"Basically, there's this jammer who wears a star on her helmet. She tries to pass the blockers on the other team. For every blocker she passes, she gets a point. Of course, the blockers don't want her to score points. That's where all the hitting and falling comes in."
This quote is actually the protagonist of the story, Astrid, reading from her mother's program handed out at the roller derby arena. This passage is of tremendous significance and offers illumination into something that even many people who have actually attended a roller derby do not understand. The prime attraction for many who watch roller derby is the action itself. In a way, it is a very pure sport because it is enjoyed for the mechanics and spectacle rather than for the competition. Perhaps not most people, but certainly a great many people who have watched a roller derby match have never understood exactly how the scoring is done. Not only does this passage explain how scoring is accomplished in the game, it also makes this explanation concise and quite easily understood. Since the derby is central to the narrative, learning the intricacies of roller derby competition is essential.
"All I know is, you don't want to get a bad reputation on the first day of junior high. Just because you were friends last year, doesn't mean you have to be friends this year. The best thing to do is just stop talking to her. Cold turkey. It sounds mean, but it's meaner to string her along and pretend you're still friends. If she says hi to you in the halls, just ignore her."
Rachel is addressing Astrid's best friend Nicole. Hiding behind a tree, Astrid overhears the entire conversation. Since that very first encounter with roller derby and Astrid's decision to pursue the sport competitively, she and Nicole have grown apart. Part of this has to do with Astrid undergoing changes as a result of her immersion in the world of roller derby. Rachel's advice to Nicole sounds friendly and supportive, but the reality is that it is yet another means by which she bullies Astrid. Rachel is insinuating herself between Astrid and Nicole not so much because she really cares about Nicole so much as she just dislikes Astrid.
"Oh, Astrid. I forgive you. You should take my place as a jammer tomorrow. Let's be friends forever and ever and ever!"
In addition to having problems with her best friend Rachel, Astrid's entry into the world of competitive roller derby also eventually causes a rift with her new friend Zoey. Zoey is given the position of a jammer over Astrid, and this causes jealousy and envy. Astrid takes her frustrations out on Zoey rather than the person actually responsible for making the decision. For a couple of weeks, the two girls do not speak with each other. At this point in the story, Astrid comes to a better understanding of the intricacies of friendships. She apologizes for being a jerk and this quote is Zoey's response. Upon apologizing, Astrid addresses the reader directly in narration, admitting she had no idea what Zoey's response would be whereupon Zoey says the above to her. Everything seems wonderful as it goes right back to where it was before the rift. Zoey's enthusiastic forgiveness is immediately followed by Astrid's narration informing the reader about "what really happened." This quote is instantly revealed to have been a fantasy taking place in Astrid's mind as she confronts the harsh reality that repairing friendships require more than just a spoken apology.
