Character Analysis
Leslie moves to this high school in the Bronx when her mom dies. As if losing a parent isn't tough enough, Leslie has to leave all her friends and finish up high school in a place that seems totally foreign to her:
What could I possibly have in common with these kids? I must've asked myself that question a million times a day when I moved here. I'm white, they're Black and Hispanic. I grew up in Westchester County. They grew up in New York City. I like Sheryl Crow, they like Lauryn Hill. Except for Raynard and Devon, who are into jazz. It's like we come from two different planets. (26.2)
Leslie doesn't only feel isolated because she's white and most of her classmates are black or Latino. Different interests aside, the hardest part for Leslie is having no one to talk to about her mom's death. Bummer.
That's why things get so much better for Leslie when she meets Porscha. These two girls might seem different, but they share one important thing: they've both lived through the death of their moms. Leslie's struggles show just how tough it is to go through life without friends—everyone needs someone to lean on in tough times.