Before Love

Gina Brown returns to Plainville High School after a year's absence and attempts to become part of a new group of friends by dating Brian Moorehead.

Gina Brown has been traveling around the world with her parents for the last year, so now she finds herself as a senior in high school though she's a year older than the other kids. She meets and crushes on Brian Moorhead, but she's warned by Linda Lee that Brian is taken…by Linda herself.

Gina wins the "prize" temporarily, until Brian nearly date-rapes her in his car. He tosses out the usual taunts of the day, calling her a tease and pointing out that all of this is her fault. She sobs and does not disagree…something all too common not only in books but in real life back in the day.

Luckily, Brian McCann enters the picture and Gina becomes good friends with him. They run together, because Brian is a runner.