The opening chapter is told from Lace’s point of view. Lace is thinking back to when she was 11 years old and snuck out of the house to attend a basketball game in Charleston. It wasn’t just about going to the game; it was about getting away from home. Lace always felt that she was “newer than all this here. Here was fine for Mom, Dad, and Sheila—you could take one look at them and see how they fit—but only outside of here would I, Lace See, live real life. Ages one to eighteen were just a waiting for that” (3).

Lace goes away to college in Morgantown. However, shortly after arriving, she misses home—not just her family but also the landscape. After drinking alone in her dorm too many nights, she decides to hitchhike her way back home for a visit. Her parents are happy to see her, and her mom even makes fried chicken, Lace’s favorite meal, which was normally reserved for special occasions. At first, Lace feels nostalgic about being back, but by nightfall she is confused. On the one hand, she feels at home here, but on the other, she knows she is too old to stay.