Something Wicked by Lesley Anne Cowan

This is an excerpt from a novel, focusing on the experiences and thoughts of a sixteen-year-old protagonist named Melissa. The text follows her through various difficult situations, including school suspensions, drug use, complicated relationships with her mother and an older boyfriend, and a sexual assault. Melissa uses mythological figures like Echo and Sisyphus to help understand her life, particularly her tendency to hide her true feelings and feel trapped by circumstances. Ultimately, the text shows her navigating these challenges, including a stay in a psychiatric ward and dealing with the repercussions of her actions, while wrestling with her anger, vulnerability, and the possibility of change.