Phone Call

(This is my cause and effect piece, I used the novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson as my example. Beware! There are spoilers!)
 

 

8:00 PM

      The novel "Speak" surrounds a timid and socially awkward girl named Melinda. Just months ago, she had been an innocent 8th grade girl, who was beyond excited for high school. But after some fateful events at a rambunctious party, Melinda's life takes a turn for the worse. In a moment of muddled thinking, Melinda called the cops while at the party and turned everyone in attendance into them. Now this may seem like a weird move for a teenager to make, and in normal circumstances it would be. But these weren't normal circumstances. Prior to making her call, Melinda had been sexually assaulted, while she was intoxicated.

     Before her assault, Melinda could indeed be considered drunk. In fact on the way to the party, she had been hanging about halfway out the window of the car as they sped down the highway! If poor Melinda had chosen to stay sober, then she would have entered high school as a bright eyed and excited freshman. But instead she let the alcohol lead her straight to Andy Evans, who embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly. Originally Melinda had called the cops to report him, but ran her mouth off about the party instead.

     Because of Melinda's drunken babbling, all of her peers see her as a goody two shoes, and more importantly the girl who got them grounded for the rest of the summer. By the beginning of freshman year nobody will talk to her, and to put it bluntly Melinda is a friendless loser. Her best friend Rachel won't even make eye contact with her. Eventually Melinda becomes exceedingly depressed and lonely, all because of one simple phone call.