Quote 31
I see a few friends—people I used to think were my friends—but they look away. (3.4)
Aha! Melinda is definitely on lots of people's bad sides. <em>Speak</em> is very much a book about struggling to make, find, keep, and honor friends. This quote shows how hard that can be.
Quote 32
Think fast, think fast. That's the new girl, Heather, reading by the window. I could sit across from her. Or I could crawl behind a trash can. (3.4)
Melinda's not exactly bubbling over with enthusiasm to hang with Heather. The party where she lost all her friends happened no more than a month ago. She's still concerned with her old friendships. Heather gets caught in this crossfire.
Quote 33
Rachelle blows a candy cigarette smoke ring at my face. Blows me off. I have been dropped like a hot Pop Tart on a cold kitchen floor. (9.14)
Rachel spends most of the novel experimenting with different personas. She's changed her name to Rachelle and hangs out with foreign exchange students. This strikes us as a good thing – except for the fact that she's becoming less sensitive to others.