Verna LaVaughn is the fifteen-year-old protagonist and narrator of the novel. She is named after her two great aunts, Verna and LaVaughn, but only goes by LaVaughn. At the opening of the novel, LaVaughn is preparing to go to college, although she's not enthusiastic about the idea. It's her mother's dream for her more than it is her own. It seems that the world goes on without LaVaughn's direct influence - her teachers select her for special classes, her mother insists that she finds a job, her friends come and go - and LaVaughn often feels she has no control over what's happening to her. The turning point in LaVaughn's life happens when Jody, and old friend from her childhood, returns to the neighborhood and LaVaughn develops a massive crush on him. Suddenly, her life seems to have meaning, yet she still struggles to actively pursue her desires. She waits for Jody to notice her, to talk to her, to ask her out. As the novel progresses, LaVaughn learns to take initiative and action in her life. She struggles to deal with many friends abandoning her and accusing her of acting superior. LaVaughn has many obstacles to overcome in her life, but she eventually learns to stand on her own feet and embrace her future. When her guidance counselor asks if LaVaughn is truly interested in college, she realizes for the first time that she actually is, for herself, not just for her mother. The novel is a coming-of-age story of LaVaughn's journey from whiny, confused teenager to mature young woman.
