Dear Martin: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

Not long after the Halloween incident, Justyce gets into Yale during the school’s “early action” period. The first thing he does when he gets this news is call SJ, who’s ecstatic for him. He then realizes that he hasn’t even told his mother, and he starts to feel guilty. Still, he loves that SJ is so happy for him, and when he tells her this, she says, “How could I not be?” After hanging up, he calls his mother, but she doesn’t answer and he doesn’t want to leave it as a message, so he waits to tell her.

The next day, SJ sees Justyce in the dining hall. She jumps into his arms and wraps  her legs around him, at which point he reminds her that she’s in a skirt. Mortified, she jumps off and apologizes, but he only smiles and tells her it was the best hug he’s ever received. Just then, Melo approaches, having seen this embrace. Justyce and Melo have recently broken up again, but their relationship is—as always—in flux. After a moment, SJ excuses herself, and Melo says, “So I hear you got into Yale.” Justyce explains that this is why SJ was so excited, adding that SJ herself is going to Columbia. When Melo asks if Justyce and SJ are a “thing,” he says no. “Good,” she says, telling him she wants to hang out soon and then kissing his neck before walking away.