First published 2000
Charlie Calmont keeps to himself. His parents are dead, and he has his older brother Trent. That's enough. When Charlie gets suspended for fighting at school, he meets Brandon Chase. Brandon comes from money and runs with the wealthy kids, but Charlie sees past the surface. The two boys discover they share more than either expected. They start opening up to each other, building something real. Then Brandon finds out that Trent is gay. Brandon pulls away from Charlie completely. Charlie must decide what friendship means and whether caring about someone is worth the pain it can bring. The story follows Charlie as he navigates loyalty, prejudice, and the cost of letting people matter to him.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, lgbt
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Library Binding · Bt Bound
Content warnings: homophobia