Melinda Sordino

Melinda is starting high school-a difficult enough challenge-but it's even harder for her. She was raped at a summer's end party, called the police but left before the police arrived. No one knows what happened to her. Once Melinda was light and happy with a group of best friends. Now she's become withdrawn, frightened, depressed. She no longer takes care of herself and her clothing. She chews her lips so much that they are constantly covered with scabs. She bites her nails until they bleed. She barely talks to anyone. Her old friends, not knowing what happened, think she called the cops just to cause trouble for the party. They have all turned away from her. Once a good student, Melinda is now failing or almost failing every class except Art. She's a creative person and her art teacher realizes that and encourages her. Melinda is also...