in.

On the other side, Tom feels a shaky sense of obligation toward Jessica, a longing to befriend her that gets stronger as the story continues.

We know that Tom has a lot of conflicting feelings on this issue that he needs to work out within himself. In fact, near the beginning of the story, he doesn't even understand what his mom means when she suggests that he go talk to Jessica. It might help, she tells him. He misinterprets her, because he's still so focused on himself--he thinks she means it'll help him. The internal conflict within Tom is whether or not to reach out to Jessica and find the strength to touch her and talk to her.

This conflict seems to hit its most critical point when Jeff's uncle really does appear with the Cobra, that flashy sports car, and Jeff tells Tom to get in it. But at that moment, he's on his way to see Jessica, who had called and asked him to come over.

It's a serious choice for Tom. Does he make the easy choice--does he jump into that amazing car and have fun with his obnoxious and insensitive friend? Or does he ignore Jeff's exhortations, ignore Jeff calling him a dork, and set off for Jessica's house instead?

It's the latter, of course. That's how the main conflict gets resolved: Tom chooses his growing friendship with Jessica over his poisonous friendship with Jeff.

During much of the novel, Tom hangs back and tacitly participates in his classmates’ gossip and ostracism. His largely passive stance grows out of his own sense of alienation due to comparing himself with his friend Jeff and his inner turmoil over his parents’ breakup. Tom, like the other self-centered children, objectifies Jessica rather than considering her as a human being. Although Tom benefits from speaking with his mother, who urges him to empathize with the new girl, he hesitates to break away from Jeff’s influence.

Because the novel uses Tom as the first-person narrator, his own self-image dominates the narrative. The reader can see, however, that his highly valued friendship with Jeff has many problematic components. Where Tom sees Jeff as popular and confident, to the reader he seems superficial and even cruel. Tom’s low self-confidence seems connected with the upheaval in his home, including his distance from his father.

After Tom decides to go to Jessica’s house rather than driving around with Jeff, he gains the opportunity not only to talk with Jessica outside of school but to meet her father as well. Through looking at photographs and speaking with her father, Tom learns that Jessica’s mother was killed in the accident that injured her and that she never had a sister. He connects her loss with his memory of his grandfather’s death and begins to understand the depth of the trauma that she has suffered. The opportunity to converse with a father figure is also beneficial to him.