What Happened To Rachel Riley?

An assignment brief details “The Un-Essay” for Ms. O’Dell’s social issues class. It is a semester-long project on any social issue topic of the student’s choosing, which can be in any format except an essay.

In a voice recording on September 8 for the social issues class, Anna introduces herself and her family. She is 12 years old and is young for eighth grade because she started kindergarten early. She just moved to Madison, Wisconsin, from Chicago. Her parents are lawyers, and her mother is going to teach at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Her 16-year-old older sister, Nikola, or “Nik,” is a tech genius. Anna promises to pick a topic for the social issues project soon.

On September 9, Principal Lila Howe writes an email to the parents of the eighth graders at East Middle School, addressing a food fight that broke out in the cafeteria.

On September 9, Blake Wyatt writes an apology note for the food fight to Principal Howe, claiming that it is unfair for Riz Kapoor, who joked about Blake having a crush on Rachel Riley, to not have to write an apology note, too. On September 10, he writes a note apologizing for throwing a hamburger at Riz.

In a voice recording on September 13, Anna explains her choice of topic for the social issues project. When the names of students are called out in the cafeteria on their birthdays, there is usually some clapping or cheering for everyone. Anna, although being new, received a few polite claps that day; however, the announcement also called out Rachel’s name, and she was met with complete silence. This surprised Anna. Later that day, Anna was further surprised to see Rachel front and center in several dance team pictures in the trophy case. Rachel’s Instagram profile also contains multiple pictures with friends, and the final posts are at the end of seventh grade. Intrigued, Anna wants to explore “[w]hat happened to Rachel Riley” (15).

Over the next couple of days, Maja, Anna’s mother, and Ms. O’Dell exchange emails about Anna’s proposed project. Maja argues for Anna’s right to a project of her choosing; however, Ms. O’Dell disallows a school project based on another student’s popularity.

Nik helps Anna download the latest episode of her favorite podcast, “Stories of Our Lives with Mimi Miller.” Mimi, who interviews people from all walks of life, inspired Anna to think of doing her social issues project on Rachel. Maja and Jamie, the girls’ parents, call them down for dinner. Maja urges Anna to pick a new social issues topic, having failed to convince Ms. O’Dell about Rachel. She also suggests that Anna make some friends while Anna privately reflects on how she doesn’t care too much about fitting in; she prefers books.

Anna ponders why she cares so much about what happened to Rachel. She remembers how Rachel, who is in her algebra class, took the time to help Anna find the right homeroom on her first day. Anna believes that anyone who takes the time to help an overwhelmed classmate deserves some applause on their birthday. After dinner, she looks through social media and discovers that Rachel used to be friends with two popular girls: Jordan Russell and Kaylee Nakamura. She decides to start her investigation with them.

On September 15, Jordan and Kaylee write notes to each other in class, discussing how Anna has been asking around about Rachel. Kaylee insinuates that Anna should have asked Jordan, as the latter has the most right to be angry with Rachel. Jordan then has to write a note to Mr. Krall-Ryan, their teacher, apologizing for writing notes during class.

Northwestern University announces a podcasting summit for children. The summit will accept 10 participants, and Mimi Miller will mentor the students for two weeks in creating a mini-series. The mini-series will be released on a new podcasting network for teens that Mimi is creating. The application deadline is December 31.

Anna emails her grandmother, Katarzyna “Babcia” Kowalski, who lives in Poland. She tells her about how she still plans to investigate what happened to Rachel and use it to apply to the podcasting summit. Anna spoke to Rachel during lunch and told her about her original idea for the social issues project. To her surprise, Rachel revealed that she knows why she is ostracized. However, she refused to tell Anna, urging her to figure it out on her own. Anna confesses that she likes Rachel already for having the guts to read a book in the cafeteria all by herself, and she says that she will investigate what happened to her. She also tells Babcia that she chose to do her science project on penguins.

On September 16, Anna begins recording for her podcast. She details how Kaylee clammed up when she brought up Rachel and how Jordan has been avoiding Anna ever since. She plans to speak to Bee Becker next, whom she sits next to in French class.

Principal Howe emails Sierra Kincaid, admonishing her for badmouthing the East Middle School students to their Zumba class because of “last year’s unfortunate incident” hosted by Sierra at her farm (40). Principal Howe notes that the student responsible for the incident was adequately punished and that the seventh-grade class lost their Spring Fling dance.

Anna asks Bee about Rachel in French class. Bee doesn’t give her any details but warns Anna about befriending Rachel. Bee also spots Anna’s application to the podcasting summit; she knows Mimi Miller and thinks that Anna submitting a podcast about Rachel is an “intense idea.” Shortly after French class, everyone appears to have heard about Anna and her podcast idea through Bee. Anna thinks about why she cannot let this go. She reflects that there is right and wrong in the world and that people ought to care about injustice.

On September 16, Principal Howe emails the parents of the eighth-grade class, inviting them to the Harvest Fest fundraiser.

Cody McLeen and an unnamed person discuss Anna’s curiosity about Rachel Riley over text message, agreeing that it would be really bad if Anna found out what happened. Later, Principal Howe emails Cody’s mother, Lana, letting her know that Cody’s phone was confiscated for texting in class.

Bee messages Anna about French homework. She asks if Anna is angry that Bee let Anna’s podcast idea slip to the other eighth graders. Bee says that Rachel did something that made everyone angry and tells Anna not to feel bad for Rachel.

In the library at school, Anna ponders what Rachel could have done to make everyone turn their backs on her. Blake and Riz come up to Anna, having heard about her interest in Rachel. They suggest that one of the other boys in their group of friends, Cody, is secretly still friends with Rachel: Someone has seen the two of them together at Lee’s Dairy Emporium. Anna wonders why Cody is trying to keep his friendship with Rachel a secret.

On September 26, Principal Howe emails Sierra apologizing for her previous email. She also mentions that the original venue for the Harvest Fest fundraiser was canceled, so it will be hosted at Sierra’s new event space instead. In a follow-up email, Principal Howe sends Sierra a document that she requested stating that the school takes all responsibility for any vandalism that takes place at Kincaid Farms Events Barn; she promises to forward a second requested document soon.

On September 27, Principal Howe emails Kristy Riley, Rachel’s mother, a waiver to sign where Kristy accepts all financial consequences for any damage that Rachel may do at the Harvest Fest fundraiser. Kristy replies, stating her disappointment that Rachel is being treated this way despite there being more to the story of what happened at the dairy barn the previous year. The Rileys will not attend the fundraiser.

On September 29, Anna attempts to interview and voice record a conversation with Cody. However, he denies being friends with Rachel and calls Blake a liar.

Jordan and Kaylee write notes to each other, discussing their outfits for Harvest Fest. Kaylee wonders if they should invite Anna to come with them, but Jordan vetoes this, saying that Anna asks too many questions.

On September 30, Anna emails Babcia, telling her about how she is attending Harvest Fest on her parents’ urging that she make some friends. Anna doesn’t want to, describing how girls in eighth grade are still extremely self-conscious and caught up in wanting to portray a certain image. However, Nik, who barely left her room back in Chicago, has made some friends and joined a high school club for coders. Anna ends her email with a penguin fact from her science project.

Anna goes to Nik’s room to borrow clothes for the fundraiser and finds her texting; Anna thinks that she is messaging Bronson Webb, a boy who has been showing some interest in her. Jamie, Maja, and Anna arrive at Kincaid Farms, where Bee finds Anna and invites her to join the “others,” which is the popular group: Kaylee, Jordan, Blake, and Riz. Bee asks her not to bring up Rachel, as the others don’t like talking about her; Rachel is not even allowed on the premises and is not attending the fundraiser.

Jordan welcomes her, and Anna reflects on how Jordan is extremely nice to everyone. However, after half an hour of talking about social media and other people, Anna gets bored and goes back to her parents. As they are leaving, she overhears Maja and Lana McLeen, Cody’s mom, talking about how the old barn burned down last year. Anna remembers Bee’s comment about Rachel and infers that perhaps she started a fire.