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Joel Weber gives a lengthy description of the ever-changing colors of his black eye. He feels sorry for his parents, who cannot escape the view of his injury. His father wonders if they should have left him at the boarding school. Joel expresses that he hated Melton. His mother asks if he is afraid the bullying might start again. He privately acknowledges that he is afraid he will be bullied again. What bothers him more, however, is that he was wrong about Chase, he genuinely believed Chase had changed. His sister is so enraged by Chase’s apparent betrayal that she continually wishes brutal bodily harm on Chase, so much so that Joel asks her to tone down her anger.

When they arrive at Brendan’s porch, they encounter Kimberly, who tells them that Chase is coming as well. Immediately, Shoshanna begins to drag Joel away. Brendan comes out and asserts that Chase is innocent, and that he has proof Chase was tricked. Shoshanna insists on going home, but Joel says he is staying. He wants to see the video, so Shoshanna stays as well.

They wait on Chase, who does not arrive. Joel asks to see the video. Brendan fast-forwards to the point when Aaron and Bear burst into the music room. Joel is riveted by the video, which causes him to relive every act of bullying he has ever experienced. It is a cathartic experience for him, a reawakening to who he truly is. He agrees with Brendan that the video demonstrates Chase’s innocence. Faced with the truth, Shoshanna struggles to accept how judgmental she was toward him. She says, “He still lied” (213). Wondering where Chase is, the kids call his house and discover he went to the retirement home. Shoshanna says they all should go.

Aaron and Bear are eating snacks instead of doing community service at the retirement home. They are confronted by an elderly woman resident and ignore her request for their assistance. Aaron expresses how much he and Bear enjoy taunting and frustrating the residents while doing the minimum possible service.

The two boys end up fighting on the floor over the last chocolate cookie. As they get up, they see Chase hurrying down the hall toward Mr. Solway’s room. They are surprised to see him, since he has avoided them at the retirement home. Bear notices the bulge in Chase’s pocket, and they guess Chase has Solway’s medal. Aaron and Bear block his path. Chase tries to run through them but is stopped. Aaron reaches for the object in Chase’s pocket, pulling out the dish towel and flinging the Medal of Honor onto the floor. Chase falls on it, and the boys fall onto him. The boys claim part ownership of the medal, which Chase says belongs to Solway. He pushes the boys off and gets up. Aaron warns that they will do what they must to get the medal.

When a cranky resident comes into the hall to ask for help setting up a card table, Chase volunteers to go into the rec room and set it up. Concerned about “too many witnesses” (216), Aaron and Bear decide to wait in the hall for Chase. As they watch, Chase sets up the table and puts a potted plant in the center, then knocks it to the floor. He grabs a vacuum cleaner and sucks up the dirt, dropping the medal and sucking it into the vacuum as well. Chase moves toward the boys in the doorway, pushing the vacuum, lifting it as he draws closer, and using it to knock both of them backward before running away. Aaron and Bear get to their feet and run down the hall after Chase.

Shoshanna struggles with powerful conflicting emotions about Chase as she and the other video clubbers arrive at Portland Street. She cannot simply hate him because he tried to protect Joel. She also remembers many of the good things he did. She recognizes she must take back several hurtful things she said, though she fears it might be too late.

She leads the others to Solway’s room and knocks on the door, then enters without waiting for permission. Solway abruptly tells the kids to help him tie his shoes. When she asks if he has seen Chase, he says he has not seen Chase or her in days. She realizes they essentially stopped needing Solway for the video once it was completed and, after the music room incident, she never returned to the retirement home. She apologizes, trying to explain why they have not been back to see him. Solway, sensing the conflict, says, “I wouldn’t be young again for all the tea in China” (220).

They hear shouts and noise coming from the hallway. Shoshanna looks out to see Chase running toward her with a vacuum cleaner, closely followed by Bear and Aaron. Aaron yanks the dangling extension cord, causing Chase to fall on the floor; Bear lands on top of him and begins beating him. Kimberly and Shoshanna rush out and pull Bear off Chase. Shoved aside by Bear, the girls tumble against the wall and bump heads. Brendan attacks Chase fearlessly and, when knocked away, gets up and starts after him again. Chase pushes Brendan away from the two bigger boys. Aaron picks up the vacuum cleaner and is about to smash Chase in the head with it when Mr. Solway rams into him with his wheelchair and knocks him to the floor. Joel appears with two security guards and Nurse Duncan, so the boys stop fighting. Bear points at Chase, saying, “It’s his fault” (223).

When the nurse asks for an explanation, Chase detaches the vacuum bag, dumps it out, and produces Mr. Solway’s Medal of Honor. Chase confesses that he stole the medal. When Solway asks if the other boys were involved, Chase says he acted alone. The entire group is reduced to silence. Nurse Duncan announces that, since a crime has been committed, she is going to call the police.

Chase dwells on his thoughts and feelings while waiting for a hearing before the judge who originally sentenced him to community service. His mother has kept him out of school and refuses to allow anyone to call him. Video club kids have called, and Chase assumes they want to tell him off. Aaron and Bear have called too. He assumes they want to thank him for not implicating them. Chase believes he might end up in juvie. His mother is supportive but extremely anxious. Corinne, his stepmother, is also very supportive and believes the judge will be lenient. His father is circumspect about Chase returning the medal, noting that it would have been easier if he had slipped it under Solway’s door, but that Chase definitely did not deserve to possess it. Frank expresses admiration for Chase, saying he is just getting to know and appreciate the new Chase. For the first time, Chase sees pride when his father looks at him.

When Chase goes through the metal detector at the courthouse, he remembers the last time he was there and the rage and indignation he felt at being prosecuted. Now he feels guilt and responsibility, saying, “What a difference a few months make” (229). Chase relates that Mr. Landau, his attorney, is bringing some character witnesses since Chase refuses to defend himself. Chase is stunned upon entering the courtroom to find everybody there, including the video club kids and his teachers. He assumes they have come to testify against him, since he knows he’s “not the most popular guy in Hiawassee” (230).

The judge is not pleased to see Chase again, though he appreciates his honesty in confessing his guilt. The judge allows character witnesses, and Chase’s mother, father, and doctor all give compelling testimony on his behalf. Shoshanna Weber takes the stand and relates that she is watching Chase become a new person. She says she is difficult to convince of anything, if she is sure Chase is becoming a worthy person, the judge can “take it to the bank” (233). When the judge asks if anyone else would like to speak, Chase hears every person in the courtroom rise. Aware that he bullied some of the students and disrupted the classrooms of some of the teachers, he is astonished at the support.

The judge stops the proceedings and asks Chase if he can promise he is “no longer the same person who stole Mr. Solway’s medal” (235). Chases senses that he can escape punishment if he says yes, but he instead chooses to be honest. He admits that old Chase is still inside him and he cannot be sure he will not return.

As the judge announces that he is sending Chase to juvie, Solway interrupts. Solway declares that Chase did not steal his medal but that Solway loaned it to him. He says that Chase does not remember because of his amnesia, but Solway does, and the judge should trust the one who remembers rather than the one who does not. Landau points out that Solway has “introduced reasonable doubt” (237). The judge dismisses the charge against Chase, telling him, “Don’t prove me wrong” (237).

The courtroom erupts in cheers. Chase is embraced by everyone and expresses his gratitude. He is even hugged by Shoshanna. Finally, he thanks Mr. Solway, who points out that Corinne gave him a ride to the courthouse. He notes that the old Chase would never have had this much support if the case had come to trial.

Brendan relates the astonishing news that “Kimberly likes me now” (240). He describes how his attempt to defend Kimberly won her over. Frankly, she felt sorry for him because he almost got killed defending her from Bear. Chase and Shoshanna are apparently attracted to one another. She and the video club showed up at Chase’s first football game, at which he scored three touchdowns. Joel Weber is the new student musical director of the school band. Chase has rejoined the video club. The video he made with Shoshanna won the National Video Journalism Contest. The club adopted Mr. Solway as its official hero. Gradually, Chase’s memory is returning, though he often does not like what he remembers.

Brendan realizes that the point of the video club is to connect with people more than to make viral videos. Kimberly, however, edited the “One Man Band” video, leaving only the part with Brendan trapped in the sousaphone, and created a viral video. Brendan comments, “It proves anything is possible” (243).