Jacqueline Williams' life has always been a struggle. She has been left by her father to look after her three younger siblings and clinically depressed mother. He returns from time-to-time with enough money to last until his next visit. Although hardened, desperate, and incapable of crying, she has been able to eck a small life for her and her family out of what she has been given to work with. But when her youngest sister goes missing- that, I guess, is when everything starts to fall apart.

"Dear Corinne, do you ever feel beautiful? Cuz you are. Stunning. I wish I could be stunning. Love, Leigh" Leigh is a full out eat-alone, grade eleven loser. She has one friend who has to divide her time between dozens of people. And Leigh feels anything but beautiful. But when her math teacher starts keeping her after class and pushing her past her limits, and a boy shows up to sit with her during lunch (and her lack of eating finally catches up with her), she doesn't know where to turn. So she spends her time writing hypothetical letters to the only person who has ever made her feel like she could be someone someday: her grade nine English teacher.