In the school hallways, Melinda occasionally sees senior Andy Evans, and she slowly begins to face what he did to her. Whenever he sees her, he antagonizes her in ways that make her relive her initial experience with him. 

After facing the fact that she was raped, Melinda begins to recover from the trauma of the event and Melinda begins to feel free after speaking up. 

Kids who are genuine outsiders stand to gain a lot from this compassionate novel. The author offers real solutions to Melinda's pain: Melinda's connection to a mentor, her artistic creations, and even her plans for a flower garden all feed her inner strength. When she's finally able to speak, readers will rejoice in her triumphs.

High school should be the best time of Melinda's life. Instead, freshman year is a nightmare as Melinda finds herself rejected by her friends, cut off from her parents, and unable to reveal a terrible secret. In fact, she isn't speaking at all. Melinda's slow healing process is a realistic and compelling one, and readers will cheer for her when she finally does use her voice.

I find this book one of the better books i have read in a long time. As it shows relatable scenarios and what a young girl had to come face to face which is unfortunately rape.

PTSD may develop following exposure to extreme trauma. Extreme trauma is a terrifying event or ordeal that a person has experienced, witnessed, or learned about, especially one that is life threatening or causes physical harm.The experience causes that person to feel intense fear, horror, or a sense of helplessness.The stress caused by trauma can affect all aspects of a person’s life including mental, emotional, and physical well being. Research suggests that prolonged trauma may disrupt and alter brain chemistry. For some people, this may lead to the development of PTSD. (Clancy, 2010)

People with PTSD relive the event through recurring nightmares or other intrusive images that occur at any time. People who suffer from PTSD also have extreme emotional or physical reactions, such as chills, heart palpitations, or panic when faced with reminders of the event. PTSD sufferers may feel emotionally detached, withdrawn from friends and family and lose interest in everyday activities. Other symptoms are being on guard or hyper aroused at all times, including feeling irritable or sudden anger, having difficulty sleeping or a lack of concentration, and being overly alert or easily startled. People with PTSD may have low self-esteem or relationship problems, or may seem disconnected from their lives. PTSD symptoms usually appear within several weeks of the trauma, but some people don’t experience symptoms until months or even years later (Clancy, 2010).

If diagnosed, there are a number of effective approaches to PTSD treatment. Treatment can involve psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of both. (Whylie, 2010).