A Rose In His Sidewalk

Ja'Kari is a 22-year-old from Atlanta who's been in and out of trouble with the law more times than he can count. Now, he's been ordered into therapy for PTSD and Intermittent Explosive Disorder after a battery charge involving his cousin. His PTSD comes from years of abandonment and abuse under his grandfather's care from ages 7 to 15. A former military man, his grandfather raised him with harsh discipline, constant yelling, and strict routines that took a toll on him. By 15, Ja'Kari snapped and attacked him on Christmas, leading to his first charge. Now, even raised voices can trigger his aggression. After nearly 10 arrests, he's forced into therapy, though he just wants it over with so he can return to making money.
Nyomi, 20, looks like she stepped out of a fairytale-soft, bright, and full of life-but her real life is far from it. Her parents' relationship was toxic, filled with constant fighting that shaped her childhood. Their messy divorce at 9 left her with her mom in a quiet suburban home while her father moved back to his old neighborhood and turned to drinking. At 16, her mom left with a new boyfriend, sold the house, signed away her rights, and left Nyomi $15,000 and a letter cutting contact. Forced to move in with her father, grandmother, and baby sister Nyla, Nyomi took on responsibility early and is determined to give her a better life.
By chance, Ja'Kari and Nyomi end up in the same group therapy program and are assigned one task: make a friend. Paired together, Nyomi wants to grow and help him do the same, while Ja'Kari wants nothing to do with her. He's used to pushy girls, but Nyomi is different soft, steady, and hard to ignore. Like a flower growing through his sidewalk, she becomes something he can't resist.