When Charlie gets away from his drug dealing father and is sent to live with his grandparents, things aren't suddenly okay. Charlie's broken. He's not sure he ever wasn't broken. When things get unbearable, the only thing that helps Charlie feel grounded is music. What can he do when he runs out of batteries for his old walkman? At school crowds of people gather to watch Travis perform, but when he goes home his only company is his cat. He escaped his abusive parents, but now he lives with his older brother who is usually away working. Will the strange, quiet boy he finds sitting on his porch trying to listen in on his music put an end to his loneliness?

"...now I'm falling..."

When things with his step brother finally escalate too far and Gabe gets seriously injured, he's sent to stay with another family for a while. Unfortunately the guy Gabe's sharing bunk beds with has taken an instant dislike to him for no apparent reason.