The Hate U Give: Chapter 22 Summary & Analysis

Thirteen weeks have passed since Khalil’s death. The Carters have moved into their new house, and Starr notes that in her new, safer neighborhood she can just tell her parents she is going for a walk “and leave.” The house still doesn’t feel like home, however, and Starr misses seeing the familiar faces of Garden Heights.

Needing to feel “normal,” Starr texts Chris, who quickly picks her up in his Benz. They drive to Chris’s house, which is a mansion full of statues, oil paintings, and chandeliers. There is even a separate unit for a butler. Chris’s room is enormous, with a flat screen TV and leather couch.

Looking at all the finery, Starr feels more than ever that they should not be together; their backgrounds are simply too different. She says Chris should be with someone like Hailey. Chris tries to comfort Starr, but she feels he just doesn’t understand and drops it. The two begin to make out, and Starr insinuates that she is ready to have sex. Chris says he does not want to take advantage of her in this moment, and instead holds her and lets her cry.

Seven calls, demanding to know where Starr is. He then says DeVante is missing. Starr’s stomach drops, and she and Chris agree to help find him. Seven pulls up to Chris’s house while on the phone with Kenya, who is clearly distraught. The three get into Seven’s car and speed to Iesha’s house.

Starr realizes this is Chris’s first time seeing Garden Heights, and worries about what he thinks of it. He does not say anything, however.  They arrive at Iesha’s house, which is dilapidated from the outside but “five-star-hotel nice” on the inside. Shoes dangle from a utility line out front, signaling that drugs are sold there. A big group of King Lords sits drinking, smoking, and dancing with women in the backyard.

Kenya leads the group to Iesha’s bedroom, where DeVante is huddled on the floor in pain. Blood is all over the carpet and drips from his mouth. He says King beat him up, and when Kenya tried to stop the fight, King pushed her. Seven immediately tries to go to the backyard to confront King, but the others hold him back. Kenya says they need to get DeVante out of the house or King will kill him. Chris and Seven try to lift DeVante, when suddenly Iesha appears in the doorway.

Iesha smirks when Seven asks her for help, and scoffs at his calling her “momma.” Starr knows that if she calls for King, they are in deep trouble. Her eyes flick to the door, and she angrily tells Seven to grab his sisters and get everyone out of the house, so she can “party.” Kenya grabs Lyric, and Iesha tells them to hurry up because she is “tired of looking at” them.

As the group rushes out, Starr notices Iesha dancing in King’s face and pushing him down seductively when he tries to stand. The whole time she is also looking towards them to make sure they have left, and Starr realizes she is distracting King to help them. Seven is deeply hurt until he realizes this too. Kenya points out that with everyone else gone, Iesha knows King will take his anger out on her instead. Seven swerves to turn the car around, saying he is supposed to protect Iesha, but Kenya reminds him that she has lasted this long, and to let her do this for them.

As the group drives away, a Tupac song comes on the radio. He raps about making changes, and Starr thinks that Khalil was right about his continued relevance. When the song ends, an announcement comes on the radio stating the grand jury has decided not to indict One-Fifteen.