Contents
Weird Kids
Overview
Summer explains why she chose to sit with August and pushes back against classmates who call him names or assume she was assigned to him. She rejects peer pressure, clarifies her motives, and normalizes August, while revealing Julian’s demeaning nickname has spread, heightening the social stakes around August.
Summary
Summer recounts how classmates question why she spends time with August Pullman, some calling him a “freak” without knowing him. Summer consistently defends August, telling them he is a nice kid and rejecting the insult.
When Ximena Chin calls Summer a saint and Charlotte Cody asks if Mr. Tushman assigned her to befriend August, Summer insists she chose this herself. She is surprised that simply sitting with August has become a big deal among students.
Summer explains she first sat with August out of sympathy on the first day, when everyone stared and whispered and Julian’s “Zombie Kid” nickname spread quickly. She emphasizes that, despite his unusual appearance, August is just a kid, and she wishes others would stop making her friendship into something extraordinary.
Who Appears
- SummerNarrator; defends her friendship with August as her choice, not an assignment.
- August PullmanNew student; subject of gossip and nicknames; befriended and defended by Summer.
- Ximena ChinClassmate who calls Summer a saint for befriending August.
- Charlotte CodyAsks if Mr. Tushman told Summer to befriend August.
- JulianSpreads the “Zombie Kid” nickname for August, fueling gossip.
- Mr. TushmanMentioned as the administrator classmates assume assigned Summer to August.