Monday, October 8th-Finished
Tripp…Tripp…Tripp **sigh** **swoon** **sigh**
“That’s because those girls weren’t you, Hadley. I didn’t care about them the way I care about you. God, I feel like you are the girl I’ve been waiting to meet my entire life.”
This story represented so many real life possibilities for a high school student.
1. Verbal Bullying at school (by former friends)
2. Abusive home life (by father, someone who should love you unconditionally)
3. High school popularity standards dictating relationships (popular vs ‘nerd’)
With Tripp being the Popular Football Star and Hadley being the invisible ‘nerd’ girl, they have an uphill battle to have something as simple as a friendship, never mind a relationship.
Tripp is embarrassed of his home life because of the abuse him and his mother endure at the hands of his father. He hates football, but like everything else he does what is expected of him, not what he truly wants to do. When it comes to friends or his father it is all the same, everything thing he says and does leaves him feeling guilty and more alone. All he wants is to have someone he can trust and is there for him can love him for him and not expect anything from him.
Hadley wants to stay invisible and not endure more humiliation at the hands of Sonya and her followers like she did in her freshmen year. There are things she would love to experience such as school dances, but always feels a little heart broken when no one asks her, no one even sees her. If it wasn’t for her best friend Paige, she wouldn’t be able to get past those heartbreaking moments.
“Oh, let them stare,” Paige says, her gaze scouring the room. “Eat your hearts out, losers!” –When Tripp sits down with Paige and Hadley at the lunch table in the cafeteria
Side Note: Loved Paige…everyone needs a Paige in their lives!
Tripp and Hadley become friends (with a little convincing from Tripp’s part) and start to spend time alone together at home doing the simple things, such as watch TV, have dinner with her family and walk his dog, Bruiser.
When Tripp and Hadley go public with their friendship, jealousy arises and Sonya once again exposes a secret of Hadley’s and humiliates her again in front of the whole school.
Tripp now needs to find a way to get Hadley to trust him again and to realize how he feels for her.
“Just the thought of losing her was enough to make me feel like I was drowning in the ocean.”
This story was beyond sweet and heartwarming, something I could read again whenever I needed a heart pick me up.
It is sad to say, but this story probably has more truth to it than imagination. Many high school students (former as well as current) could probably relate to this directly or indirectly.
When you are popular you are expected to date others that are popular, likewise this could be transferred into a colour, religion or culture issue (etc). You are not expected to step outside of the ‘norm’ and when you do you can possibly be harassed, shunned or made to cast doubt on what you could potentially have with said person. So sad, yet so true.
What I liked about Tripp was that he knew when he made a mistake and for once he knew he had to work hard to prove to Hadley that he could be what she needs and so much more. He knew he had to keep her in his life and finally fight for what he wanted.
“She’s my whole world. Without her I have absolutely nothing. He’s taken everything else. This time I’ve got to find a way to fight back, to hold my ground. “
For me the moral of the story was: Don’t let anyone dictate who you love, popularity won’t last forever, but love can.
**Sigh**
Great Job Amber Garza!!
Until my next Blog when I have chosen which Amber Garza book to read.
J to the B
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