Melinda Flint

Melinda Flint is a fictitious character in the Dreams to Reality continuity, having appeared in all three incarnations of the series as a villainous vixen responsible for the breakup of Jarrid Harlen and Nicole Halloway's relationship. In the web series, it is revealed that she is actually the daughter of serial killer Jake Tenners, better known as Skullface, and Elaine Flint. She has an unhealthy obsession with her ex-boyfriend, Josh Poncek, who is now dating Nicole after he broke up with her for her role in the break-up of Jarrid and Nicole's relationship, and is determined to win him back away from Nicole, through any means necessary. In the web series, she is in the eighth grade at Eagle Creek Junior High School. In the novel series, a time before her break-up with Josh is featured, and before her relationship with Josh ended, she was a much kinder individual, but was quite jealous of other girls. Presumably, Melinda will eventually turn into a villainess in the novel series and be responsible for Nicole and Jarrid's relationship ending, but any plans for how this will happen are not yet available.

Melinda Breaks Jarrid and Nicole Up... and Herself and Josh at the Same Time
On the night before Nicole Halloway's 14th birthday on October 30, 1999, Melinda walked down Eagle Creek Boardwalk over the Eagle Creek river, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Josh and Nicole begin to kiss each other from a distance. Crushed at Josh's betrayal and enraged at Nicole, Melinda went to Jarrid's house in tears, where she told him that there was something that he needed to know, and told him that she walked in on Josh and Nicole in bed together. The next day, Halloween, Nicole would show up at Melinda's house and confront her about telling Jarrid about her date with Josh and lying to him about seeing the two of them having sex. Melinda claimed that it was a birthday present to Nicole and said that by dating Josh, Nicole is trying to ruin her life, so in return, she will ruin Nicole's life by telling Jarrid everything. Later that night at a Halloween party, Nicole was dressed as a witch at the party, and her costume included a rubber mask, which she took off at one point and set on a table because it was too hot to wear. Melinda took the mask after Nicole left it unattended and began to brush super glue along the inner lining of the mask, clearly plotting to glue it to her face when she put it on again. Subsequent to these events, Josh would break up with Melinda after he learned what she had told Jarrid, and would later begin dating Nicole. Melinda would spend months trying to break Josh and Nicole apart so she can get back together with him, to the point that it is actually an actively unhealthy obsession by late spring 2000. (DtRW #1)

Vendetta Against Nicole Turns Dangerous
On a late spring day at Eagle Creek Junior High School, Melinda witnessed Nicole having an argument with Jarrid in between classes and decided to antagonize Nicole about it before their science class together, telling her it was too bad her lies to Jarrid didn't work, and wonders how Josh would like it if he knew that Nicole was trying to get her ex-boyfriend back, and decided maybe she would tell him. Nicole snapped at Melinda to shut up and to get away from her, but Melinda threatened to make it look like Nicole was ready to have an affair with another guy. Nicole told Melinda to get a life and to "buzz off," and accused her of screwing up her life enough for one lifetime. Melinda asked Nicole what about what Nicole had done to her life, but Nicole said that she didn't need any help making her look like the bitch that she is. Melinda accused Nicole of taking Josh away from her, and an aggravated Nicole tells her that she didn't take anyone away from anyone, and adds that maybe if Melinda's performance with Josh hand't been so pathetic, he wouldn't have asked her out. Nicole then said that Melinda must not be as hot as she thinks she is, which prompted Melinda to make an attempt to slap Nicole, only for Nicole to block the blow. Later on, during the science class, Melinda and Nicole were seated at a table with Lisa Walker and Christina Davis, where Melinda called Nicole a slut and threatened to bury her if she doesn't stay out of her way. Nicole simply told her to shut up and said she was sick of her stupidity. Lisa would speak up and tell them to give it a rest and ask how much longer they were planning to "bitch at each other like this," prompting Melinda to tell Lisa to shut up. Nicole would in turn take Lisa's side, saying that she's sure that Lisa and Christina don't like that they have to sit here and listen to the two of them rehash the same argument every day and tells her to shut up. The science teacher, Mrs. Jackson, tells all four girls to be quiet before returning to her lecture. Melinda quietly told Nicole that she couldn't believe that Josh chose Nicole over her because Nicole is "nothing more than a $2 slut, and he's singing your praises like you're the Virgin Mary!" Nicole responded by slapping Melinda across the face. Melinda would punch Nicole in the face, knocking Nicole into a table behind her. Nicole recovered, jumping on top of Melinda, punching her and pulling her hair while Melinda got a hold of some of Nicole's hair and began pulling as well while the two began rolling around on the floor of the classroom in a vicious struggle, much to their classmates' entertainment, who cheered and whooped while Mrs. Jackson broke the fight up, pulling Nicole off of Melinda. She screamed at the two of them to knock it off, but Nicole would try to make one last lunge after Melinda, only to be held back by Mrs. Jackson. Melinda stood up, called Nicole a bitch, and told her that she just made a big mistake, one that could turn into her last. Mrs. Jackson would at this point send the two of them to the principal's office. Nicole stormed out of the office first, slamming the door behind her before Melinda could get out of it while it was still open, requiring her to reopen the door and then slam it behind her after she went out. Melinda would run up the stairs heading to the principal's office and grab a handful of Nicole's hair at the top of the steps. Melinda reminds her that she told her that she would regret what she just did, and now planned to make sure Nicole does right now. Nicole attempted to shove Melinda off of her, and asked what she was going to do. Melinda slapped Nicole, which prompted Nicole to slap her back, so Melinda grabbed Nicole's neck, and Nicole did the same in return. The two struggled at the top of the steps briefly before Melinda would get the upper hand and drag Nicole over to the head of the stairs. Nicole cried for Melinda to stop, because she was about to fall over the stairs, but Melinda would only coldy tell her that was the idea and that she would see her when she sees her before shoving Nicole backward down the stairs. Nicole screamed as she fel down the flight of stairs, while Melinda watched from the top with a cold smile on her face. Later in the principal's office, Melinda claimed to the principal, Rose Manning, that Nicole had attacked her and was trying to kill her before Mrs. Jackson came over and pulled Nicole off of her and sent them both here. Melinda further claimed that on the way up the stairs to the office that Nicole tried to kill her again, and that she accidentally pushed her down the stairs. Rose was shocked to hear this, and asked if Nicole was still alive, but Melinda said she was too afraid to check, but that she was probably still unconscious down at the bottom of the staircase. Rose ordered Melinda to remain in the office, advising her to get comfortable, as she wouldn't be leaving for a while before she rushed off to check on Nicole. The school's secretary, Nancy Cline, would shoo Melinda back into the office when she peeked her head out after Rose left her alone in the office. Melinda would think to herself at this point that now that Nicole has been "taken care of," Josh is going to come back to her. Soon, Melinda's next-door neighbor and fellow student Brandon Danber rushed into the office to have somebody call 911, but Nancy assumed he was there to report Nicole Halloway being found unconscious, but Brandon was actually talking about Mark Shane, who Brandon would go on to claim was injured while playing a baseball game when Brandon himself hit a line drive straight back at Mark, who was pitching, and the ball hit him in the chest and knocked him unconscious. Nancy would then call 911 for a second time to request another ambulance for Mark while Brandon noticed Melinda in Rose's office and come over to confront her about why she was in the office and what it had to do with the news that Nicole was pushed down a flight of stairs. Melinda admitted that she pushed Nicole down the stairs because Nicole angered her and they had a physical altercation in science class, for which Mrs. Jackson sent them to the principal's office, but while they were going up the stairs, Nicole "got all uptight, so I had to... correct the problem." Brandon asked Melinda if she's completely lost her mind, but Melinda claimed to be as sane as ever (which Brandon privately didn't think was saying very much). Brandon asked Melinda what she and Nicole were fighting about in the first place, so Melinda explained that they were fighting about Josh and the "fact" that Nicole is also trying to get Jarrid back and keep Josh on the side, which Melinda couldn't let her get away with. Brandon told her that Josh is the one who broke up with her, so she shouldn't be trying to get into his life when he wants nothing to do with her. However, Melinda felt that the only reason Josh wasn't still with her is because of Nicole using her looks and "so-called charm" to get Josh to ask her out on a date that she shouldn't even have been going on in the first place because she was dating Jarrid at the time. Brandon reminded her about what Melinda did after she found out about Josh and Nicole's first date and about how her actions were so self-destructive that it ended her own relationship with Josh. He pointed out to her that Nicole is certainly going to tell Josh that Melinda is the one who pushed her down the stairs, and there would be no way he'd break up with Nicole and come back to her now. Melinda didn't care about that, only that Nicole got what she had coming to her and that she was lucky Melinda hadn't done something like this sooner. Rose returned to the office at this point and ordered Melinda back into the office, where she slammed the door behind her and continued to yell at Melinda. Rose accused Melinda of deliberately pushing Nicole down the stairs, and as Melinda began to defend against this claim, Rose threatened to make her punishment much more severe if she lied. Melinda admitted that she did push Nicole down the stairs deliberately, so Rose demands to know why. Melinda replies simply that Nicole was getting on her nerves. When a shocked Rose asked, "So you decided to try to kill her?!" Melinda told her that Nicole took her boyfriend away from her and rubbed in in her face every chance she got, so when Melinda told Nicole exactly what she thought of her, Nicole attacked her. Melinda would go on to claim that after Mrs. Jackson broke up the fight and sent them out of class, at the top of the stairs, Nicole came after her again, and in order to get Nicole off of her and out of her life, she pushed her, and Nicole fell down the stairs. Rose asked Melinda to claify that Nicole's injuries, the fight the two of them had, and now the publicity that is going to come to this school because of Nicole's accident is because of a boy, and Melinda confirms this to be the case. A frustrated Rose noted how obvious it was that there is an underlying story dealing with the hatred that Melinda and Nicole had for one another, but if any medical problems should arise with Nicole as a result of her fall down the stairs, Melinda would be expelled and arrested. Melinda asked what would happen if Nicole does recover, and Rose said that as of now, Melinda is suspended for ten school days. Melinda protested about the dance, but Rose snapped at her to "forget the damn dance," and suspended her from school until June 8, the final day of the school year, so she isn't allowed back to the school after today until the first day of school in the fall. Melinda asked about her final exams, and Rose arranged for her to come in to school on June 12 and June 13 to take final exams, warning her that had this incident occurred the following day, the suspension would have been carried over to include the first day of the next school year, which would have meant she would have automatically failed her final exams and would have had to repeat her eighth grade year. When Melinda figured she should be grateful, then, Rose snapped at her that she should be grateful that she doesn't call the police and have her arrested right now, but adds that Nicole and her parents may do that much anyway. Melinda asked Rose what was to happen with her for the remainder of the school day, and Rose told her to remain in the office. Melinda silently vowed to make Nicole wish that she had stayed out of her life. Soon, Rose and Nancy had both left Melinda alone in the office when Josh walked into the office and called out for Melinda. Melinda emerged from the office and said hello to him. Josh demanded to know if she pushed Nicole down the stairs, but Rose returned to the office to this point and confirmed that Melinda did in fact push Nicole down the stairs, but ordered him back to class before he could react. Josh then explains to Rose that he and Ashley Chamberlain would like to leave school early to go with Mark and Nicole to the hospital, but Rose immediately denied the request on the grounds that they would have no way of getting there, with the ambulances having already left and personally doubting that Josh or Ashley drove to school today (because they would not yet be 16 years old). Josh realized that Rose was right, shot Melinda a nasty look, and left the office. Rose presumed that Josh was the boy behind the chaos around here today, and Melinda asked how she knew. Rose responded that he just asked her if he could go to the hospital to be with Nicole, and nobody else named Nicole was pushed down a flight of stairs today. (DtRW #1)

At the end of the school day near a secluded stairway in the school, Josh would suddenly step out in front of Melinda from behind a set of lockers, startling her. Josh asked her if she was worried, and told her she should be. Melinda replied that Josh startled her and asked him what was going on, which infuriated Josh, who asked if that was all she had to say for herself and couldn't believe her nerve. He accused Melinda of trying to kill Nicole today and then have the nerve to act as though it never happened. Melinda claimed that Nicole tried to kill her as well, but Josh told Melinda that she is lying, because she even admitted to him that she pushed Nicole down a flight of stairs on purpose earlier in Mrs. Manning's office. He demanded to know what she was trying to pull, and as Melinda claimed she wasn't up to anything, Josh suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her over to the top of the stairs, saying that she pushed Nicole down the stairs earlier and that now she should give him one reason why he shouldn't do the same to her. Melinda said that she could be killed, but Josh didn't care about this, because she didn't care when she pushed Nicole down the stairs. At this point, however, David Richards and Mandy Marin would arrive on the scene and prevent Josh from pushing Melinda down the stairs. Josh demanded to know what Mandy was doing, and Mandy told Josh that he could have killed Melinda, but Josh felt Melinda deserved everything she gets. Melinda told Josh not to say that, but Mandy would be the one to yell at her to shut up this time. Josh asked Melinda why he shouldn't say that, because Nicole may die because of what she did to her, so there's no reason why Melinda shouldn't be the next one to take a tumble down the stairs. Mandy pointed out to Josh that if he pushes Melinda down the stairs, he'd be no better than Melinda, who scoffed at this. Mandy turned on Melinda and asked her what she had to say, and Melinda said that David and Mandy were acting as if Josh was actually going to push her down the stairs. Josh yelled at her that he really was going to and called her a stupid whore. David would physically lead Josh away from Melinda at this point, and Mandy asked Melinda if it was worth it to ruin everyone's lives by telling Jarrid that Nicole slept with Josh that night and accused her of being so desperate to get Josh back that she's pushing people down flights of stairs. Melinda told Mandy that she doesn't know anything about this and to stay out of it. Mandy understood that Melidna has had a rough few months watching Josh and Nicole get closer, but this would only anger Melinda. Mandy wouldn't judge Melinda or what she has done, but tells her that she is so fixed on getting Josh back even though it's her own fault that Josh broke up with her in the first place because of what she told Jarrid in October. Melinda slapped Mandy in the face, ordering her to leave her alone and threatened to make Mandy the next one to take a tumble down the stairs if she doesn't stay away from her before taking off down the stairs away from her. Later, Melinda arrived at home and listens to a voice message on the answering machine that was left at 2:34 PM that day. The message was of a distorted voice claiming to be Melinda's father and that he was coming for her, and that they could get rid of "that pest Nicole forever." The voice began to laugh, frightening Melinda as the message ended. The phone suddenly rand, startling Melinda even further, but she composed herself and answered the phone. Jarrid was calling to demand that she explain to him why he got a disgusting note from "some sicko" telling him that Nicole is dead and that he would be next if he got in the way. Melinda didn't know what Jarrid was talking about and asked him how Nicole was doing, but Jarrid knew that Melinda didn't care. Melinda admitted that he was right about that, but does tell him that the note might have been sent by the same person who left the ominous message on her answering machine. She then played the message for Jarrid, before telling him that she thinks that the note was probably from that person. Jarrid asked Melinda who her father was, but Melinda didn't know because her mother had never told her who he is and he wasn't ever in her life. She claimed that every time she would ask her mother about who her father is, she would change the subject or simply refuse to tell her. Jarrid told Melinda to call the police, but Melinda wanted to tell her mother about this first. Jarrid ordered her to call the police right now, and Melinda agreed to before Jarrid ended the call. However, Melinda had no intention of calling the police until she and her mother had a little talk. Melinda's mother, Elaine, would soon arrive home and ask her how school was that day. Melinda said it was wonderful before telling her that she was done with school until the end of August now because of a little incident with Nicole, casually mentioning that Nicole fell down the stairs as she was trying to steer the conversation directly to the voice mail from the person claiming to be her father. Elaine wouldn't be led off the subject of Melinda's suspension from school that easily, demanding to know if she pushed Nicole down a flight of stairs, and Melinda admitted that she did. Elaine began to yell at Melinda, but Melinda simply replayed the voice mail from her father, then told her mother to explain that to her. (DtRW #2)

Personality
Even at an early stage in the web series, it is clear that Melinda is a fairly delusional, obsessive teen girl who is very upset over the loss of her first true love, Josh Poncek to her rival, Nicole Halloway. Upon seeing her boyfriend Josh kissing Nicole while on a date, a furious Melinda got back at Nicole by going to Nicole's boyfriend, Jarrid, and claiming that she saw the two of them having sex together, which would lead Jarrid to break up with Nicole, and Josh to in turn break up with Melinda once her role in Jarrid and Nicole's breakup became known. Melinda would then spend months trying to devise ways to break Josh and Nicole up, getting progressively more unstable as time went on, culminating in when she pushed Nicole down a flight of stairs at school one day, knocking Nicole unconscious for a time and causing her to be briefly hospitalized.

Josh Poncek
Prior to the beginning of the web series, Melinda had enjoyed a relationship with Josh Poncek for a time, but around the end of October 1999, Josh asked Nicole Halloway out on a date, and she accepted, despite her own relationsihp with Jarrid Harlen at the time. Melinda would spot Josh and Nicole kissing at the Boardwalk, unbeknownst to them at the time. A furious Melinda would later tell Nicole's boyfriend Jarrid that she walked in on Josh having sex with Nicole, which would lead to Jarrid breaking up with Nicole, Nicole confronting Melinda over her breakup with Jarrid, Josh to break up with Melinda for her role in Jarrid and Nicole's break up, and ultimately, to Josh and Nicole getting together, which means that the entire scenario was created by Melinda and is her own fault. Melinda would spend several months trying to break Josh and Nicole up in hopes that Josh would fall back in love with her, but by late May 2000, had failed every time, and has in fact made Josh hate her more than anything by this point, especially after she pushed Nicole down a flight of stairs at school. In fact, he was so furious with Melinda that he nearly pushed her down a flight of stairs in retaliation for what she did to Nicole, but the arrival of David Richards and Mandy Marin would stop him from doing so. He would later claim to simply be trying to scare her out of his and Nicole's lives, but whether or not he actually would have gone through with pushing Melinda down the stairs is unknown. (DtRW #1-2)

Background & Trivia

 * The character of Melinda has been a villain since she was first thought up, but in the novel series, she is not anywhere near as unstable as she is depicted in the novellas and web series, because in the novels, the story begins at a time when Josh and Melinda are still together and have not yet broken up. Nicole and Jarrid are still a couple at the beginning of the novel series, as well, so it is presumed that as the novel series progresses, eventually Josh will ask Nicole on a date, and the background story presented in the web series will play out in some fashion as a "live" storyline and eventually lead to Melinda turning into the villainous character she was depicted as being in the novellas and web series.
 * In the web series, an originally-unintended plot twist was written in establishing Melinda as the daughter of Skullface (Jake Tenners), a serial killer that had begun terrorizing the town. This is likely to be carried over in the novel series, but will not be made abundantly clear at first. The entire idea of Melinda being related to Skullface only came into being in the web series in order to establish a connection between Skullface and Melinda to explain why Skullface was targeting Nicole and making a number of attempts on her life.

Quotes
"I cannot believe that Josh chose you over me! You're nothing more than a $2 slut, and he's singing your praises like you're the Virgin Mary!" -- ''Melinda, to Nicole, shortly before Nicole slapped Melinda and started a catfight during science class. ''(DTRW #1)

(while holding Nicole over the edge of a staircase):
 * Nicole: "Stop it! I'm going over!"
 * Melinda: "That's the idea. See you when I see you." (Melinda shoves Nicole, who screams as she falls backward down the staircase.) (DtRW #1)