Summary

Chapter 1 opens with Shirin saying her family moves often, “always for the better, always to make our lives better, whatever” (1). She is a high school sophomore and has attended so many schools she cannot remember their names. She is about to start the third high school in two years. She is paralyzed by her anger. Shirin is accustomed to being ignored. When students talk to her, they tend to say “something offensive or stupid or both” which is why she tries to ignore everyone (2). She has trouble finding her AP English class and arrives there several minutes late. The teacher mispronounces her name, calls her “sweetheart,” and says she is in the wrong class. He directs her to the English as a Second Language class. She is used to this as well. She was born in America and has cousins who tease her...