5. Why is Starr afraid to speak out about what happened to Khalil?

Starr is afraid to speak out about Khalil because what happened was a tragedy and was traumatic for Starr. Khalil was her best friend and seeing him shot must have been hard. Starr is still dealing with his death and she is grieving. Starr is also a student at a school with mostly wealthy white students. Since Starr isn't open about the fact that she lives in a bad area if she speaks out her friends and classmates will know where she lives and her social class. Not only could she become an outcast but Khalil was also a drug dealer and this could potentially ruin her reputation.