Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson pg 41-80

Summary
Heather, Melinda's friend, has found a clan called the Marthas. She finally feels that she fits in with the school, not being a loner. The Marthas has to have their outfits coordinated, crisp, and seasonally appropriate: plaid for autumn, sweaters for winter, and skirts for spring. The Marthas also are a big support for the school, who help on projects and do good objectives.
At the end of the First Marking Period, Melinda's report card grade came out not-so-good for a student. 

The Second Marking Period begins and Melinda's parents want her to stay after school every day to get help from the teachers. She agrees, but she decides to stay in her closet. She has a Spanish teacher that thinks that all the students would understand the homework assignments, and if they don't they will get detention for "pretending". She has a social studies teacher that is very ignorant about students opinions. She has an art teacher, which is the only subject Melinda is interested in, since she only got an A in that class.

Family for Melinda is very important for her. On Thanksgiving, her mother cooks dinner. It's the definition of being a mother and since her family doesn't talk much, cooking a Thanksgiving dinner describes the importance of being a family.
Melinda also sees her family as a failure. During winter break, she understood the point of Christmas and presents. Once Melinda found out that getting presents were from Santa was a lie, it broke their parents hearts. Melinda says if she wasn't born, her parents would be divorced, and Melinda was a disappointment. Melinda describes herself as her parents, an ordinary drone dressed in secrets and lies.

Quote
"It's a shame we can't just admit that we have failed family living, sell the house, split up the money, and get on with our lives. Merry Christmas" (Anderson 70).

Reaction
 Melinda shows how her life from the start, should never had to begin with. The relationship with their parents are not very compatible, as Melinda says. With Melinda being born, her parents had to agree upon living together. Melinda feels this is her present for Christmas.