Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson pg 81-120

Summary
Back to school from winter break, Melinda is grateful to be back. During gym, since there was about two feet of snow on the ground, the students had to play inside. The first sport they played was basketball. Ms. Connors, the teacher, teaches the students how to shoot foul shots. Melinda stepped on the line, and shot it. It went in. Ms. Connors tells her to repeatedly do it over and over, and she sunk the ball again and again. After class, Ms. Connors wanted to meet Melinda during activity period. She checked her grades, but sadly, Melinda had a 1.7 GPA and couldn't play for the team. As the boys basketball team came in, they practiced their foul shots and humiliatingly made thirty percent. Melinda had a deal with Ms. Connors that if she volunteer to teach the team how to shoot a foul shot, she will automatically get an A in gym.

In English class, writing essays are troublesome to the students. On the first essay, the English teacher gave an assignment to write "Why America Is Great", due in three weeks. Only one person turned it in on time. Another essay that was assigned was "The Best Lost Homework Excused Ever", and everyone in class done it the next day. No one was late. 
At the end of the Second Marking Period, her grades weren't as good as the first.

Another day in English class, the students are reading The Scarlet Letter, and are trying to figure out symbolism in the book. The teacher describes how the author chooses every word, comma, paragraphs, are done on purpose. Melinda gets interested in finding symbolism because it's like code breaking to find hidden secrets. A students then shouted out how symbolism is not needed in the book but the enjoyment of reading does. She doesn't believe how all the symbols are made up. The teacher explains how Hawthorne, the author is a genius and relates symbolism to math by saying how three times four equals twelve. "Once you figure it out, it's as clear as day."

Quote
"They swallow her whole and she never looks back at me. Not once" (107).

Reaction
In lunch cafeteria, Heather spoke out her confession towards Melinda. Heather says that she will ruin her reputation because of who she hangs out with, a creepy weirdo. Heather couldn't be Melinda's friend anymore. She walks back to her table with the Marthas and never look back at her once. The Marthas has taken full advantage of her lifestyle in school.