Anton Robinson is a black high school senior six weeks shy of graduation. Six weeks shy of freedom. And six weeks shy of never seeing the girl of his dreams again. He’s resigned himself to this, albeit reluctantly and with a heavy heart, because he knows he has no legitimate reason to initiate a friendship with her. His love interest, Emma Chapman, moves in different circles, is clearly from a world of economic advantage, and just happens to be white. He cannot imagine she would ever be interested in a black boy from the ghetto. But his luck changes when he is paired with her for an end-of-term English assignment, and he hopes to flirt his way into her heart. Emma never noticed Anton before the start of their project but quickly develops an attraction to him that is undeniable. Spending nearly every day together, they discover surprising similarities and sharp differences between each other that excite them and draw them closer until they embark on a secret romance. They are too afraid of how their friends and family will react, but they recognize the impracticality of keeping their love secret. When they finally go public with their relationship, the consequences are shocking, swift, and life-changing.