Content Warning: This section discusses child death and domestic abuse.

Kate Malone is the novel’s narrator and protagonist. She is 18 years old, a senior at Merryweather High School, the daughter of a preacher, and an honors student who is certain she’ll be attending MIT. She is also a champion cross-country runner and has a boyfriend who has been accepted at Harvard. Kate is popular, with a group of wealthy college-bound friends. Despite her excellence, she struggles, running from her anxieties and fears as much as for her track conditioning. She admits that she feels like two people: Good Kate, “Miss Perfect” (4), the dutiful preacher’s daughter committed to her education, and Bad Kate, who wants to rebel. Even when Kate struggles, she feels she must always wear the reluctant mask of Good Kate.

Many of Kate’s issues stem from unwillingness to face her mother’s death. Mikey’s death and the unexpected rejection letter from MIT—her mother’s alma mater—propel her toward confronting it. Kate’s coming-of-age climaxes when she recognizes her friends’ shallowness. She decides to align with Teri, whom she had originally judged to be below her. Kate has learned humility and the ability to recognize others’ humanity.