“How to Deal” is a book written by Sarah Dessen. It is a teenage life story of Halley Martin, a 17-year old girl who dreams to have life to be somehow perfect yet satisfying. Halley is a victim of dysfunctional relationships from her divorced mother, Lydia and her sister Ashley who has an arrogant boyfriend that treated her so badly. Scarlett, Halley’s best friend loves to cling with his own boyfriend, until unexpectedly, she got pregnant. Scarlett’s boyfriend died before their first baby was born. It was also a sad story for Halley because another broken relationship has just been added to her list. Dealing with difficult people, the mere fact that her father’s so called soon-to be wife was a hypocrite woman whom Halley dislikes. Being so desperate and hopeless, Halley doesn’t believe in love anymore until one day, Macon Forrester, a close friend of Scarlett’s boyfriend came along his way. Halley is still afraid of love because she sees life as a misery. At first, Halley seems to be passive to meet Macon because of her past experiences with her dysfunctional family, and yet she learns to love Macon even more day by day.
Macon changed everything. Macon made her very happy. But life isn’t perfect. Though Halley loves Macon, she is still afraid of loving and she has so many doubts that one day she might be left alone again. One day, they argued with each other regarding one’s worth. They met a an accident that day while driving along the road. Halley was sent to the hospital but her injury was not that serious. At the end, her life’s tragedy became a romantic and a happy one with the birth of Scarlett’s baby and the wedding of her sister Ashley with their mother witnessing the event. Halley and Macon still loves each other with the realization that life is too short and expressing their love to each other everyday. That’s Halley’s how to deal life story. It’s her own tragedy and at the same time victory of love and hope at the end of the line.