Melinda has portrayed herself to be extremely quiet. “I wonder how long it would take for anyone to notice if I just stopped talking.” People did begin to notice. Mostly her parents. She doesn’t talk, at all, she’s completely mute. Her grades have dropped and she doesn’t talk to anyone. Not even her parents. “All the crap you hear on TV about communication …show more content…
Victims are often ashamed of what has happened to them, and think that no one will believe them. In this book, Mel’s decision to keep her violation a secret is a tragic but understandable one. Throughout the book she explores different ways of communicating. From passing notes to writing graffiti on bathroom stalls. A part in the beginning explains that she wanted to scream, but couldn’t find the words. “I open my mouth to breath, to scream, and his hand covers it. In my head my voice is as clear as a bell: “NO I DON’T WANT TO!” But I can’t spit it out. I’m trying to remember how we got on the ground and where the moon went and wham! Shirt up, shorts down, and the ground smells wet and dark and NO! I’m not really here, I’m definitely back at Rachel’s crimping my hair and gluing on fake nails, and he smells like beer and mean and he hurts me hurts me hurts me and gets up and zips his jeans and smiles.” Melissa didn’t want it to be happening, she wanted it to be a dream. Then again, who …show more content…
He locks himself and her in the closet she used to hide during the year. “He pins me against the closet door. Maya Angelou looks at me. She tells me to make some noise. I open my mouth and take a deep breath.” About a paragraph later Melinda yells out “NNNOOO!!!” She fought Andy back, and ended up holding a shard of glass against his neck. Melinda pushes just hard enough to raise one drop of blood. The lacrosse team found them in the closet, after she screamed. Melinda had never felt comfortable talking to anyone about what happen. In the last chapter of the book, though, she finally decides it’s time to open up. “Mr. Freeman: You get an A+. You worked hard on this.” He hands me the box of tissues. “You’ve been through a lot, haven't you?” The last sentence in the book comes from Melinda. “Let me tell you about it.” By the ending stopping there, we know she told Mr. Freeman about what