Fourteen-year-old
Melinda Sordino begins her first year in high school and struggles on the first day. She has no friends, and appears uncomfortable when speaking to others. On the bus to school, she meets Heather, whom she somewhat befriends. Throughout the day, she is made fun of by several students, repeatedly called a "
squealer". It's revealed that Melinda called the police to a house party during the previous summer. However, her reason for doing so was because she was raped at the party, by popular senior student Andy Evans, but her trauma prevented her from reporting her assault over the telephone or to the police when they arrived. Melinda’s poor grades on her recent report card prompt her parents to order that she meets with history teacher Mr. Neck, to review options for improving her current grade. In response, she is assigned an essay on a history topic of her choice relating to the turn of the 20th century, to which she chooses the
suffragette movement. After refusing to read her paper aloud to her class, Melinda is sent to the principal's office, where a meeting occurs with her parents. Despite seemingly befriending Melinda, Heather soon abandons her when the chance for social advancement arises. The only other student with whom Melinda gets along with is her lab partner, Dave Petrakis, who has successfully managed to avoid affiliating himself with a clique. Over the year, the restoration of Melinda's confidence progresses at a slow rate, with some help from Dave and her art teacher, Mr. Freeman. When her former best friend, Rachel Bruin starts dating Andy, Melinda fears that Rachel will be assaulted as well. Melinda meets Rachel at the library and reveals, by writing it on a piece of paper, that Andy raped her. Rachel initially refuses to believe Melinda, thinking that Melinda is lying out of jealousy. However, Rachel soon realizes the truth when confronting Andy; who mentions Melinda's name, despite supposedly never meeting any of Rachel's friends before. Seeing Andy's lies and misogyny, Rachel leaves him and spreads the truth of Melinda's assault to the other students. Exposed as a rapist and a liar, an enraged Andy soon corners and threatens Melinda in a custodian closet. Andy demands Melinda take back her accusation, but Melinda overpowers him, blinding him with
turpentine and holding a shard of glass from a broken mirror to his neck, threatening to kill him. They are found by Melinda's distant friend Nicole, as well as other girls from her field hockey team, and the altercation removes any doubt about what happened at the house party. The girls help restrain a now-helpless Andy, as Melinda leaves. Mr. Neck sees Melinda walking away from the scene and asks what was going on, but Melinda doesn't respond. On the way back from the hospital after being treated for her injuries, Melinda rolls down the car window and breathes in deeply. She finally finds the strength to tell her mother, who already suspects something awful, the truth about what happened at the party. ==Cast==