Rich and Joey are amazed at Jeff’s defiance. Jeff angrily asserts that one can get diseases from touching sick people. He wants to move his seat away from Jessica. Tom protests that Jessica is not contagious and looks the same as other kids from behind, but Jeff and the others disagree. Mrs. Tracy ignores the incident. Tom watches Jessica constantly.

On Friday, Jessica isn’t present, and Jeff is visiting his father for the weekend. Tom is happy that the day is normal. Jeff returns, angry at his father, who goes out with his girlfriend instead of doing things with Jeff, and angry at his mother, who is busy working when Jeff comes home. Tom feels badly for Jeff. The class works on their election project, giving presentations on the process and campaigning. Tom is not running for office, but to placate his mother, he makes a campaign poster. His father suggests the slogan “A Vote for TOM is a Vote for TOMorrow” which Tom dislikes because tomorrow is an unknown quantity. Tom hides the poster in his locker. With Jessica out, Tom realizes, guiltily, how glad he and the class are when she is absent.