Overview

=Overview=

Summary:
California high school student, Olive Penderghast, feels anonymous. When her best friend, Rhiannon, invites her to spend the weekend with her family, Olive lies and tells her that she has a date with a fake community college student. On Monday, Rhiannon asks Olive about her date and Olive claims she lost her virginity with her nonexistant boyfriend. However, another student overhears their conversation and spreads the rumor throughout the school. Olive becomes a target of religious fanatic, Marianne, and her conservative church group. Meanwhile, Olive's English class is reading, "The Scarlet Letter". Olive identifies with Hester Prynne, the woman who was condemned by her Puritan neighbors in Nathanial Hawthorn's novel, and decides to wear an 'A' on her clothing. Olive pretends to have sex with her gay friend, Brandon, to prevent him from being bullied by his peers and improve his reputation. As she helps other outcast boys improve their images by pretending to sleep with them, Olive's lies continue to escalate and her reputation is ruined. Olive must find a way to save her reputation before Marianne gets her expelled and she loses her chance at finding happiness.

Characters:
Olive- Rumors spread about her losing her virginity and people began paying her for sex, but it wasn't actually happening. Rhiannon- Olive's best friend who loses trust in Olive and leaves her; she is jealous over the spot light put on Olive Todd- A childhood friend and eventually boyfriend who was always there to help Olive and believe her when the crowd at school was rough. Marriane- President of the Cross Your Heart Club (Christian club) and spread the rumor she heard in the bathroom that Olive lost her virginity Brandon- Olive's homosexual friend whom she pretends to have sex with so that he could fit in Mr. Griffith- Olive's favorite teacher who becomes concerned with her new dress pattern and the rumors he is hearing Mrs. Grifith- School guidance counselor who is sleeping with one of her students (Micah) Micah- Marriane's boyfriend who is part of the Cross Your Heart Club. He has sex with Mrs. Grifith leading to chlamidia and blames that on sleeping with Olive