"You, darling, are The DUFF.
Designated. Ugly. Fat. Friend."
The book does contain language that
may be offensive to some and sex occurs but is never graphically described. The overall power message of the book makes it a worthwhile read.
Bianca Piper is at a teen night club
with her friends, Jessica and Casey. She is the protective best friend who
drags them away from the boys who might take advantage of them after a night of
dancing, flirting and attracting attention. While wishing she was anywhere but
The Nest, a guy who remarkable didn't smell bad sits down beside her, a change
from the usual guys she unwittingly attracts. When Bianca turns to see who it
is, she is angry that the school's hottest guy and biggest player, Wesley Rush,
is trying to talk to her. When she begins to question his motives, he informs
her that he needs her help. It is a proven fact that guys who talk to the Duff
gets on the good side of the girls with whom she is friends with. Jessica and
Casey are good looking and Bianca is their Duff, the designated, ugly, fat
friend. Even if Wesley looks like a Greek god, Bianca knows that his soul was empty
and black. Furious, she pours her Cherry Coke over his head. Grabbing her
friends, they leave the club. At home later that night, Bianca catches a
glimpse of herself in the mirror and Wesley's words come rushing back. She
wonders why they bother her so much.
One night after a particular hard
day at school, Bianca overhears her father begging her mother to come home
during a phone call. A motivational speaker, her mother has spent more time on
the road than at home since her own mother died. Making herself scarce until
her father hangs up, Bianca walks in as if she has heard nothing. Asking what
is wrong, her father tells her that he would really like some time alone. She
calls Casey and the three of them head to The Nest. Drowning her sorrows over
Cherry Coke at the bar, the bartender cuts her off when she has had too many.
Worrying over her father being alone, he is a recovering alcoholic; she is
frustrated when Wesley sits beside her. He is still hoping to score with one
her friends. She keeps telling him to leave but he quickly senses something is
wrong with her. Making her to look at him, Bianca cracks and suddenly kisses
him. Shocked at first, Wesley responses and Bianca begins to feel better. Then
Wesley does a stupid thing and Bianca comes to her senses. She slaps him.
Storming off, Bianca is more upset with herself than with Wesley.
Doing well to avoid Wesley for over
a week, one day their English teacher, Mrs. Perkins, pairs them up to write an
easy together. Unhappy, Bianca makes plans for Wesley to come over to her house
to work the following afternoon. Bianca has a girls' night in with Casey and Jessica
instead of going to the homecoming dance. Coming home the next morning, she
finds the house trashed. Her mother sent divorce papers to her father and he
fell off the sobriety bandwagon. Beer bottles and pictures frames are smashed
all over the living room. She hears her father snoring in his bedroom. Starting
to clean up her father's mess, the phone rings. It is Wesley calling to say
that he is on his way over to start working on their essay for The Scarlet Letter. Not knowing what her
father will be like when he wakes up, Bianca tells him that she will come to
his house instead.
Arriving at the Rush mansion, Bianca
is unsettled when Wesley says that his computer is in his bedroom and that they
will need to work there. Surprised by the vast space of his room, Wesley asks
her what she would like to write about. He was thinking about why Hester had
her affair and gives his reasons. Bianca shoots back that maybe she just needed
the distraction. Her mind wanders back to the divorce papers her mother sent.
Wesley says that if that was the case, it didn't end too well for her. While thinking
back to another time, Wesley calls her Bianca Duffy and asks what she is
thinking about. She snaps at him not to call her that. As he is asking, "are
you okay, Bianca---?" She moves to kiss him. Surprised, he
doesn't hesitate to kiss her back. When she pulls away, Wesley asks her not to
slap him again. Wanting her mind blank, she does the unthinkable. She has sex
with Wesley so that she can escape her problems for a little while. Afterwards,
they get started on their paper.
As she is leaving to go home, Bianca
asks Wesley not to say a word about what happened between them. He asks if it
is going to happen again. She thinks to what waits her at home. He then asks if
she is alright. She rushes out of the house. Wesley follows her out to her car.
He bends down to her level and looks her in the eye. He asks her what is
bothering her. Wesley knows that something is wrong with Bianca. She can tell
that he is being sincere. She whispers that it doesn't matter if she is or not
and leaves.
The following week only goes downhill
for Bianca. The one boy who broke her heart is in town for a visit, with his
fiancé. Her father is in denial over the divorce papers her mother sent. And
Bianca finds that the only escape is in the arms of Wesley, the boy who she
cannot stand. But what happens when Bianca realizes that she isn't the only one
having difficulties in life? Will Bianca be able to stay away from Wesley or is
he the one good thing in her life? What will her friends think when they find
out the secrets that Bianca has been keeping? Can she put her life back on
track? What happens when Bianca realizes that she is falling in love with
Wesley?
The DUFF will be released in
theaters on February 20, 2015.
