Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text’s depiction of racism and racial discrimination.

Chapter 1 introduces Marcus at the moment that his friend Eddie fires a gun, shooting a man by accident. Marcus flees the scene and runs to his house.

He then introduces himself and his best friend Eddie. Marcus is Black and Eddie is white. They are known as "Black and White" to their peers at Long Island City High School because their close friendship defies the racial tensions in their neighborhood in New York City. They are stars of their high school basketball team, and both are being considered for college scholarships.

Eddie comes up with the idea of robbing people to get extra money for their senior dues and for new shoes and convinces Marcus to join him in his plan. Eddie gets his grandfather's gun, and he and Marcus rob two people in the parking lot of a hardware store—a woman and an older man—-until they have enough money for their dues. Before they commit their last robbery, their basketball coach Casey gives the team a speech about not getting into trouble over the weekend—the same speech he gives every week.