Smile: A Graphic Novel

The retainer gives Raina newfound confidence as she is more willing to smile. She learns that Sean is a basketball player and that he draws, but he only gives her short greetings. Sammy is still interested in her, but Raina downplays their relationship when Melissa asks about it.

Raina initially wants to wait for Sean to ask her to the Valentine’s Day dance, but she ends up asking him. He only gives a vague “I dunno.” Sammy asks Raina the same question, and she initially gives the same response. She later decides to go but feels sick when Sammy mentions having something to give to her. Raina lingers just outside the dance area for a long time before going home without entering.

She feels better after a night playing Super Mario Bros. 2 but learns afterwards that Sammy waited for her the whole night. During band class, a despondent Sammy gives her a plastic bag that she puts under her chair without opening it. Heartbroken, he tells her to “just forget it” (124), and the two never speak again. When she opens it later, she finds a Valentine’s card and box of chocolates with the price tag still on.

After enjoying the retainer so much, Raina is upset when she learns she must wear braces again, this time on both her top and bottom teeth. Dr. Dragoni places two false teeth in the gap, and every few weeks he replaces and tightens the wire while narrowing the fake teeth. It is a painful process that makes it hard for Raina to smile or chew soft foods, and she must repeat it every two weeks.

Raina complains that the braces make her look like a nerd and gets angry when her friends tell her that she looks nerdy regardless. She continues to watch Sean from afar to the point where she accidentally runs into a locker when looking at him and worries about her teeth falling out should they kiss. On her 13th birthday, Raina’s friends stage an elaborate prank in which they give her a makeover and dress her up as a tacky club girl under the ruse of attracting Sean. When she tells them that it would be embarrassing if she went to school in the outfit, which includes a tube top, fishnet stockings, high-heeled boots, and tons of accessories, they laugh as Kaylah says it would be hilarious. Afterwards, Melissa tells Raina that she is overly serious and should loosen up. While still angry, Raina wonders if she could attract Sean just by changing her clothes and laments that her teenage years are not fun at all.