How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
All the information I possessed about Owen Armstrong I'd gotten from a distance. (2.12)
Owen Armstrong is the kind of high school student who has an intimidating reputation—word on the street is that he's been arrested for being in a fight. Who wants to be friends with that guy?
Quote #2
I'd once felt the same way about Owen as well, of course. Everyone did. But there was something about our daily proximity that made me relax, or at least not jump every time he looked my way. (4.12)
You can't tell everything about a person from the rumors that are floating around about them. Even by just sitting next to Owen, Annabel can tell that there's more to him than meets the eye. He's an interesting character.
Quote #3
I'd endured a lot of scrutiny since the beginning of the school year. It was nothing, however, compared to the looks Owen and I got as we walked up to the parking lot. (5.39)
There's nothing that gets high school gossip going like the possibility of romance between two infamous students. Both Annabel and Owen are used to their fair share of attention though, so it's not a big deal that people are gossiping about them.
Quote #4
Right, I thought. Okay. So I wasn't the only one who had heard some rumors. It was only fair, though. Here I'd had all these assumptions about Owen based on what had been said about him, but it hadn't occurred to me that there were stories about me out there as well. Or at least one. (5.205)
What have people been saying about Annabel and Will Cash? Now that she's talking to Owen, she's afraid that he'll take the rumors as truth and judge her… just like Sophie judged her. It's a good thing that Owen doesn't listen to all the nonsense.
Quote #5
And for all the drama, being with Will had made her more envied than ever. She didn't have to follow the most popular girl around anymore. She was the most popular girl. (6.73)
Being perceived as having the best and most enviable life is really important to Sophie. In fact, at the end of the day it's more important to her than valuing her friendships and being kind to other people. Maybe that's why she's alone at the end.
Quote #6
"No kidding. They were supposed to be best friends." Hillary sighed. "I guess you can't trust anybody." (12.144)
The girls who have "hooked up" with Will Cash behind Sophie's back are seen as untrustworthy. But really it's Will who should be stigmatized and shunned—he's the real bad guy here (and a really bad guy at that).
Quote #7
But once people knew about this, I was sure they'd see me in a different way. That with every glance, they'd no longer see me, but what had happened to me, so raw and shameful and private, turned outward and suddenly scrutinized. (13.172)
Annabel isn't just afraid that people won't believe her if she tells the truth—she's afraid that if they do believe her, they'll never see her the same way again. She'll be come defined by her assault.
Quote #8
As for Emily herself, she seemed to be doing well. She certainly wasn't hiding out. In fact, I saw her everywhere—in the halls, the courtyard, hanging out in the parking lot—always with a bunch of girls around her. (15.92)
Emily isn't afraid that people will think less of her after her rape, and she's not afraid of Sophie's bullying. Instead, she holds her head high and continues going on with her life. You have to admire that kind of defiance.
Quote #9
He had already given me so much, but now I leaned toward him, asking him for one last thing. Something I knew he did better than anyone. "Don't think or judge," I said. "Just listen." (18.79)
Owen's always shown Annabel that he's a completely honest and understanding guy, so that's why she goes to him first when she decides to tell her story. She knows that he won't think that she's damaged goods or that it was her fault. He'll believe her.