My Dark Vanessa

Back at school, when Vanessa is 15, she spends another night at Strane’s house. They watch Lolita, (the movie version of the novel) and Vanessa drinks a beer. They have sex, and Strane takes Polaroids of Vanessa lying naked on his bed. Vanessa says the photos remind her of a Fiona Apple music video, and Strane doesn’t know who she’s talking about even though Vanessa has told him that Fiona Apple is her favorite singer. Vanessa is enraged—she once gave Fiona Apple lyrics to Strane so that he could better understand her, but it seems like he never even read them.

In April, Vanessa has another school break, and Strane comes to her house one day while her parents are gone. Vanessa’s bedroom is full of childhood toys, but Strane seems to like it. He has Vanessa act like she’s asleep so that he can pretend to wake her up with his touch. He also pretends that they need to be quiet as they have sex, even though there’s no one around. They go for a drive afterward, and Strane comments that Vanessa is “practically a woman” now that she is 16. They take a Polaroid together, and Vanessa keeps it.

Strane takes the whole English class on a field trip. He drives everyone in a van. Beside him in the front seat, Vanessa tries to annoy him because she is unhappy that he won’t let her spend another night at his house before summer break. He says she is too attached to him. On the field trip, Vanessa refuses to participate in class activities. While everyone else is in the car, Strane grabs her arms and forcefully shakes her, telling her to stop acting out. That night, Jenny comes to Vanessa’s room and says that she saw Strane touch her. Jenny wants to get Strane fired. Vanessa resists, saying that he never did anything wrong, and Jenny thinks Vanessa is afraid to tell the truth.

Vanessa tells Strane everything Jenny says. A few days later, Strane pulls Vanessa out of class to see the headmaster, Mrs. Giles. Mrs. Giles says that Jenny’s dad wrote a letter to the school, accusing Strane of sexual abuse, but Mrs. Giles already doesn’t believe it. Strane and Vanessa both deny it. Mrs. Giles says the case won’t go any further, but she needs to let Vanessa’s parents know about the accusation. Vanessa’s parents are concerned, and they tell Vanessa to call them every day.

Later, Vanessa sees Jenny and her friend compiling a list of all the students who have heard that Strane and Vanessa are “having an affair.” Mrs. Giles calls Vanessa into her office again, and Jesse Ly is there. Jesse tells Mrs. Giles what he knows about Vanessa and Strane, but Vanessa says she made it all up because she has a crush on Mr. Strane. Vanessa’s parents arrive to the campus, and they all go back to Mrs. Giles office. This time, Strane is there. Vanessa waits outside anxiously, expecting that Strane is going to admit the truth. The adults all come out of the office and tell Vanessa that she has to leave the school. Vanessa is shocked.

Mrs. Giles tells Vanessa that she must tell the other students that she lied before leaving campus. When Vanessa’s parents leave, Vanessa walks to Strane’s house. She threatens to tell the truth, and he reminds her that if she does, the experience will follow her for the rest of her life. She feels like Strane already has permanently ruined her, but she remembers that he always says he wants her to go to college and live a full life after they part. Strane says he would rather die than have the story of their relationship follow him for life. Vanessa starts sobbing, and she promises not to tell anyone.

The next day, Vanessa tells all the students on Jenny’s list that she lied about Strane. Her parents help her pack up her dorm, and Vanessa accidentally drops the Polaroid of her and Strane in front of her mom. Vanessa’s mom realizes the truth, though Vanessa still won’t admit it. Her mom is confused about why Vanessa wants to protect Strane. She offers to go back into the office with Vanessa so they can tell the truth, but Vanessa refuses. They leave campus.