Dina Samson lives with her widowed mother in a good neighborhood. She attends a good school and is surrounded by dear friends. At sixteen years old she grasps the importance of a good education and takes her academic achievements seriously. Her goal is to earn a scholarship and then go on to college. When tragedy strikes her family things change quickly. Her mother's decision forces her into a dangerous neighborhood and a school plagued with problems. The only hope for her protection is seventeen year-old Tyrone Reynolds, a smart and savy high school football player. He takes on the responsibility to escort her through the pitfalls of the system. Dina learns the sacrifices of friendship and love as she becomes entangled in the world he lives in and in the family he loves.