 Even though she is white, she becomes great friends with one of them, Darryl, and introduces him to her best friend Clarice , also white.The book deals with many difficult aspects of growing up; Belle Teal encounters racism, death, abuse, bullying, and other harsh realities of adulthood.She also begins to learn that not all adults are saints and that one cannot always depend on them, regardless of how desperate or alone you are.