father, and Seven’s mother is Kenya’s mother. At the party, Starr is extremely aware of the double-sided personality this lifestyle engenders: she tries not to act “ghetto” at school, but neighborhood kids accuse her of abandoning them for white friends. Starr stands alone feeling awkward when Kenya leaves to get a drink with two of her other friends.
Chapter 2 case note
The uncomfortable moment passes when Starr sees Kahlil, a close childhood friend. Khalil looks good, and is dressed in fancy clothes and shoes, which makes Starr suspect that he’s been making money by selling drugs. Khalil updates Starr on his life, how his grandmother lost her job since starting chemotherapy for cancer, his mother is struggling with a drug habit. The two talk and joke together. Suddenly, gunshots ring out from across the room, and partygoers begin scattering. Khalil grabs Starr’s hand and they run to his car. While driving away from the party Starr and Khalil continue to reminisce about their childhood because they use to be best friends. As Khalil drives; when Starr asks Khalil whether he’s selling drugs, Khalil responds that it’s none of her business.
In the middle of their conversation, blue lights flash in the rearview mirror and a siren sounds as a police car pulls Khalil’s car over. Starr remembers that when she was twelve, her parents gave her two talks: one about sex, and one about what to do when interacting with the police. Starr’s parents told her not to talk back to the police and to do what they want, Khalil ask the officer why he was pulled over instead of taking out his license, registration, and proof of insurance. Starr begins to get nervous. Annoyed that Khalil is talking back, the police officer makes Khalil get out of the car. He pats Khalil down and warns him not to move as he walks back to his patrol car. Khalil opens the driver’s door to ask Starr if she’s okay, and the police officer shoots him three times in the back. Starr watches with numb horror as blood sprays out of her friend’s body and he collapses. She screams in shock and runs to Khalil’s body, watching it stiffen as he passes away. The police officer points his gun at her, and she puts her hands up.
Chapter 3 case note
the police officer shoots him three times in the back. Starr watches with numb horror as blood sprays out of her friend’s body and he collapses. She screams in shock and runs to Khalil’s body, watching it stiffen as he passes away. The police officer points his gun at her, and she puts her hands up.
People begin to gather around Starr while the police search Khalil’s car, then place a sheet over his body. Starr is told to sit in an ambulance as she waits for her parents to arrive. Finally, her father, Maverick, and mother, Lisa, make it to the scene; they sit with Starr and hug her for a long time before driving her home. Still in shock, Starr gets nauseous on the drive home and throws up out the window. Once at home, her mother helps her remove her bloodstained clothes and take a steaming bath.
Chapter 4 case note
Maverick’s Black Power philosophy influences Starr’s home life and introduces the reader to the values expected of her. Maverick’s values dominate his spaces, from the photos of his intellectual idols in his house and grocery store, to his tattoos that proclaim Starr, Seven, and Sekani to be his priority. Not only is Maverick loud about his beliefs, but he is unapologetic, not reacting to Nana or Mr. Lewis’s criticism of his photos. Considering Maverick’s example, Starr’s disappointment over feeling unable to speak up for Khalil reveals Starr’s fear that she’s failed to live up to Maverick’s Black Power philosophy. Starr’s shame at showing fragility stands in stark contrast to both her father’s unflinching confidence and the photo of Malcolm X with the gun. Starr thinks that weakness is contrary to the values of Black Power, and she views her reasonable fears as emblematic of that weakness. Starr’s flashback to Natasha’s death complicates our understanding of Starr’s grief and fear because Khalil’s death signals that attending Williamson did not make Starr’s life safer. Now Starr has lost two best friends, each one killed by violence in her community, and in both cases, Starr narrowly escaped becoming a victim herself. Lisa addressed the gang issue by sending Starr to Williamson, but this move could not address the dangers of the police. One-Fifteen shot Khalil because he believed that Khalil being black made him dangerous. Therefore, racism against black people put Starr in danger during Khalil’s murder, not Garden Heights or the type of blackness associated with Garden Heights. Williamson cannot keep Starr safe because existing as a black girl in a racist society is not safe. Some of her fear comes from the realization that distancing herself from life in Garden Heights did not actually protect her.
Chapter 5 case note
Because of the emotional fallout from Khalil’s murder, Starr misses Chris. Starr had initially gotten angry at Chris because he took out a condom while they made out. She previously told Chris she was not ready for sex because of her fear of getting pregnant, and so was angry at him for having a condom. In the present, Chris explains that he wanted to be prepared if Starr changed her mind but did not want to pressure her. Chris begins to rap the theme to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which has been their song since they started dating. Starr and Chris once discussed how they loved that Will stayed himself in Bel-Air, and Starr lamented that she couldn’t be herself at Williamson. When Chris asked why and called her “Fresh Princess,” Starr decided she could be herself with him. However, she has not told Chris about Natasha’s death because she does not want him to see her as fragile.
As Chris continues to rap, he grabs Starr’s hands. She has a flashback to Khalil’s murder, and flinches as she realizes that both One-Fifteen and Chris are white. She begins to cry. Chris tries to apologize.
Chapter 6 case note
Starr panics as she and Lisa enter the police station. She keeps noticing the guns the police officers carry and remembering the night of Khalil’s death. Lisa almost decides to bring Starr home, but Starr insists she wants to continue. As the detectives, Gomez and Wilkes, enter, Starr remembers the rules for dealing with the police. Gomez questions why Khalil had been at the party, and Starr wonders about the necessity of the question. After, Gomez asks whether Khalil had anything to do with the fight at the party, which Starr denies. Starr begins to describe the events of the police stop. When Gomez asks whether Khalil seemed angry, Starr responds that Khalil had been annoyed, but not angry. After Gomez suggests that Khalil hesitated when One-Fifteen forced him out of the car, Starr realizes Maverick had been right to warn her about the police twisting her words.
Starr reaches the fatal moment when One-Fifteen told Khalil to stay put. Gomez notes that Khalil did not keep still, and Starr snaps that Khalil did not shoot himself. Starr panics at her boldness, and Lisa attempts to end the interview. Starr resolves to continue but begins to cry as she gets to the shooting. She explains that Khalil opened the door to ask whether Starr was OK. Gomez thanks Starr.
Chapter 7 case note
Khalil’s name appears for the first time in the news, but the report calls him a suspected drug dealer.
Meanwhile, Starr and her friends wait in the gym for class to start. Starr has forgiven Chris but doesn’t know how to handle Chris’s whiteness. She worries that by dating a white boy she is betraying her community.
Hailey gets angry over a group of girls flirting instead of playing competitively during a girls versus boys basketball game. She drags Maya and Starr onto the court. The boys agree to a game. Chris joins the game and guards Starr as an excuse to talk with her. When Chris scores, Hailey tells Starr to pretend the ball is fried chicken.
Shocked, Starr runs to the locker room. Hailey and Maya follow her, concerned. Starr demands to know why Hailey made a fried chicken joke. Hailey protests that it was fried chicken day at the cafeteria and is furious Starr would accuse her of racism. Hailey asks if Starr is upset about the drug dealer from her neighborhood. Maya asks if Starr knew Khalil. Starr realizes that by labeling Khalil a drug dealer, the media has cemented how the public perceives him. She worries that everyone at Williamson will see her as a thug if they know she was friends with Khalil. She denies knowing Khalil but instantly regrets it. Hailey continues to interrogate Starr about her mood and asks if it’s the anniversary of Natasha’s death. Hailey claims to understand because she gets upset during the anniversary of her mother’s death but admonishes Starr not to accuse friends of racism over grief. Starr silently blames herself for being a bad friend to Chris, Hailey, Natasha, and Khalil. She begins to sob. Her coach sends her to the school therapist. As much as Starr fears being an angry black girl, she fears being a weak black girl more. Instead of going to the therapist, she calls Uncle Carlos and asks him to pick her up.
Chapter 8 case note
Khalil’s funeral at Christ Temple Church. Starr recall that going back to the church is like when you go back to your old elementary school after you’ve been to high school. Starr is disturbed at the sight of Khalil’s lifeless body in the coffin, which reminds her of Natasha’s similarly cold and inhuman corpse. During the service, her family sits in the front pew, next to Khalil’s family. The funeral is framed as a celebration of life rather than a mourning of death, with upbeat songs and prayer. But it takes a more serious turn when April Ofrah, a representative for a Garden Heights-based police accountability advocacy group called Just Us for Justice, takes the podium and tells the funeral-goers that Khalil was unarmed when he was shot. She invites everyone to attend a peaceful protest march after the service.
Chapter 9 case note
Maverick stays at the store during the riots. When gunshots interrupt dinner, Lisa orders the children into the den. They sit on the floor below the trajectory of stray bullets. The television shows people protesting Khalil’s death. The police fires tear gas at protestors. In addition to the peaceful protests, riots and looting rack Garden Heights.
News reports display a photo of Khalil and mention that the police spoke with a witness. The police will not arrest One-Fifteen. Starr blames herself for their inaction and the ensuing violence. Reporters emphasize Khalil’s drug dealing and gang connections, claiming there had been a gun in the car. Starr doesn’t think there was a gun, but because Khalil never told her about joining a gang or dealing, she isn’t sure anymore. Nevertheless, she knows Khalil didn’t deserve to die. Chris comes over to uncle Carlos house check on Starr and apologize. Starr reluctantly tells him that the condom isn’t why she’s upset, but she’s not ready to talk about the real reason. Chris feels it’s unfair for Starr to ignore him without explanation. Starr explains that it’s because Chris is white and rich, and she is black and poor. Chris insists that he doesn’t care. Starr rebuts that they are important parts of her identity. Chris asks Starr to explain what she means because he wants to fix things. Starr misses him and how normal he makes her feel. She decides not to tell Chris that she witnessed Khalil’s murder.
Chapter 10 case note
Starr and Maverick head to the store. DeVante interrupts them. Maverick asks who he’s hiding from. DeVante admits he’s hiding from King, who wants DeVante to shoot Dalvin’s killers. DeVante doesn’t want to kill anyone. He asks Maverick how he escaped gang life. Maverick decided to quit after Starr’s birth because he realized being a King Lord was not worth dying for. When the police arrested King and Maverick for weapons possession, Maverick took the charge for King. This left King indebted to Maverick, and Maverick used this leverage to leave. Maverick explains he got lucky but agrees to help DeVante escape gang life. He offers DeVante a job at the store and tells Starr to teach him how to work the pricing gun. DeVante asks Starr why she hates him. Starr says it’s because he dates a lot of girls. DeVante protests that he wasn’t dating Denasia, but Denasia was jealous of Kenya. He laments that if he hadn’t been distracted by relationship drama, he could have saved Dalvin. He and Starr share a moment of grief. Starr thinks she can help DeVante even though she was too late to help Khalil.
That night, Lisa and Maverick argue over Maverick hiding DeVante at their house. Lisa berates him for endangering the family, accusing him of helping DeVante because he couldn’t help Khalil. Maverick insists that Garden Heights is dangerous for DeVante. Lisa wants to know why they won’t move if Garden Heights is dangerous. Maverick believes his children are safe because they’re not in gangs. Lisa counters that Sekani can’t play in the street. Maverick doesn’t want to move because he doesn’t want to teach his children to abandon their neighborhood instead of working to change it. She tells Maverick to choose between his family and his neighborhood.
Chapter 11 case note
Hailey’s brother, Remy, plans to protest Khalil’s death as an excuse to play hooky. Hailey’s excited, although she isn’t happy, they’re protesting a drug dealer’s death. Hailey believes Khalil’s dealing explains the shooting. Starr asks why Hailey wants to protest if she thinks Khalil’s murder was justified. Hailey dismisses Starr’s anger. Starr storms off, furious her classmates can use Khalil’s death as a break from school. Starr cannot take a break from her reality.
During first period, students leave the classroom, shouting, “Justice for Khalil.” Starr feels sick at her classmates making light of Khalil’s death. She remains in her seat. Chris asks Starr if she knew Khalil, and she admits she did. The teacher asks if Starr would like to go home, but Starr wants the distraction of school. Some white students explain to Starr that they aren’t protesting because they don’t want to use Khalil’s death as an excuse to play hooky. She hates being treated like the token black person. Mr. Lewis names King as the leader of the King Lords, which could put Mr. Lewis in danger of retaliation from King.
Maverick asks Mr. Lewis why he put his life in danger by snitching on king. Mr. Lewis claims that he’s not afraid of King because he lived through worse during segregation. The police overhear the argument and intervene, ignoring Mr. Lewis’s insistence that they were having a conversation. Their expressions change when they read Maverick’s ID. Starr realizes they know he’s related to her, Khalil’s witness. The police pin Maverick to the ground. The police order the gathering residents to go back to their normal business. The residents insist that this is their business. The police pat Maverick down and then let him up, warning him that they’re watching him.
Chapter 12 case note
Starr sees a tank passing on her street, flanked by an officer who reminds the neighborhood that the police will arrest anyone violating curfew. Starr gets a text from Maya, who suggests that Starr, Hailey, and Maya talk because things have been awkward. Starr resents that Maya always plays peacekeeper. Lisa tells Starr the District Attorney would like to question Starr about Khalil’s death. Starr is ready to talk. Lisa brings Starr to the Just Us for Justice headquarters, which is decorated with photos of Black Power activists. Ms. Ofrah greets them and calls Khalil’s death a murder. Maverick arrives after dropping DeVante at Mr. Lewis’s. The District Attorney will bring Khalil’s case before a grand jury, who will decide whether to indict One-Fifteen. Starr worries about answering the District Attorney’s questions because she doesn’t know if Khalil had a gun in the car. Ms. Ofrah explains that the “gun” was a hairbrush that One-Fifteen claims he mistook for a gun. She wonders how One-Fifteen’s father will address the hairbrush in his upcoming television interview. Starr hates that One-Fifteen gets his side of the story told and resolves to be Khalil’s voice.
As they leave the office, Starr tells Ms. Ofrah about Natasha’s murder. Now that Ms. Ofrah has used the word murder, Starr feels she can too. She proclaims that Khalil and Natasha mattered. Ms. Ofrah offers to represent Starr pro bono and suggests they get Starr an anonymous television interview.
Chapter 13 case note
Maverick brings the family and DeVante to Uncle Carlos’s. To Starr’s surprise, Uncle Carlos is home despite it being a workday. His knuckles are bruised. DeVante panics when he learns that Uncle Carlos is a cop, but Starr assures him Uncle Carlos won’t make him snitch. Uncle Carlos quips that he can’t question DeVante because he’s on leave. Starr asks why, but he won’t answer.
Chris arrives, and Starr decides she must be brave enough to tell Maverick about Chris. Maverick is outraged over Starr dating a white boy and hurt that she told Uncle Carlos before him. Lisa drags Maverick outside to talk. Chris doesn’t understand why his whiteness is an issue, and Starr retorts that he had a conversation with his parents about her being black. DeVante says Khalil talked about Starr constantly. Starr asks how DeVante knew him, but remembers they were King Lords together. DeVante reveals Khalil hadn’t been a King Lord. King tried to recruit Khalil, but Khalil refused, and King lied at the funeral to save face. Brenda had stolen from King, and Khalil sold drugs to pay off Brenda’s debt. Starr blames herself for doubting Khalil and thinks public opinion would change if they knew why Khalil sold drugs. DeVante calls himself a thug because he sold drugs and was actually a gang member. He explains that the King Lords made sure his family didn’t starve, and DeVante liked being taken care of. Starr realizes how lucky she is that she never had to make that choice.
Chapter 14 case note
Starr goes to Maya’s house where Maya and Hailey are hanging out. Hailey asks why Starr is mad at them. Hailey feels they shouldn’t have to apologize for protesting because others protested too. Hailey adds that Starr still owes her an apology for calling her racist. Starr says even if Hailey didn’t mean it, the fried chicken joke felt racist. Hailey complains that by that logic, if she felt protesting was right, Starr’s objection doesn’t matter.
Starr, Hailey, and Maya decide to watch television and find the interview with One-Fifteen’s father. The screen displays a photo of One-Fifteen wearing a crucifix necklace. One-Fifteen’s father notes that Garden Heights is dangerous, and the screen shows the worst parts of the neighborhood. As One-Fifteen’s father describes what a good child One-Fifteen was, Starr notes Khalil had been good too.
One-Fifteen’s father claims that Khalil had been speeding, and that Khalil and Starr acted as if they were planning to attack. He says Khalil threatened One-Fifteen, so One-Fifteen thought the object in the car was a gun. One-Fifteen’s father laments that his son just wanted to get home. Starr notes that she and Khalil wanted to go home too. Since the shooting, One-Fifteen has been attacked at work. Starr remembers Uncle Carlos’s bruised knuckles and realizes he hit One-Fifteen.
Hailey proclaims One-Fifteen’s life matters too. Starr tries to leave the room. Hailey asks why Starr disagrees, and Starr cries that his life always matters more. Starr asks Hailey if she unfollowed her Tumblr because of the Emmett Till post. Hailey explodes, shouting that Starr called her racist. Starr protests that she never brought up race. Hailey leaves, screaming she doesn’t know who Starr is anymore. Maya reveals that Hailey unfollowed Starr because of her posts about black issues. Maya knows Hailey can be racist. Freshman year, Hailey asked if Maya—who is Chinese—ate cat for Thanksgiving. Starr and Maya agree to confront Hailey’s racism together.
Chapter 15 case note
When Starr won’t eat pancakes, Lisa quizzes Starr about what’s wrong. Starr reveals what DeVante said about Khalil. She feels guilty for doubting Khalil. Lisa reminds Starr she didn’t know about Khalil’s plight. She adds she knows Starr had a crush on Khalil. Starr is ashamed because she’s dating Chris. Lisa reassures her that being attracted to multiple people is normal. Starr mentions she’s starting to wonder why she’s friends with Hailey. Lisa suggests making a list of the good and bad parts of their friendship. She explains that people make mistakes, and Starr must decide whether their mistake is bigger than her love for them.
They go to the District Attorney’s office. The DA explains the grand jury proceedings and asks Starr questions. When she gets to the moment of Khalil’s death, Starr begins to vomit. Lisa brings Starr to the store and orders Maverick to take care of Starr despite their fight. Chastened, Maverick holds Starr and lets her cry.
Maverick asks why Starr is dating a white boy. Starr says she likes Chris, and Chris cares about her. Maverick admits he was afraid Starr was dating a white boy because his relationship with Lisa scared her. Starr protests that Maverick has shown her what a good man should be.
King arrives, and Starr hides in the office. King asks where DeVante is. Maverick claims DeVante disappeared. King threatens Maverick over Starr’s testimony because King doesn’t want the police knowing more information about Khalil’s dealings. Maverick threatens King for threatening Starr.
Chapter 16 case note
A limo picks Starr up for the television interview Ms. Ofrah arranged with a reporter named Diane Carey. People in the neighborhood offer words of support when they see Starr. She likes that people now recognize her as “Starr” and not “Big Mav’s daughter.”
With Ms. Ofrah and the Carters watching, the interview begins. Diane asks about who Khalil was as a person. Starr describes his humor, his big heart, and his optimism. As she talks, she can feel his presence with her. She emphasizes that he was not a bad person, just a kid. When asked how she feels when people focus on his drug dealing, Starr says that it hurts, and that people would not judge him if they knew his situation. Ms. Ofrah shakes her head because Starr is not supposed to talk about the drugs. In addition, saying more could anger King. Nevertheless, Starr resolves to defend Khalil. She explains Brenda owed money to the biggest drug dealer and gang leader in the neighborhood.
Although Starr has not named King, she knows that this “dry snitching” still puts her in danger. She tells Diane that Khalil was not a gang member, but that it shouldn’t matter if he were, and argues that Khalil shouldn’t be charged for his own murder. Starr talks about her fear the night of the murder and adds that she and Khalil never threatened or cursed at One-Fifteen. She cries as she says that Khalil checked on her before One-Fifteen shot him. Diane asks Starr if she is afraid of cops. Starr invokes her Uncle Carlos, but says she wants the police to stop making assumptions about black people that get black people killed. Finally, Diane asks what Starr would say to One-Fifteen if he were there. Starr says she would ask whether he wishes he’d shot her too.
Chapter 17 case note
Chris asks why she has an attitude. Starr storms out to the car, but Chris follows her. Chris wants to know why Starr never told him she was the witness. He saw the Diana Carey interview, and although the interview doesn’t show her face, he’d recognized her voice. Chris is hurt that there’s an aspect of Starr’s life she’s hidden from him. Starr explains that she’s afraid of people judging her for coming from “the ghetto.” Chris wants to know why she doesn’t trust him enough to give him the chance to prove her wrong. She finally tells Chris about Natasha and about how her family used to live in a one-bedroom apartment in the projects. She explains that Khalil had been her best friend, her first crush, and her first kiss. She’s tired of the way people who knew what happened treated her like she was fragile, but being with Chris made her feel normal, and she wanted to preserve that. Chris apologizes. They kiss, and Chris tells her he loves her.
Chapter 18 case note
Lisa and Maverick bring Starr, Seven, and Sekani to a neighborhood called Brook Falls. The neighborhood looks like Uncle Carlos’s, but it’s not gated and more diverse. They arrive at a house, and Maverick and Lisa announce that once the mortgage is approved, this house will be theirs. Sekani asks Maverick if he’s OK living in the suburbs with the “fake” people, as Maverick calls them. Maverick has decided that being “real” is not about where they live, and the most important thing he can do is protect his family.
The family eats lunch on the floor of the kitchen. Lisa tells Seven she wants him to make his room his own for when he’s home from college. Sekani tattles that Seven is planning to go to Central Community. Maverick and Lisa are furious, telling him he cannot miss out on the opportunities he would get from the prestigious schools that offered him scholarships. Maverick insists that Kenya and Lyric are not Seven’s responsibility, but that Seven is his responsibility. He says Seven should choose a college he wants to attend, not one he feels obligated to attend.
Back in Garden Heights, gunshots interrupt the family watching television. Maverick grabs his gun. Starr worries that Maverick will get shot, but he returns unharmed. The gunmen shoot through the front of the house and throw a brick through the front window.
Lisa calls Uncle Carlos. Neighbors come to check on them, but no one knows who fired the shots. Starr feels sick, realizing that this is a message for her. When Uncle Carlos arrives, he asks whether Maverick called the police. Maverick insists that the police may have been the ones who shot at them. Uncle Carlos insists it had to have been the King Lords. Lisa argues that no matter who shot at them, Starr’s safety supersedes everything. Starr insists she will protect the family by not testifying. Maverick orders her to recite part of the Black Panthers’ Ten-Point Program and Malcolm X’s objective and asks why she wants to be quiet when armed with those words.
Chapter 19 case note
Uncle Carlos drives Starr, Lisa, and Maverick to the courthouse. Their car is followed by two cars of Cedar Grove King Lords. Starr remembers going to the courthouse for Maverick’s sentencing when she was three years old. She told Maverick that she liked his jumpsuit because orange was her favorite color, and Maverick told her she should never wear a jumpsuit like that. Since then, she hates the courthouse. Reporters line up across the street. People pray for justice on the courthouse lawn.
Ms. Ofrah greets Starr with a hug. Lisa tells Starr how brave she is. Starr insists that she’s not brave, but Lisa says that being scared and doing something anyhow is brave. Maverick hugs them both. With the support and love of her family, Starr finally feels ready to face the grand jury.
Starr enters the courtroom and swears on the Bible to tell the truth. Privately, she promises Khalil to tell the truth, too. When the District Attorney asks Starr to confirm that she knows that she is not the focus of criminal charges, Starr says yes, but internally comments that she and Khalil have been on trial since the murder. The DA asks if Starr is ready to tell the grand jury what happened. Starr feels terrified and wants to hide, but refuses to let the people praying, her parents, or Khalil down. She announces that she is ready.
Chapter 20 case note
Chapter 20 is set eight weeks after Khalil’s death. It’s been two weeks since Starr talked to the grand jury, and she and her family and community are on edge. At school, Hailey confronts Starr with a picture from her twelfth birthday party: Khalil is in the shot, meaning that Starr lied to Hailey about knowing him. Maya and Starr try to get Hailey to apologize for her racist comments, but she refuses, going as far as to say that the officer did everyone a favor by killing a drug dealer. Starr loses her temper and attacks Hailey, punching and kicking her. Hailey fights back, and when Hailey’s older brother Remy calls Starr a crazy bitch, Seven appears and pushes Remy away. Two security guards break up the fight, and all four are suspended for three days. Lisa picks up Starr and Seven and takes them home; Starr has an outburst of rage in the car, pounding the dashboard in frustration over the pain that Khalil’s death has brought her.
Back at home, Lisa, Starr, and Seven find Maverick talking to a group of King Lords and Garden Disciples in the kitchen. He points out that even if the jury fails to indict Officer Cruise, the gangs have to stop riots from occurring again because they get out of hand and hurt the black community. Maverick even gets Goon, a King Lord, to shake hands with a Garden Disciple, marking the beginning of a form of unity in Garden Heights. He and Lisa decide not to punish Seven and Starr for the fight, knowing that they probably would have lashed out themselves if they were in their children’s place.
Chapter 21 case note
Chapter 21 takes place two weeks later, on a Saturday. Starr’s family, her friends, and Seven’s friends are all at Carlos’s house for Seven’s birthday party, which doubles as a graduation party since he graduated from high school on Friday. Starr is nervous about whether she should act “white” or “black” since DeVante, Kenya, Maya, and Chris are all at the party, but is relieved when the five have a warm, joking conversation.
Starr’s family leads a group dance party. Eventually, Starr heads inside to get something to eat, but the phone starts ringing—Lesha is at the gate, wanting to be let in. Seven, Kenya, Starr, Lisa, and Maverick walk to meet her. Iesha confronts Seven about not inviting her to the party, but Seven angrily replies that Iesha has been a bad mother to him, not even bothering to show up to his graduation. He accuses Iesha of never loving him the way that he loved her. Before driving away, an irate Iesha warns Maverick that King will hurt his family because Starr implicated him during her interview.
Back inside, Kenya apologizes to Starr for Iesha's threat. Starr says that she emphasizes with Iesha, knowing from her fear of speaking up about Khalil that it can be difficult to stand up for oneself. She tells Kenya to encourage Iesha to take a stand, but Kenya is doubtful. The two girls head to the backyard, where Maverick and Lisa present Seven with a cake. The group sings happy birthday, eats cake, and spends the rest of the night dancing and laughing together.
Chapter 22 case note
Chapter 22 takes place thirteen weeks after Khalil’s death. Starr’s family has moved into their new house in the suburbs, but to Starr it doesn’t feel like home yet. The grand jury is due to announce their decision in a few hours; feeling nervous, Starr calls Chris. The two hang out in Chris’s bedroom, and Starr tells Chris that they shouldn’t be together because of the difference in their races, backgrounds, and wealth. Chris reassures her that they should be together. When Starr tries to initiate sex, he tells her that it’s not a good time because she’s not in a good emotional place. Starr cries into his chest, and they fall asleep. Starr wakes up a few hours later to a frantic call from Seven: Lisa and Carlos are out looking for Starr, and DeVante has been hurt. Seven picks Starr and Chris up, and they drive to King’s house. They find DeVante and Kenya in Lesha’s bedroom; DeVante is bruised and bloody because some King Lords jumped him while he was visiting his brother’s grave. King and his gang party in the backyard, waiting until sundown to kill DeVante.
Iesha walks into her bedroom and threatens to let King know that Seven is there. Ultimately, she tells Seven to take Kenya, Lyric, and DeVante and leave the house an act of sacrifice, since King will undoubtedly take his anger out on Iesha once he finds out that DeVante is gone. Seven is angry at first that Iesha told him to leave so she could party, but Starr points out that she was trying to help. Seven turns the car around, wanting to protect Iesha from King, but the others convince him to accept his mother’s attempt to save him. As he turns the car once again, a radio program announces that the grand jury decided not to indict Officer Cruise.
Chapter 23 case note
The group sits in stunned silence as Seven drives them to his grandmother’s house. Starr gets angry that, after all her efforts, she was unable to get justice for Khalil. She decides that she wants to protest and riot—since the police don’t care about her, she doesn’t care about the police. Kenya takes Lyric into her grandmother’s house in case Iesha shows up, while Seven, Chris, DeVante, and Starr drive to Magnolia where protests are occurring.
They park and walk onto the street, where King Lords and Garden Disciples burn a police car together, then move onto burning and looting all the stores on the street that aren’t tagged with “Black owned” graffiti. Groups of people chant “Fuck the police!” to an NWA song playing on a speaker, while a line of police in riot gear march down the street, followed by tanks. As more explosions occur and smoke fills the street, Starr and her friends rush back to Seven’s car and drive away.
Back in the car, conversation turns to the differences between black and white people. Seven points out that Chris has fallen into the trap of the white standard when Chris asks why black people have “odd” names. The group decides to go help Maverick protect the store, but there are so many roadblocks that they are forced to go to the east side—Garden Disciples territory. Seven’s car runs out of gas, and they are forced to abandon it to walk down the street to a gas station.
On their way to the gas station, the group runs into more protests occurring on Carnation, the street where Khalil was shot. Starr sees Ms. Ofrah leading protest chants from the top of a patrol car. Ms. Ofrah is surprised to Starr out on the street. When Starr explains that she’s fed up and wants to protest, Ms. Ofrah asks Starr to fire her so if her parents find out that she helped Starr protest, she wasn’t acting as her attorney but as an activist. Then she hands Starr a bullhorn.
From the top of the police car, Starr speaks passionately to the crowd about the wrongness of Khalil’s death. She leads a chant, “Khalil lived!” before the police throw a can of tear gas at her. She picks up the can and hurls it back towards the police; chaos breaks out on the street. Stumbling and choking on tear gas, Starr, Seven, DeVante, and Chris are saved by Goon, the Cedar Grove King Lord who is a friend of Maverick’s. Goon lets them into his pickup truck and drives them to the store.
Protected by its “black owned” graffiti tag and boarded windows, the store has not been ruined by the riots. Once inside, Goon and those who were riding in his truck—including a national news anchor—grab milk from the aisles and pour it over their faces to alleviate the burning feeling in their eyes.
Chapter 24 case note
Seven’s car runs out of gas, so the teens leave the car while they look for a gas station. As they approach the street where Khalil was murdered, the teens find a group of protestors chanting, “A hairbrush is not a gun!” Ms. Ofrah stands on a police car, leading the protest. The police call for the protestors to disperse. For a moment, Starr flashes back to Khalil’s murder, but turns that pain into a loud shout. Ms. Ofrah goes over to Starr. She asks about the riots on Magnolia, noticing DeVante’s bruises, but they reassure her he’s OK. They tell Ms. Ofrah the Just Us for Justice office is OK too. She says that even if it wasn’t, it was just a building. Ms. Ofrah asks Starr if Lisa knows where she is. Starr lies, but Ms. Ofrah doesn’t believe her. After Starr insists that she wants to do something, Ms. Ofrah leads her to the front of the protest.
Starr stammers, but the crowd calls for Starr to speak. The police order the protesters to leave. Starr introduces herself and calls One-Fifteen a criminal. She shouts at the police that until there’s proof that the police care about justice for black people, black people will keep protesting. She states that the fact Khalil lived is more important than how he died. The police give the protestors until the count of three to disperse. The crowd chants, “Khalil lived!”
The police throw tear gas at the crowd. Starr picks up a canister and throws it back at them. Tear gas stings Starr and her friends. Goon drives up in a pickup truck and tells them to get in. A cameraman and an older white man sit in the car. The white man begins to talk to the camera, and Starr realizes that he is a national news anchor. He asks Starr whether she really is the witness and if she would like to make a statement. Starr acknowledges that she is, and states that “none of this makes sense.”
Starr watches in horror as her neighborhood descends into chaos. Fortunately, when they reach the Carter family store, it is still intact. Maverick is not there, but Starr and her friends get milk for their eyes to help counteract the effects of the tear gas. The cameraman records everything. Goon leaves with some milk to help others attacked by tear gas, and the reporter and cameraman follow. As he leaves, Goon tells Seven and Starr that Maverick is looking for them. Starr checks her phone and finds multiple messages from Lisa. Seven decides to call from the office phone so that Lisa knows they aren’t lying when they tell her they’re at the store. Suddenly, a Molotov cocktail launches into the store and explodes.
Chapter 25 case note
Fire spreads through Maverick’s store. The teens run for the back door, but it’s locked, and Goon has the key. They see Mr. Lewis in the street and call out to him. Mr. Lewis calls for help. Maverick runs to the door with his keys. Lisa and Uncle Carlos arrive, relieved that Starr and Seven are safe. Everyone watches in horror as the Carter family store and Mr. Lewis’s barber shop burn.
King drives up and lights a cigarette, making it clear he was behind the arson. Maverick threatens King, but King laughs. Firefighters arrive on scene, and the police attempt to disperse the crowd. Mr. Lewis yells for the police to arrest King because he started the fire. King suggests that Mr. Lewis inhaled too much smoke. Maverick backs up Mr. Lewis, but the police ask if anyone saw King start the fire. Multiple neighbors attest that they saw King. The police order King to get down on the ground. an ambulance arrives. Paramedics give Starr, DeVante, Seven, and Chris oxygen masks.
Maverick and Lisa tell Starr that they saw her throwing tear gas at the police on TV, calling her a “li’l radical.” Maverick seems to approve of Chris more after knowing he stuck with Starr throughout the night, making plans to take Chris training with him at the boxing gym. Carlos tells the group that King will be convicted of arson but will probably be out by the end of the week. DeVante offers to turn witness and let the police know where King’s stash is, so he’ll go to prison—protecting Kenya, Lesha, and the whole neighborhood.
Chapter 26 case note
next morning, Lisa wakes Starr up; Ms. Ofrah is on the phone. She apologizes for putting Starr in a dangerous situation and for the way the trial turned out, but also lets Starr know that she thinks she has a future in activism. Starr sees that Hailey texted her “I’m sorry,” but when Starr asks Hailey what for, she realizes that Hailey isn’t really apologizing but is only sorry about how Starr reacted. Starr decides to cut Hailey out of her life, since she has become a toxic friend.
Starr walks into the kitchen: Sekani is eating a sandwich, Maverick is cutting rose petals to plant a new bush, and Sevenis unpacking kitchen plates. A picture of Starr throwing the tear gas can is on the front page of the newspaper; news channels all over the country are airing footage. Maverick and Lisa explain that even though money will be tight after the store’s destruction, they can still make the new housework financially.
The family drives to the store to survey the damage. Their store and others on the street have been destroyed, but Mr. Lewis tells them that he is retiring and giving them his barber-shop property so that Maverick can expand the store when he renovates. Starr, her family, and some members of the community set to work on the store with gloves and garbage bags.
Starr looks up from working to see Kenya standing in front of her. Kenya explains that she and Lyric will move in with their grandmother, and that King beat Iesha; she had to go the hospital with a concussion, but she will recover soon. Kenya also apologizes for always referring to Seven as “her” brother rather than “our” brother, and Starr apologizes for never inviting Kenya to hang out with her Williamson friends because she was ashamed of where she lived. Kenya asks what will happen to the store, and Starr replies that they will rebuild it. She accepts that Khalil’s story had an unhappy ending, but feels hope that the black community will continue to fight for justice. She promises makes a promise to the memory of Khalil that she will never forget him, will never give up, and will never be silent.
