How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Line)
Quote #1
"You'd think they'd assign him a partner or something," I said.
"Like who," Maribel said. "You?"
"No! Like another boy or something. That doesn't even make sense, him sitting by himself like that. All new and everything." (2.15-17)
The new kid already stands out enough when he arrives at school, since he's white and all, but it's only worse when he doesn't have anyone to hang out with. Frannie can feel his pain—although she's not willing to be the first person to befriend him.
Quote #2
"My daddy said it would be better here," he said, almost whispering it. "He said people would be… he said people would be… you know, nice to me." He looked down at his hands again. After a minute, he put his head down on his desk and sighed. (4.47)
Jesus Boy moved to this side of the highway just so that he could fit in, and it's not working out. He's already gone through this whole being left out and looked at strangely thing—he doesn't want to do it again.
Quote #3
"No wonder he's not trying to talk to us."
I wanted to say, "He's not trying to talk to you because he's not interested in you!" But I didn't say anything. What was the use? (10.23-24)
Frannie knows that no matter how much girls might check out her brother and call him a cutie, they're not going to do the work that it takes to really get to know him. His deafness is a barrier that they just don't want to cross.