Stranger With My Face by Lois Duncan

In this chapter that I just finished reading, a new character gets introduced to try and help her solve her "popularity" problem.  The book does a really good job trying to show the difficulties in, Jeff, the new character's life that brought him to point where he can hate just enough, yet still have the brilliant insight to provide Laurie, the main character, with an easy way out.

It is interesting to see the relationship between the two of them, almost an unspoken understanding, yet you can tell they never hang out.  It's at a point where she was never good enough for him when he was popular, but now, with his half burnt face you can tell she's trying to understand him.

The way their conversation is conducted makes it seem very formal and non-judging, but you can tell that both characters are in fact judging one another.  It is also relevant that they both require something from one another, and are talking to each other solely for that purpose.  I believe that Laurie gets what she wants, or more likely, needs, however I think that Jeff is still longing for more.

This chapter really shows build of plot through these two characters, and is a great lead into the rest of the conflict of the story.