This story focuses on the lives of Tilo Garcia and Phoenix Rivera who have lived very different lives so far.
Tilo Garcia is 15 years old, having grown up all his life in a the safe small little town of Jefferson Hills. He's the son of two hard working, loving parents, and the middle child of 3. With his 2 cats, he's living a pretty average life. He got his best friend, a fun group of friends around, a social status thanks to being on the soccer team, and a nice new job at a café, earning his first own bucks of money. Basically, his life so far meant nothing but safety.
Phoenix Rivera is 16 years old, being born and raised in the neighborhood of Ravenwood, a dangerous one of the biggest city nearby. Gangs, drugs, poverty, sex, criminals are what rules Ravenwood. Police? Never heard of it. Phoenix grew up there with his mom and his older brother Kieran. And it may be a broken life they live, but at least the three of them are family. At least they get to live. That is until Kieran loses even that right, leaving Phoenix and his mother heartbroken. His mother, who was so hard-working and always there for her kids, can't deal with the loss of her older son, turning to drugs and loosing work. Phoenix eventually gets taken in by the foster care system, being put through it, before landing with a gay couple in a quiet town called Jefferson Hills.
When Phoenix needs to go back to school now, what will happen to him? Will he meet friends or enemies, or even lovers? Will Tilo like him, despise him, love him?
(Under Major Editing) this story contains descriptive self-mutilation, character death, alcohol abuse, drug/substance abuse, and bits of violence.
(ANYONE WHO IS UNDER 16 AND IS CURRENTLY SUICIDAL, DEALING WITH OR EXPERIENCING THOUGHTS OF SELF-HARM PLEASE JUST CHOOSE A DIFFERENT STORY.
THIS ISNT A FUN RIDE)
Johnny has always been different, the gang knew that. He was always doing something to be proud of but he'll forever be a greaser unless his folks actually started to care for him, and even then, he'll always be an outcast, a delinquent. Johnny doesn't mind that though, he likes it the way it is, but he mainly would just like things to be different at home, but he's content with the gang. He was okay with them.
Until his father dies.
His old man had always treated him like shit anyway, but there was something inside that was crushed. Dad would sometimes help little Johnny out, it was his mother that had made things worse for him. After his death, Johnny couldn't cope much anymore, he was used to being able to, but now his emotions were out of control. He starts to spiral downwards.
The gang is with him the whole time and tries their hardest to keep him at his best, but Johnny becomes irrational, too unpredictable for the gang to even understand but Johnny doesn't go down alone, he brings someone with him.