In the moments after finding her mother’s lifeless body, Beyah reflects that the best thing Janean ever did for her was die. This observation is an insight into the reality that this unloved, late-adolescent protagonist has never had a trusting relationship or experienced real intimacy of any sort. As the narrative progresses, readers watch Beyah relate to her father, her stepmother, and her stepsister with emotional distance and distrust. When Samson tries to reach out to help her, recognizing that she is hungry and broke, she reacts almost violently, assuming that he, like other men, wants sexual favors from her. Throughout the first portion of the narrative, the only person to whom she extends any trust is her friend Natalie, and she readily admits that even she and Natalie could not be called best friends.

The second portion of the narrative follows the efforts of several people to break through the hard shell of isolation and distrust surrounding Beyah. Though no one is immediately successful in gaining her trust, Beyah begins to understand that Sara is a person of integrity who, more than anything, just wants a sister. While she believes her father has essentially failed her, she also understands that he means well and is quite interested in and even protective of her.