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These chapters comprise several turning points. Bench’s catch in Chapter 11 is a catalyst; winning the game and being acknowledged by his teammates gives Bench the push he needs to distance himself from the group, something he later admits he has wanted to do for a long time. Bench skipping D&D is the first step in removing himself from the group, and Rose replaces him with little trouble, foreshadowing the final composition of the friend group at the end of the novel. Like in real life, Rose is a defender, the picture of confidence during the game. She protects the group from enemies and is willing to think outside the box. She also helps boost her friends’ confidence, insisting that they don’t need to play by anyone else’s rules. Her success causes the boys to look at her in a new light, much like Bench’s teammates saw him differently after the catch. As their friendship grows, it becomes even clearer that Similarities and Differences Are Illusions.

Eric also changes in this section. Following the football team’s victory, he realizes he and the other boys didn’t much care about the game in the first place, separating them from Bench. This realization foreshadows Bench’s change in interests and priorities. When he lies about going to dinner with his family when he is really hanging out with his teammates, it alerts Eric that things are different. Until then, he believed Rose was a temporary fixture and that Bench would return when she found another group. However, Bench’s lie solidifies that he’s not coming back. While it might be a relatively harmless lie, it shows that Words Can’t Be Taken Back, and the lie is the first step in Bench leaving the friend group behind.