After Ruth’s departure, Doty’s home life remains plagued by poverty, his mother’s depression, and his father’s alcoholism. For the first time, however, Doty believes he has the power to change his circumstances, which proves central to his ability to actually do so: “The brain doesn’t distinguish between an experience that is intensely imagined and an experience that is real.” (135).

Nevertheless, Doty still faces many obstacles—in particular, a lack of support in navigating high school and applying to college. To avoid spending time at home, he joins a program called Law Enforcement Exploring, which recruits teen volunteers to the sheriff’s department. Doty’s involvement with the program sometimes results in painful or embarrassing situations; his family is at one point a recipient of the department’s Christmas charity, and a patrol once brings Doty’s very intoxicated father into the station while Doty is working there. Nevertheless, the program offers Doty the chance to meet people like his supervisor, who managed to overcome a childhood similar to Doty’s own.

By senior year, Doty’s dream of going to college seems to be in jeopardy; his grades are average, and his guidance counselor seems to be pushing him towards technical school. When he sees a fellow student filling out an application for UC Irvine, he realizes he’s nearly out of time; although he manages to borrow a spare application from the girl, he submits it feeling pessimistic about his chances.