Sweet Valley High #41: Outcast

Regina has died and her service is being held at the high school. She had started running with a bad crowd and had died when trying cocaine for one single time. It was at a girl's party that this happened and the girl goes to the same school Elizabeth does.

This causes the students to turn against Molly, the girl who had the party. She becomes shunned at school and even her own parents turn against her.

A plan develops to establish a college scholarship at school to honor Regina's name. This means that money is being collected and one thug tries to get that by any means necessary.

Elizabeth doesn't like what is happening to Molly so she writes an article for the school paper emphasizing help, not hate. Molly turns her life around.

The story relates to several themes. First, don't use drugs. Resist pressure from other's (usually of your own age or around there). This kind of message has been pushed for years yet some young people still get involved with drugs, something which they usually end up regretting severely.

Secondly, shunning is a form of bullying. In this case the people doing that to Molly forget that, no matter how things work out, the fact that Molly held a party where drugs were present and a young girl died using them is something that will haunt her for the rest of her life. She will never forget what happened.

Third, sometimes there is a way to get something good out of something bad. In this case it's a scholarship in Regina's name which will help someone when they go to college.

Then there's also the power of the press. Elizabeth's article manages to turn things around in the school and sets the stage for this good thing coming from the bad thing.

It's a very meaningful story.