Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of bullying. 

Nick Abbott lives in Bothell, Washington. He plays a basketball pickup game during the summer. Trent Dawson runs into him, and Nick calls a foul, but Trent thinks otherwise. As Trent acts like a bully, Nick lets it go. Trent’s older brother, Zack, appears. Zack is more bellicose than his younger brother, and he allegedly stole a gun from one of their mother’s boyfriends. Zack and Trent leave, though the game isn’t over.

The Dawsons live in the rental house across from Nick. Nick’s father, Matthew Abbott—Dad—thinks they’re “freeloaders” because they receive government assistance. Nick’s mother, Caroline Abbott—Mom—has a less negative view of the family. Nevertheless, while the other homes on the block are neat and quiet, the Dawson home is unclean and loud.

Once, Trent invited Paul to play pool, and Paul noticed cigarette butts, beer bottles, and empty pizza boxes everywhere. When he left, a police officer was in the kitchen because Zack stole beer from the grocery store chain Albertsons.

Dad and Mom fight, and their conflict often revolves around Nick’s older brother, Scott, who’s a talented basketball player. Scott also plays the trumpet, and much to Dad’s displeasure, Scott would rather focus on