A List of Cages

Julian narrates this chapter. He returns to Adam's house for the first time in four years, and it’s just like he remembers it: "yellow and cluttered and alive like an electrified current" (89). He sees a picture of himself from when he was 9, standing on a box and pretending the box was a stage. Julian feels a "squeezing heart" when he sees Adam's mother again, the same feeling he has when he sees his trunk at his uncle's house. Julian doesn't know Adam's older friends are attending concert until the last minute, and he tries to back out because they are going, too, but Adam assures Julian that his friends are "cool," and Julian ends up going anyway (91).

Julian feels uncomfortable as he rides in Camila's car to the concert, and he feels scared when Adam disappears into the crowd at the concert. Julian sits alone on the grass while all of Adam's other friends sit on quilts and talk. Emerald walks over and sits down next to Julian, and tells Julian, "I'm glad you're here" (92).

This chapter is narrated by Julian. It’s now a week after he attended the concert. He's able to breathe on Tuesday after a "silent drowning" (93). Wednesday and Thursday are "invisible" (93). Thursday night Russell comes to his bedroom door and then just walks away.

On Friday, Adam takes Julian's essay from his hands, and they both cringe as they look at the grade. Adam evaluates the paper in his own way and says Miss West was "just mean" because she took off points for spelling, too (94). Adam thinks Miss West gave Julian a bad grade on the essay because she gave up trying to read Julian’s handwriting, not because the content of the essay wasn’t good. Adam tries to make Julian feel better by telling a story about how in sixth grade he failed all his subjects because of his ADHD. He explains how his mother took him to a doctor and the doctor prescribed him meds, and then he started making As and Bs in all his classes. Later, Adam tells Julian his mother took him off the meds and now treats him with her home remedies. Adam asks Julian if he has dyslexia; Julian says no. Adam tells Julian if he does have dyslexia, it’s fixable, and that maybe he should have Dr. Whitlock test him for it. Adam offers to proofread Julian's next essay, but Julian knows he'll never ask Adam to proof it.

The chapter is narrated by Adam. It takes place in November; Adam gives Julian a ride home. Charlie, Allison, Jesse, Camila and Emerald are riding in the car, and Emerald asks Julian if he would like to come to her birthday party. Julian "flat out doesn't answer, and the van goes quiet" (98). When he finally says yes, the girls whisper "something about adorable" (98). Julian's house, according to Adam, is really nice: "It’s a huge white stone two-story with two long rows of square windows, and tall peaking points at each end like towers" (99). Adam is surprised Julian lives in such a nice home because he doesn't have a cell phone and his clothes never fit right. 

Both Julian and Adam narrate this chapter, which focuses on the details of Emerald’s birthday party.

Julian rides his bike to Emerald's birthday party, and gives her a nicely wrapped ceramic butterfly, which she loves. Emerald asks Julian,"' How did you know?'" (100). Julian isn't sure what she means by this; we later find out that Emerald collects ceramic butterflies.

For entertainment, Camila, Emerald and Allison model outfits that the boys are supposed to rate as "'‘the hottest'" (101). This gives Emerald the opportunity to talk to Julian about his wardrobe. Camila declares that they are going to take Julian shopping. Adam offers his own clothes to Julian, and the girls flee down the hall and come back trying to dress Julian. Some of Adam's clothes fit Julian perfectly.

Emerald's birthday party continues with more seniors arriving with big boxes of beer, and the girls carry "four-packs of pink glass bottles” (103). Julian thinks the beer is gross, and sips the drink in Emerald's pink bottle, which tastes a little better. Julian asks if he can just drink soda instead. There are girls dancing, couples kissing, and kids passing around a pipe, which reminds Julian of a red toy bubble pipe he had when he was little. In a game of dare, Camila tells Charlie he must take off his shirt, and others follow suit. Julian reveals how Adam protects him from these games by telling his friends that Julian doesn’t have to participate. Camila gets drunk and tells Julian that Adam is bossy, and that Julian doesn't have to listen to him if he doesn’t want to. Then Camila grabs Julian and takes him into a crowd of people, and Julian starts dancing. 

Adam’s narrative mainly involves a private conversation with Emerald. Adam finds Emerald in the off-limits formal living room of her house, her eyes closed. Emerald says that she thought that when she turned 18(this is her eighteenth birthday), she'd instantly become a strong, independent woman that never cries. Adam responds that she is already a woman who never cries; Emerald confesses that she cries once a week. Adam is shocked to hear this. Adam then asks Emerald what her mother got her for her birthday, and Emerald tells her she won't know until tomorrow, because her mother is with her boyfriend. Adam remarks that his mother would go insane if she weren’t there on his birthday. Emerald says it's okay that her mother is not there because the people she wanted to have at her birthday party have come to it. Adam corrects her, saying that she must mean everyone except Brett, her boyfriend. Emerald responds that she doesn't know if dating someone long distance is really worth it. Adam comments, "If someone really matters to you, it's worth it" (109).

Adam, Emerald, and Julian stumble and slide going home to Adam's house, where Adam and Emerald tuck Julian into bed.

Julian is the sole narrator of this chapter. Julian wakes up at Adam's house in Adam's clothes. He panics that Russell might have come home last night and seen that Julian wasn't in his bed. He rides his bike home, and he’s relieved to not see Russell’s car in the driveway. He still fears, though, that Russell might have come home earlier and found out he wasn’t there. Julian tries to think good thoughts to cheer himself up while he parks his bike in the garage and goes to his room. Julian reflects on Emerald's birthday party. He wishes Adam could sleep over at his house, or that he could sleep over again at Adam's, but he knows that this can't happen. He climbs in bed and reads an Elian Mariner book until he hears Russell's footsteps.