Protagonist Sunny Lancaster writes a series of diary entries over the course of a week in his life. In his first entry, he writes that it’s been “a while” (1) since his last entry. He deflects from explaining what has happened to him since then, instead focusing on why he uses the word “diary” instead of “journal” and why he likes drinking milk even though it bothers his stomach. He ends the entry with an explanation: “Because I’m weird” (2).

Sunny starts another entry and explains that he is writing again after a hiatus because he feels his anxiety increasing. Sunny recalls that his father, whom he calls “Darryl,” gave him the diary when he was younger as a way to calm his mind and make him more “hushy hushy” (3). Sunny explains that writing takes the “hunger-growl out of my mind” (4) and that he can feel that hunger-growl growing louder. He also explains that writing prevents Sunny from having to talk to his dad about his feelings, because Darryl “doesn’t want to be disturbed” (4).

Sunny also writes that his private teacher, Aurelia, thinks it is a good thing that Sunny takes up writing again because she knows Sunny is scared about a decision he must make.