Twelve-year-old May is living in a desolate situation with only her
grandmother, who is depressed about the absence of May's mother, and her
father, who works long hours and is almost never around. Due to her
circumstance and her resentment over having to live in a low-income
neighborhood, May often finds herself picking fights and getting into
trouble.
But when May is caught graffiti-ing her least favorite teacher's
classroom, she is faced with a choice: expulsion or one-on-one summer
school with the teacher she most detests. Begrudgingly, May chooses
summer school and ultimately learns that her teacher has a secret past -
and might just hold the key to answers no one else will give May about
her mother.