Urban underground

Teenager Jaris Spain is surprised to hear gunfire in his neighborhood and learns that thirteen-year-old Maya Archer was caught in the crossfire, but a rumor spreads that the shot was meant for DeWayne Pike, and Jaris decides to discover the truth.

Jaris Spain has been in love with the beautiful Sereeta Prince since junior high, but her refusal to even acknowledge Jaris plunges him into a depression and makes him consider drastic measures to get her attention.

Loud talk preceded shouting, and then shots rang out. One boy was lying on the sidewalk. Police were not saying so, but he appeared to be dead. At school on Monday, everybody at Tubman was talking about the Grant Street Shooting. As far as anybody could tell, the victim was an innocent bystander. (Taken from back cover.).

Jaris Spain has a hard time believing in himself. Between his pessimistic father, his falsely optimistic mother, his failure at sports, difficulty in the classroom, and inability to be noticed by the one girl that matters to him, Jaris struggles to find his own place in the world.

On his way home from work, Derrick Shaw witnesses a murder and to save himself he promises not to reveal the identity of the killer, a former Tubman student, but the guilt of the cover-up proves to be too much for Derrick as he contemplates turning in the shooter.

When Trevor's mother discourages his relationship with known troublemaker Vanessa, Trevor hides it from his family and friends.

While Naomi struggles with her abusive ex-boyfriend returning to school, Ernesto hopes she will see him as more than a friend.

Sereeta Prince, trying to cope with problems with her family, is blamed for a string of thefts at Tubman High School and starts to fall into a depression.

At school it looks like Naomi and Clay are just a happy couple. But there's a darkness in him. He doesn't treat Naomi right. He's jealous and spiteful. So why does Naomi put up with a guy like Clay? Ernesto tries to understand why Naomi puts up with physical abuse from her boyfriend.

Chelsea Spain, tired of her father's harsh rules, decides to take some risks with her life, but when her immature friends start egging her on more and more, she is not sure every temptation is worth it.