its 2002 a year after 911 its an extremely turbulent time politically but especially so for someone like shirin a sixteenyearold muslim girl whos tired of being stereotypedshirin is never surprised by how horrible people can be shes tired of the rude stares the degrading comments even the physical violence she endures as a result of her race her religion and the hijab she wears every day so shes built up protective walls and refuses to let anyone close enough to hurt her instead she drowns her frustrations in music and spends her afternoons breakdancing with her brotherbut then she meets ocean james hes the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know shirin it terrifies her they seem to come from two irreconcilable worlds and shirin has had her guard up for so long that shes not sure shell ever be able to let it down