Fourth Marking Period Pages 180-197.

Summary

Melinda gathers up the courage to talk to Rachel about the night of the party. The librarian tells them to be quiet so they pass notes. Rachel says that she is no longer mad at Melinda. Then, Melinda passes a note saying that she was raped at the party and that's why she called the police. Rachel is shocked an apologizes for being mad at her, she asked who raped her. She says Andy Evans and Rachel screams liar and runs off. While standing at the lobby looking at the buses, Ivy comes up to Melinda and tells her to come see what people wrote in the bathroom. Under, "Guys to stay away from, Andy Evans", many people wrote about him being a creep and a pervert. Melinda feels happy that other people agree that he's a creep. On the day of the prom, Melinda rides her bike over to where the party took place. She rides past all her ex-friend's houses and then goes home. The Monday after the prom there is a story going around that Rachel and Andy got into a fight and shorty left each other. In the hall, Andy tries to talk to Rachel but is blocked by Rachel's foreign exchange friend. Melinda heads to her closet but is encountered by Andy Evans. Andy says that Rachel said she told her that he raped her. He says that it wasn't rape because she wanted it. He locks the closet door and tries to get with her again. She says no and he says she wont scream because she didn't before. Then, she screams no on the top of her lungs and finds glass and puts it to Andy's neck. There is pounding at the door, it was Nicole and her teammates. After, in art during the last days of school, senior cheerleaders come in and tell Melinda, "Way to go, I hope you're OK". Melinda is glad that the story got around so no one would blame her anymore for calling the cops that night. She receives a message that Rachel wants to talk to her. When the last bell ring Melinda begins to cry. Mr. Freeman says that she can tell she has been through a lot. Melinda feels that the ice cube in her throat has finally melted and she is ready to talk. She begins to tell Mr. Freeman the story.

Analysis

Melinda telling Rachel what had happened changed the direction of the story. Although, she didn't want to believe her at first she finally realizes that it was the truth. Melinda finally gets her voice back when Andy tries to rape her again. She screams at the top of her lungs and Nicole finds her. All her friends begin to realize that it wasn't her fault and Melinda's life is beginning to come back together. Rachel wants to talk to her again and Melinda is finally ready to tell her story to Mr. Freeman.