can't leave because she knows her brother needs her, and she questions "regular" peoples' perspective of "normal" and "abnormal." As Catherine continues her friendship with Jason, she realizes that, just like David and Jason, she too has trouble expressing her feelings even though she would be considered "normal." And, ironically, the more she helps Jason express himself through making him word cards, the more she is able toexpress her own thoughts and feelings through the word cards.
Catherine's fear of abnormality impacts her friendships. She blames her brother for her failed friendships, but the reality is that she is two different people when she is around her brother vs. when she is around people she sees as "normal." Soon, Catherine expresses her fears to her mother about being seen with either David or Jason because she worries about what people will think of her. When her mother replies, "Just because other people think something, that doesn't make it true," Catherine is finally able to embrace the idea of being herself and accepts Jason's invitation to the dance her "normal" friends Kristi and Ryan are attending. To her satisfaction, neither Kristi nor Ryan judge Catherine for being with Jason, allowing her to finally feel that she is no longer being ripped in two since she now sees that there isn't really a division between "normal" and "abnormal"--normal doesn't truly exist.