The process of overcoming her trauma enough to speak out against her attacker is something that takes Melinda a long time - nearly an entire year. Both internal and external experiences give her the strength to stand up to Andy in the novel's climax.
One event that propels Melinda into acknowledging Andy's attack on her and speaking up about it is the danger Rachel/Rachelle is in when Andy begins flirting with her and invites her to prom. Even though they are no longer friends and Rachel/Rachelle has been dismissive and cruel to Melinda since the party, Melinda still cannot bear the thought of Andy raping Rachel/Rachelle like he did to her. Of course, when she does tell Rachel/Rachelle the truth, her former best friend calls her a liar and a freak (pg 184). However, it isn't until this threat on Rachel/Rachelle that Melinda actual calls the attack a rape, in her imaginary talk show interview. Talk show host Sally Jessy says to Melinda:
"I want this boy held responsible. He is to blame for this attack. You do know it was an attack, don't you? It was not your fault" (pg 164).
Having famous talk show hosts comfort her and convince her she is not to blame is a coping mechanism for Melinda. It allows her to acknowledge the rape and forgive herself for it happening. This forgiveness is necessary for her to stand up for herself later on.
Another event in the novel that gives Melinda the confidence she needs to stand up to Andy is her friendship with Ivy. Out of all of Melinda's former friends, the Plain Janes, Ivy is the only one who has been somewhat friendly with Melinda since the infamous party. Perhaps due to their shared love of art, Ivy and Melinda become closer throughout the year, commenting on each other's work and giving each other tips. Their bond begins to deepen with the graffiti in the bathroom. While worrying about Rachel/Rachelle and her budding relationship with Andy, Melinda writes graffiti in a bathroom stall, reading: "GUYS TO STAY AWAY FROM - Andy Evans." Ivy is with her and grins, having already declared that Andy is "big trouble" and Rachel/Rachelle is dumb for being with him. Later, immediately after Rachel/Rachelle declared Melinda a liar for revealing that Andy raped her, Ivy comes to find her. Ivy shows her the response to her bathroom graffiti, where numerous girls have added on to what she wrote:
"He's a creep.
He's a bastard.
Stay away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He should be locked up.
He thinks he's all that.
Call the cops" (pg 185).
When she reads it, Melinda declares, "I feel like I can fly" (186) – the boost of Ivy's support paired with the knowledge that she isn't alone in being victimized by Andy helps Melinda feel less isolated – another necessary component of standing up to Andy.
A final experience that helps Melinda stand up to Andy at the end of the story is an observation she makes about herself. Throughout the final quarter of the novel, Melinda has been thinking a lot about seeds and growth, and cutting away the bad to let the new grow through – for example, on pages 166-168 Melinda surprises her father by clearing out all of the leaves and debris from the front yard and asking for flower seeds to plant there. She applies this idea of clearing out the old and planting the new to her own life in a symbolic sense when she rides her bike to the Rodger's house, to the hill where she was raped. Revisiting it, she sees it's harmless: "You could bring a kindergarten class here for a picnic" (pg 188). She also thinks about her own growth:
"I have survived. I am here. Confused, screwed up, but here. So, how can I find my way? Is there some chain saw of the soul, an ax I can take to my memories or fears? [...] A small, clean part of me waits to warm and burst through the surface. Some quiet Melindagirl I haven't seen in months. This is the seed I will care for" (188-9).
This self-realization helps Melinda regain her sense of self-worth and the idea that she deserves and can have a full, rich life again helps bring her back to the girl she was before the rape. In fact, she is even stronger than she was before, because now, when Andy tries to rape her again at the end of the novel, she is able to fully fight him off.
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