Waiting For You by Susane Colasanti (character)

“Waiting For You” by Susane Colasanti is about a girl named Marisa who just began her sophomore year. Already Marisa is looking for a boyfriend; or more like the boyfriend. She has always had her eye on the dreamy and popular Derek and not geeky Nash (her neighbor) who then develops a crush on her. However, along the way feelings and relationships change. Marisa has already lost her friend because of Derek and has already lost Nash once. Will she lose him again? Or will Derek be the one to go? Keep in mind everyone, I still haven’t reached the end of the book, but I have already encountered the theme of the story. I learned from this book that in life it is important to not judge someone before you get to know them. For example, in the story Marisa’s aunt said “You know, there are other things to consider. Like personality? And how a guy treats you?” and Marisa responded “Okay, but what’s the point of all that if you’re not even attracted to him?”. This shows how Marisa doesn’t consider who the boy is as a person because looks are everything in her opinion. Another example, is when she finds out that Nash has a crush on her. “There’s no way I could like him back. He’s not my type. I have no idea whose type he even is, but I know he’s not my type for sure”. Marisa has just started talking to Nash again because they haven’t talked in a long while and she’s already judging him when people can change. But Marisa does change throughout the story. She’s finally dating Derek, but how is it that her relationship with Nash is growing stronger than with Derek? Nash just got dumped by his girlfriend Rachel and Marisa just found out that her parents are divorcing. Instead of going to this with Derek who is supposed to be her boyfriend, she tells everything to Nash because she says she doesn’t want Derek in her problems. Not only that, but Derek is a problem. Marisa gets uncomfortable with Derek interacting with his ex Sierra. Was this relationship really what she expected? In the book she says “How can it fell so perfect with someone one second, but then the next second everything’s suddenly wrong?”. This piece of the text shows to expect the unexpected because she thought a relationship with Derek would be perfect just like she thought he was but that didn’t really happen. Another example, in the text is “Lately when I’m with Derek, it feels like he’s somewhere else or wants to be somewhere else and he has to settle down with me instead”. This shows how Derek isn’t what she expected and that this wasn’t was she expected out of the relationship. With these problems Nash helps her out and does the thing Derek should be doing; which is giving her comfort. Although I haven’t finished reading the book I think Nash and Marisa are perfect for each other. It’s like the saying opposites attract. The fact that Nash and Marisa are different from each other is what makes them perfect. The story could go either way but that was just my guess. Throughout this story Marisa has gone from looks to feelings and a person’s personality. Will this keep going with her to the end or will it end right here? What do you think?