It's the summer of 1971, and Andy Hanson, a junior high student, lives a quiet, uneventful life in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Now, however, he must confront what was once a simple assumption: who is his friend? A chance encounter with a student--a young man Andy once wrote off as 'a waste of life'--provokes the youngster onto a tumultuous journey. As if the turmoil confronting Andy regarding who he believed were his friends and the social implications that this student has thrust upon him were not enough, a serial killer of young boys lurks in the shadows, waiting for his next opportunity. The ruthless killer's activities drift along a path that will eventually cross the carefree pre-teen exploits of Andy and his friends. What remains of Andy's friendships and his friends at the story's end will prove how strong each was from the beginning.