Jumped

by Rita Williams-Garcia

The wrong angle "Hey," I say, though I don't really know them. The boyed-up basketball girl barely moves. The others, her girls, step aside. It's okay if they don't speak. I know how it is. They can't all be Trina. Some stupid little flit cuts right in between us and is like, "Hey." Like she don't see I'm here and all the space around me is mines. I slam my fist into my other hand because she's good as jumped. Why would I get involved in Trina's life when I don't know for sure if I saw what I thought I saw? Who is to say I wasn't seeing it from the wrong angle? Acclaimed author Rita Williams-Garcia intertwines the lives of three very different teens in this fast-paced, gritty narrative about choices and the impact that even the most seemingly insignificant ones can have. Weaving in and out of the girls' perspectives, readers will find themselves not with one intimate portrayal but three.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Teen, Contemporary, School, African American

169 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2009

About the author

"I was born in Queens, N.Y, on April 13, 1957. My mother, Miss Essie, named me 'NoMo' immediately after my birth. Although I was her last child, I took my time making my appearance. I like to believe I was dreaming up a good story and wouldn’t budge until I was finished. Even now, my daughters call me 'Pokey Mom', because I slow poke around when they want to go-go-go.

"I learned to read early, and was aware of events going on as I grew up in the 60s. In the midst of real events, I daydreamed and wrote stories. Writing stories for young people is my passion and my mission. Teens will read. They hunger for stories that engage them and reflect their images and experiences."

Author of four award winning novels, Rita Williams-Garcia continues to break new ground in young people's literature. Known for their realistic portrayal of teens of color, Williams-Garcia's works have been recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award Committee, PEN Norma Klein, American Library Association, and Parents' Choice, among others. She recently served on the National Book Award Committee for Young People's Literature and is on faculty at Vermont College MFA Writing for Children and Young People.

Reviews

[Gray Cox · Rating 1 out of 5]

This plot is so juvenile, except it couldn't be for middle grade because it's a bit suggestive in places, and also word usage.

But the plot really annoyed me, what are we in third grade? Also, I'm 9.99% sure these girls were third graders, because the pettiness! GOSH, THE PETTINESS. I know petty girls, and high school girls who openly call themselves the queens of petty, but sheesh! These girls freakin' stole their crowns off of their greasy hair, lol.

Here's the plot of this book:

Airhead: EVERYONE WORSHIPS ME, I MAKE THEIR DAYS BETTER.
Whole school:.... no one likes you....
Airhead: *is oblivious* *walks past mean girl*
Mean girl: I'MMA BEAT THAT GIRL'S BUTT, HOW DARE SHE??
Loner girl: *overhears* Should I warn Airhead???

AND THAT'S THE WHOLE PLOT, EXCEPT, THE AIRHEAD IS NEVER WARNED AND IS BRUTALLY ATTACKED.

YO, I JUST SAVED YOU AN HOUR OF WASTED TIME!

You're welcome.

Also, I'm not even going to get into the borderline racist stereotypes, because then we'll be here all day.... -_-

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

All this talk leading up to one event-- jumping Trina because she cut in front of hot-headed Dominique who already has anger issues with not being able to play basketball because of her poor grades.

It's a quick and easy read (I did it in about an hour) from ALA's quick picks for reluctant readers. Especially since the action is broken into three narratives: Trina, who doesn't know that she's going to get jumped; Dominique, who felt dissed by Trina after she cut her off in the hallway; and Leticia, a bystander who knew that the fight was going to happen, but didn't say anything to anyone. Although I'm sure readers will be wishing for more about the fight, it's still the smack-talking, gossip-hungry, invincible attitudes of teens that will keep them interested.

[Michaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely phenomenal.

[Tenecia Abbott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read!, this book really expresses the overall meaning of high school drama. Good story line .

[Cherylann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 star book, which could go up or down depending on how the book sits with me over the next few days.

Jumped takes place during the course of one day. Williams-Garcia weaves her story through the perspectives of Dominique, Trina, and Leticia. At first, I thought Dominique was the only one with a "problem". She is an angry, angry young woman. Her anger is clearly illustrated in her first chapter. She's waiting in the faculty parking lot for her science teacher. She needs to "talk" to him about changing her grade. Talking sounds a lot like threatening to me. Ironically if her teacher had reported the incident or (since the reader doesn't know if he did or not) had administration done something about Dominique there would have been no story. Of course there are a number of places that adults could have intervened and changed the outcome of the story.

As I read, I realized that Leticia and Trina are just as flawed as Dominique. In fact, I was more disturbed by Leticia at the end of the novel than I was Dominique. Letitica is a classic bystander. She was the one character the reader knows for sure had the power to change the events and outcome of the novel, and yet, she didn't. In fact, Leticia even blames Trina for what happened to her.

This definitely deserves to be a National Book Award Finalist. Williams-Garcia is commenting on society - as she's done in her other novels - and it's not a commentary that makes me happy to be part of our society or a teacher of adolescents and someone who has a hand in shaping the next generation.

[Jeanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story takes place (mostly) in one day at a large, urban high school. We have three main characters, all female:

• Leticia is the beleaguered cell phone addict, who is mostly interested in gossip and manicures.

• Trina is the bouncy Latina for whom art is everything.

• Dominique is the tough b-baller who’s been benched due to poor grades.

When bitter Dominique decides to jump Trina for some perceived slight, it is up to Leticia to warn Trina. Why? Because Trina is oblivious to the alleged incident, Leticia is the only neutral witness to it. She is the only one who can warn Trina. But does Leticia want to get involved? What are the consequences of her silence?

I checked this out because it is a finalist for the National Book Award. Now that I'm finished reading it, I'd love to hear the justification for such an honor. I was not fond of the negative stereotypes portrayed in this novel, and I thought that the basic plot was pretty idiotic.

[Artemis]

Absolutely no idea how to rate this book, but it was interesting to read. It was easy to read - I read it in one day - fast-paced despite the whole lot of nothing that happens, extraordinarily shallow characters that slowly reveal upsettingly realistic flaws. Nobody learned anything, and everything steamrolled to the life-ruining conclusion set up in the very beginning. The author described it as like writing a Greek tragedy, and, yeah, every character's fatal flaws were there from the beginning and did not change over the course of a day.

I couldn't tell if the characters were realistically teenager-like or just unbearably annoying. After reading the book, Leticia and Dominique both felt believable, if, again, annoying - but Trina was a cartoon the whole way through. The dramatic irony and brutal conclusion would have felt a lot more powerful if she ever felt like a real person. There was the hint of the idea that she acted so self-centered because she was chronically denied attention from the adults in her life, and I wish that was actually dug into more. Leticia's "not my job, not my problem" attitude and gawking gossip-hound reactions were occasionally really incisive but often just kind of... stereotypical. And I do wish we got more insight from Dominique - she was interesting and sympathetic and sad but her sections got repetitive.

It feels like a very different YA style than we have now, even just 10 years ago.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows how messed up kids have gotten, sadly it realistically accurate. Trina thinks she is all that. She is a cute and happy teenager talented in art. Without even knowing it she makes another girl so mad she decides she is going to jump her after school. The book explains the girls day.

[Nathan]

This book takes place all in one day with I didn't like that much. I think that the book being placed all in one day makes it very slow paced. I did like the fact about the bullying part where its not just boys being bullied its everyone. I also think that the threat of being punched or pushed is scary but also the emotional part of someone not liking you or hating you.

[Lyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a decent book, quick read. I think it would resonate well with people who aren’t big readers but want to do their toe in. It draws you in but is not complicated by any means.

[Cory Dorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I Say this book is for older adults to Young Adults of Both genders would be able to read this book. Why, because this book changes characters each Chapter. It would be harder for younger people to pay attention on what is going on. Because kids have a short attentions spend. To be honest I barley know what was going on myself. Other than that it is a easy book to read there is not that much hard of words.
There are three characters that change in each chapter. So you have to pay a lot of attention to each chapter. Other than that is a good book to read. The three main characters names are Leticia, Monique, and Trina.

Dominique is a really the angered one of the main Characters. For example the begging of her first chapter she was waiting for her science teacher in the parking lot. To make her grades better. He doesn't she gets mad and threatens his life. Dominique is also really good at basket ball but she can’t play because of how bad her grades are. That’s why she threatens the math teacher to change her grades. Near the end of this book she gets mad because her coach wouldn’t put her in the game. The coach says her grades are too poorly to put Dominique in the game. I really do not like this character to she is to mean.

Leticia is the preppy girl. Why I say this is because she has to look pretty 24/7. Another reason why is because she gets mad at her gym teacher for getting her fake nail broken off. Leticia also said to that gym teacher if she no one pays for what happened to her nail she would sue them. After that class she goes straight for a phone and calls her mother to tell her mother that her nail broken and that the school needs to pay. And when Leticia calls her mother she knows she was in a important meeting and doesn’t care if she gets fired. Leticia keeps bugging her mother about her broken fake nail. Leticia mother ignores her and tells her that they would fix it this weekend. That’s why I do not like this character she always has to have her way.

Finally my favorite character in this book that brings the color to everything she does. Trina. The reason why I said this is because she is a great artist. And she does not like to draw without colors. I really feel bad for this girl. Because no really listened to hear. Like when her appendix burst and before that happen, she keep telling her gym teacher that she didn’t feel right. At the end of this book she goes to the hospital. I can’t remember why but I do remember that her Art teacher was talking to her when she was out cold. Trina Art teacher told her about her flaws of her art and the great of her art. I really think that it was nice for Trina art teacher to meet her in the hospital. I hope that the made a sequel so I can see if Trina is fine. Because Trina is my favorite out of the three main characters.

[Teen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great addition to the genre of realistic fiction for African-American girls, although the themes are relevant to readers of any race. I have a few criticisms, which I'll get out of the way: One of the three characters, the vain, bouncy girl who is the target of another girl's violence, was less believable than the others. I actually would have preferred to just hear from the other two characters: the troubled basketball-playing girl who is looking for an outlet for her anger (who I found to be a very compelling character) and the "average" girl just looking for something to gossip about who could have warned the target that she was in danger. There's a real interest in books about "right and wrong" among teens, but I didn't really see what the dilemma was for the girl who knew what was going to happen: there was no reason for her not to tell the target other than being lazy. We were never told there would be repercussions if she told or that it was a case of snitching. But maybe that was the point: by being lazy, she let something terrible happen. While I don't need books to be super moralizing, it felt odd that the girl who knew what was going to happen never seemed to feel any remorse for not telling. Two girls' lives were ruined and then the book ended abruptly after that. Lots of opportunity for discussion in a class or book group, but less satisfying in itself.
Part of the problem was that I wanted to love it as much as I loved "Like Sisters on the Homefront," so my expectations were high. OK, that's more criticism than I intended. Here's some praise: The author does an amazing job of capturing the voices of the three girls, as well as the atmosphere of a high school in general. The part about hating to be sweaty after gym brought back lots of memories. This type of violence seems all too realistic--I was just left with the feeling of "now what?" And maybe that's the point--there is no neat resolution to these situations. It's up to the readers to finish the stories differently in their own lives.
~ Lesley @ DTH

[Kirsten Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like reading at all but, for the first time I actually liked this book.Jumped is one of the few books that I've read throughout the years. I can actually say that I was comfortable with reading it. If you like stories that can relate to your life or what your surrounded by then Jumped is the book for you. I recommend teenagers between the ages of 14-18 to read this. There are some curse words in here but, if your matture enough then it shouldn't bother you. Jumped relates to a lot of kids lives these days. People just don't understand what high school life is like this day in age.

Jumped is about three teenage girls named Leticia, Dominique, and Trina and how different there lives are. They don't really connect with eachother until one misunderstanding comes up. You have too really pay attention in the beginning because, I didn' know that they were talking about three different girls until towards the middle of the book. They all have there different lives and there different personalities until one day they all collide. You never know what could happen one day. One day you could be perfectly fine,and the next you could be in the hospital because you got jumped by three different people. People can interperate things wrong and twist your words around. You have to be careful because your life can change in an instant.

If your someone who thinks that there interested in this book then go get it definalty! I don't wanna give away too much of it because I want you guys to read it for yourself. The name of the book really got me because I'm really interested in these kind of books. If you don't like reading no matter what you should read this book. I didn't expect it too be this good.

[K L · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read 4 other Rita Garcia Books and I have LOVED THEM! it’s why I thought being in a book slump this would be a guaranteed hit but no unfortunately this book is very racist , colorist and I’d say dangerous for teenagers

Dominique and Trina are treated like the typical black and latin stereotypes in the worst way with no redemption for either character . Adults are absent and there is no saving grace .

I really despise this book and in the hands of the wrong teen i feel the racist rhetoric here could be internalized and later spewed out.

I’m in shock in how awful this book is ! In adult hands I think there’s a lot that could be discussed here about children in urban spaces dealing with home dramas and how it translates into the school house but this book isn’t marketed to adults and there’s no narrator or direction from the author in regard to her intent with this
story . My heart is broken for black girls and the hate and judgement sprawled out from Trina mouth versus really only Dominique having a petty issue with Trina and everyone else calling Trina delusional . Idk maybe if
The slander was about everyone or equally divided I could digest it as learned racism and hate and how it develops in children but this seems like
It was made to add to racist narrative of big black girls
Who are angry and take it out on “pretty” light skin girls for no reason .

I HATE THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I hope this isn’t available
For any teen to have access too without adult supervision to discuss the very real racist issues here !

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Grandma Bev for TeensReadToo.com

Trina is a beautiful, bouncy girl who is proud of herself and is sure that everyone envies her looks and personality.

When she is delivering some of her artwork to a teacher for a project, she walks too close to Dominique... "cuts into" her space... and Dominique, who is a tough basketball athlete, takes exception to that. She slams her fist into her other hand, and announces to her friends that Trina is as good as "jumped."

Leticia understands the implications of the threat, but she doesn't want to get involved...and well, she's not sure that she actually saw what she thinks she saw.

JUMPED is a frightening look at teen angst and bullying. This story tells how the lives of three very different teens connect with each other and how the choices they make can have dire consequences. These are very compelling characters, some likable, and some that are not. The suspense builds with nail-biting intensity to an unexpected climax.

Ms. Williams-Garcia has the ability to capture the interactions of tough, inner-city teens better than any other writer today. Their problems really come to life in this fast-paced story that I couldn't put down.

[Doc Harley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jumped

Personal Review
I actually liked this book quite a bit despite it being from the viewpoint of girls only. The only reason I did not give it five stars is because it was not very high on the relatability scale with me. Other than that I really liked the plot and I thought it was very well written. This is definitely the best book I have read so far this year.

Summary
Trina, Dominique, and Leticia are just average school girls, all going about their own business. While they are all almost polar opposites you start to see many similarities. One day they all find each other in a hallway before school starts, and it is just the right atmosphere to cause tension between Dominique and Trina, without Trina knowing. The rest of the book goes through a normal day with a little bit of moral strain on the witness (Leticia). At the end of the day, Trina becomes famous because of her art and it all turns out well.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a good book and a quick read. Even if you do not need a Goodreads, this is a good book in general.

[Vasu Laeietpiboon · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, after finishing the book, the first thing that I thought is: "That's it?". For me, I don't like this book since I find the conflict of the story quite boring because it's just about a girl (Dominique) beating up another girl (Trina) just because she skipped pass Dominique. For me, I think that's a lame excuse for beating up a person. I know that she's angry because she can't play basketball due to her bad grades and puts all of her anger to Trina but still it's her fault for getting bad grades. What I also didn't like about this book is that I can basically skip half of the story and still get the idea of teenage violence since that half is just about school life, which is very boring to me. What I liked about this book is that the author writes this book in first person from three different characters so it's quite interesting to read it. So instead of giving this book a one star, I gave it a two star because of the unique writing style. I would recommend this book to people who likes to read simple books and the vocabulary is also very easy so the book is a easy to read book.

[Medeia Sharif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dominique is a rough and tough basketball player. Trina is a pretty-in-pink girl who thinks she's all that. But Trina messes up when she brushes past Dominique, breezing through her personal space when Dominique isn't in a good mood. Dominique is in trouble with her coach over her bad grades and she's trying to intimidate a teacher to pull her grade up a notch. Her solution: take her anger out on Trina after school.

Meanwhile, Leticia is a busybody who overhears Dominique's plan to jump Trina. Her friend Bea urges her to tell someone what she knows, that a fight is going to go down. Leticia can either warn clueless Trina--who didn't stick around Dominique to hear the threat--or do nothing at all.

The voice in this novel is amazing. The novel shifts between the three distinctive points of view of these girls. Also, the story takes place in one day, and I eagerly awaited the outcome: what was going to happen after school with these three characters?

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that before you read it, seems like it would be perfect for Reluctant Readers. It's small, about African American girls and impending violence, short chapters, everything. I was really surprised that it had gotten a bit poohpoohed at the Quick Picks meeting, because it "seemed" to have it all.

Well, this is why you read the book. Nothing really happens. The whole book is the buildup and it's not very interesting. There is no reason to root for any of the characters, especially since they are thinly drawn.

The 3 stars is because Williams-Garcia really is a good writer, and some of the writing is clever to beautiful.

[blaize ! · Rating 4 out of 5]

tbh either you get it or you don’t and i happened to get it.

the audio book was def an experience! 3 (technically 4 lol) povs in 5h makes this book the most chaotic i’ve read by far but i had fun!

letitia: queenie!!! like we def see each other!! she had me CRYING when she tried to press charges when that girl broke her nail in gym class. also so sorry bea but letitia was right to stay out of it bc dominique is NOT playing around.

dominique: girl… you can stay benched

trina: def had a superiority complex but she didn’t really deserve all that

ivan: irrelevant!

[Jen]

Told from the alternating viewpoints of three high school students, this book about girl-on-girl violence will leave you with all sorts of what-if scenarios in your head and a need to the analyze each of the sympathetically portrayed characters. The end is heartbreaking, particularly the final chapter from Leticia's point-of-view, which shows you how little it can all mean. Jumped is up for the National Book Award--I'd be happy to see it win.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told in the voice of three teenage girls as they go through a school day, the story shows how teens interact with friends and teachers often thinking only of themselves and what they want or need. The story collides at the end as one angry girl( Dominique) takes her anger out on another student. Throughout the day, the suspense and anticipation build as students sense something is about to happen. They just don't have sense of what will happen or the long lasting consequences.

[✧nicole✧ · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was literally no plot to this book it was so boring and pointless. I am so confused as to why this was a National Book Award Finalist...

[scout · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is read from the perspective of three teenage girls: Leticia, Trina, and Dominique. After one quick encounter between two of the girls (Trina and Dominique) a fight was declared. But, Trina is unaware of the fact and Leticia, the third girl in this novel has the chance to tell Trina of what's going to happen. Throughtout this novel the day progresses, and we get to see some of the challenges these girls face, and they actions they might have to take.


In my personal opinion I wasn't a fan of this book. I found the charcters to be annoying and unlikable which can be a good thing at times; Their personalities show their faults, but they also show their age. When reading this novel I could tell that these were teenage girls, and teenagers are definitly the worst (coming from one myself). With these personalitie, all I could hope for was some character development; but there was none.

Another concern of mine was the plot. I felt like there was more "talk" rather than "action", and I got bored of that. This book led up to one big moment and I wasn't "wowed". At the ending I would say I was suprised at some parts of it, but overall I just felt like I didn't care.

Please don't take any of this to heart this book was good at times but it just wasn't good for me (if that makes sense hahaha). But! Still go ahead and read it we all have differnt tastes in books.



- scout

[Amy Layton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was wildly detailed and realistic, and does a fantastic job of remaining interesting though the bulk of the book takes place in the course of one day.  When Trina, a Miss "It" girl cuts between Dominique, a girl who's been benched from basketball due to her grades, and her friends, Dominique decides that there's only one way to solve this issue.  Letitia, on the other hand, is witness to both the transgression and the aftermath.  

All three girls are different and all truly show just how clique-ish and group-wise high schools can be.  Told through various their perspectives, we the audience are able to understand what's shaped these girls into who they are, how it shaped them into acting and reacting in certain ways.  If it weren't for the fact that it's fiction, it might be considered an ethnography of sorts.  

Overall, Jumped manages to do much justice to the slice-of-life realism subgenre.  It's fresh, interesting, and detailed in a way that lends a hand to the narrative.  I'll definitely be taking a look at Williams-Garcia's bibliography!

Review cross-listed here!

[Monica Caldicott]

Alternating among the perspectives of three girls at an urban high school, Williams-Garcia
shows once again her uncanny ability to project unique voices. 

Benched by the basketball coach for her low grades, Dominique is trying to bite back her rage when "some stupid little flit comes skipping down B corridor like the Easter Bunny.... Skipping. In all that pink" and walks between Dominique and her "girls," "like she don't see I'm here and all the space around me is mines." That's it. Dominique vows to "kick her ass" at exactly 2:45. 

Her intended victim, Trina - already full of herself over her looks, and pumped up because she's about to hang her latest masterpiece of art in a hallway) - does not hear, but Leticia does, and she can't wait to tell her best friend ("That would be something to see.... Trina getting stomped on school grounds"). 

And when Leticia's friend argues that Leticia ought to warn Trina, the plot quickens rather than taking a simple path around should-she/shouldn't-she. So well observed that the characters seem to leap off the page, the novel leaves a strong and lingering impact.

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review would fluctuate between a 3 and a 4, depending on some angles: 2-3 for the story, but definitely 4-5 for the message. The story seems confusing, but it clears as it goes. How would you feel about hearing other people's thoughts? That's what the book does - it throws the reader into the head of three teenagers, each different and with their own perspective. It's like there is no relationship between them, and yet - one situation connects them all... And how do they act based on that? The story hovers over the idea of perpetuator, victim and observer. These are the main characters and all the others are just faded in the background. I wish, in a way there was more to them, even to the main characters - like a deeper insight - the actions spans only over a couple of hours. And it looks a bit unfinished to me - blank page at the end - it lacks something. But, overall it was a book that gets one thinking.
Based on what do you make your own decisions? How does your upbringing and environment shapes someone's decisions? I'd recommend this book to pre-teens and teens. There is a lesson there 🙂

[Danielle Routh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not the intended audience, so I'm not surprised I didn't love this book, but I can definitely appreciate it. I thought Dominique's narrative was the strongest and really exemplified how someone's personal life and struggles can cause them to act out toward others, even if they don't have a reason to do so. Trina was annoying, yes, and while I'm fairly certain the author intended her to be that way, I'm not absolutely sure. I spent half of my time admiring her self-confidence and the other half wishing she'd act like a normal person. Leticia is the everyman, the one we can all identify with--and I actually appreciated that she didn't warn Trina in the end, because I honestly think that's what most people would choose to do.

Side note: I've seen several reviewers complaining about racist stereotypes, but the author herself is black, so I'm not sure where they're getting that.

[Grace C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was very interesting in terms of character development, especially of Leticia. In the book, there are three main characters, Dominique, Trina, and Leticia. Trina is a total airhead who is absolutely self-centered and she's quite obnoxious. The reader knows this right away. Dominique is overly aggressive and she is quite honestly a little scary. She gets mad at Trina and decides she's going to beat her up, and beat her up bad. Then there's Leticia. Leticia starts out seemingly innocent enough, but by the end, I really disliked her, honestly more than Dominique. Leticia sees a big problem in which someone's going to get injured really really badly, and she just lets it happen. She's a bystander and she causes Trina to get hospitalized. I think that this shows how sometimes our lack of action is just as impactful as our action in the first place.

[Int'l librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Williams-Garcia sets new standards for shallow with the stars of this novel. Three teenage girls in an inner-city school. Each one full of herself. It's impossible to like them, and almost impossible to care.

But that doesn't make the story boring. Williams-Garcia feeds the most voyeuristic tendencies of her readers. The diva-wannabe has unknowingly triggered the thuggish girl's rage. The third girl is a gossip glutton who knows what's happening, waiting and hoping for the big explosion, refusing to accept that she might be able to diffuse the situation. There's a twisted buildup of tension - a train wreck that's hard to turn away from.

As for any message, none of these girls are ever going to get it. And maybe that's what public school self-reliance is all about. One more reason to appreciate my international school career.