As I get further into the book "speak" I learn that she is very depressed and upset so much that she decides to cut school, she decides to go to the mall. This reminds me of when me and my friends went to the grocery store after a Latin Club meeting instead of marching band practice because we didn't feel like going, but she wanted to cut school just to get away from her depression. I feel sorry for her that people have to treat her so mean because she doesn't fit into a group, and people make her an outcast, even her friend Heather doesn't want to be her friend anymore because she's worried about her reputation. It reminds me of elementary school where I was the outcast, for some reason no one seemed to like me, I got bullied most of my elementary school life. I had a couple of so called "friends" but I felt like they just kept on using me because I was an easy target. I didn't find my closest best friend until half way through Middle School and that was because she was in my band class. Most of my good friends are in band, I don't know what I would do without them, they're always there for me, even the ones who graduated last year are there for me whenever I need them.

People were starting to get worried about Malinda so her and her parents went to go talk to the principle. I think the reason why she's so depressed i because her parents don't seem to understand her. This reminds me of me and my Mom, we are complete opposites, for example, she thinks every little thing me and my little brother do should be perfect, she get mad when I don't do my hair or makeup good enough, or when I wear baggy t-shirts to school, and when she tries to fix it, and tells me that I should look more like a girl, I tell her I like it the way it is, and she thinks I'm careless, but she doesn't understand that I have bigger things to worry about more than the way I look.

At this moment, Malinda is trying to change herself because she is tired of being treated the way she is, she starts buying new clothes to wear and she even went to a basketball game to try and feel normal. I disagree with her decision because I think she should be able to exspres herself in her own way, and not worry about what anyone else says because she will one day find someone that likes her for just being herself.