Love, Stargirl

Stargirl and Dootsie attend the Dogwood Festival, which includes a parade featuring the high school senior Dogwood Queen and her Court, bands, rides, and vendors. Dootsie snatches free candy but gives it away when Stargirl chastises her. The Dumpster boy steals a caramel apple. Alvina brutally beats up a blonde boy. When they are pulled apart, Stargirl notices a sparkly pink fingernail on Alvina’s little finger. Stargirl thinks Alvina is “a pip.” Dootsie declares she hates Alvina and Stargirl’s boyfriend for dumping her. Stargirl warns that hatred will push love out of Dootsie’s heart. Dootsie and Alvina have a silent contest of wills at Margie’s: Alvina puts a fist before Dootsie’s face, and Dootsie puts her teeth lightly over Alvina’s fist. The girls stare, then separate.

Stargirl describes the Dogwood Festival to Betty Lou, who reminisces about the festival and her own experience being in the Queen’s Court. Betty Lou questions whether she will ever see the festival again. Stargirl reassures her but is privately uncertain. Stargirl wonders if Leo regrets not asking her to the prom.

Stargirl holds a Dootsie Festival. The Dumpster boy chats animatedly with Dootsie. He has black hair, browned skin, and blue eyes. Stargirl is suspicious he will steal something and is jealous that Dootsie likes him. Stargirl follows him and sees him steal lemons. He eats one and walks to Ike’s Bike & Mower Repair. When Stargirl asks why he steals, he spits a lemon seed at her and goes inside. Stargirl learns the boy’s name is Perry. Stargirl’s next meditation fails because she imagines Perry’s eyes.

Stargirl writes a poem about the Lenape girl who died by suicide at a nearby bluff called Maiden’s Leap because her father refused to let her marry the boy she loved. Stargirl thinks about thwarted love, true love, and Leo. Stargirl wants to believe Leo feels her when she thinks about him. She imagines Leo trying to find her, thinking about her constantly, and missing her terribly.

Stargirl thinks of how much Charlie must love Grace to sit in the cemetery and wonders if she or Leo will experience that depth of love. Stargirl leaves more donuts for Charlie—in a basket, with a clear covering so Charlie will know they are not trash—and is happy when Charlie takes them. She puts an ad in the paper about Charlie’s faithfulness.

Stargirl and Dootsie celebrate the Summer Solstice together. Stargirl runs towards the sun as it rises, then turns back to Dootsie who watches in awe. Stargirl is moved by Dootsie’s powerful reaction. Stargirl thinks the Enchanted Hill is “hungry for more eyes” (78).

Stargirl receives a letter from Archie. She tells Leo that while Archie likes Leo, he thought Leo was the wrong boyfriend for her. She thinks Archie blames Leo for Stargirl becoming “conventional Susan.” Archie admits Leo may someday be “ready” for Stargirl.

Stargirl starts building a solar calendar on the Enchanted Hill. She plans a celebration for the Winter Solstice when it will be one quarter completed. The lost man Stargirl sees at the stone piles is “Crazy Arnold.” Little kids follow him, poke him, and run. Stargirl imagines Arnold playing hide and seek as a child and never being found. Dootsie and Stargirl continue to visit Betty Lou.

Stargirl confronts Perry about spitting lemons seeds in the library and is angry when he pretends not to notice her. She kicks him, he kicks back, she grabs the book he is reading—the French play, Ondine—he grabs it back. Stargirl warns him away from Dootsie. She reads Ondine, a tragic love story about an innocent water nymph who falls in love with a human knight. Stargirl loves the story, but is surprised Perry read it.

Stargirl works as the “Garden Groomer” and provides basic gardening services as a part time job. Tidying the Klecko family garden, Stargirl hears angry shouts and Alvina, who lives there, chases her brother Thomas into the garden. Stargirl stops their fight. Alvina is angry that Thomas chopped off her pink nail. Stargirl gets her a new one. Alvina’s bedroom is full of contrasts: Barbies, nunchucks, and a photo of the boy she beat up.

At the Klecko’s swim club, Perry sneaks in over a fence. He dives confidently into the pool and flirts with a red-headed girl. Stargirl enters the pool to say hi. Perry smiles, spits water in her face, then leaves. Alvina tells Stargirl that Perry spent a year in juvenile boot camp for stealing.