The morning of her 18th birthday, Victoria Jones dreams about fire and wakes to find the foot of her mattress surrounded by matches. Downstairs, she finds the other occupants of the group home waiting. One girl claims that the attempted arson was “‘from all of us. Happy birthday’” (4). One of the nightshift workers begs them not to have a confrontation, and Victoria steps outside into the early San Francisco morning. She finds bouquets of flowers outside of stores and looks at them, translating each flower’s separate meaning. She steals a bouquet of dahlias, meaning dignity, from a liquor store and runs back to the group home. She slides a flower under each of the girls’ doors and gives the rest to the night worker. Meredith Combs, Victoria’s caseworker, arrives to take Victoria to the halfway house that will be her new home for the next 12 weeks.

In a flashback, a nine-year-old Victoria and Meredith travel to Victoria’s last possible foster placement. Victoria throws an old baby bottle at Meredith as she drives. Meredith bribes Victoria with food to behave, then explains that this is her final opportunity for adoption. Because of her age, she will soon be placed in group homes permanently.