Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Chapters 6 - 10 Summary

Chapter 6

So this is the Big Idea—break every rule in the book. Literally. Go through the HVMS Code of Conduct and break each rule one by one. It's genius.
Rafe isn't so sure this is a good idea. But Leo convinces him.
Look, Leo says, Rafe's never going to be like the other kids. He's not going to be handsome or popular or tough. (Um, thanks Leo?)
But this is something he can actually do. This can be his thing.
So, Leo flips to a page in the rulebook and randomly points to a rule.
Rafe is freaking out. He doesn't know if he can actually do this. But it's now or never.
Rafe heads over to a teacher and asks for a bathroom pass. He just needs to get out into the hallway. The whole school is stuck inside the gym listening to this rulebook being read. It really is the perfect time.
In the hallway, Rafe rushes over to the fire alarm and pulls the little wire cage up around it. He stops for a second…is this crazy? (Yup.)
Then, he pulls the alarm down.

Turns out, fire alarms are loud. Really loud.
Rafe plans to rush back to the bathroom and join the crowd as they're coming out, but there's so much chaos that no one seems to notice him.
No one seems super bothered by the alarm and Rafe doesn't feel guilty at all. In fact, he feels kind of amazing. He did this. The alarm might as well be blaring "Rafe Rules!" over and over again.
Rafe and Leo high-five as they meet up outside. And they draw a line through Section 11, Rule 3, "Students shall not tamper with smoke or fire alarms under any circumstances." Boo-yah.
One rule broken…lots more to go.

On the bus, everyone's talking about the fire alarm, but no one knows that Rafe did the deed. Rafe is…happy. (It's a weird feeling for him.)
At home, things are a bit different. Rafe's step-dad-to-be is there. His name is Carl, but Rafe and Georgia just call him Bear. There's also Bear's attack dog Ditka. He especially likes attacking Rafe's face.
Rafe's mom met Bear two years ago at the diner she works at and now they're engaged. Jules is obviously way too good for Bear, but she just doesn't see it.
Bear asks Rafe if he signed up for football yet. Um, Bear, have you met Rafe? Not gonna happen.
This guy just lies around all day and collects an unemployment check while Jules works, but none of the adults seem to think this is weird. Sigh.

Okay, this is actually more what Rafe's room actually looks like.
Fewer cool video games and drum sets. More rats and leaky roofs.
Shmoop side note: We're guessing this one is an exaggeration, too. (Leo has a pretty dark sense of humor.)