When Ellie’s boarding school for the Deaf closes, Ellie (white) must finish high school in her hometown of Cincinnati. Jackson (white) is another senior at Ellie’s public high school. His recent puzzling health issues have scuttled his soccer season and his relationship with his former teammates. Assigned to show Ellie around school, the two slowly hit it off. Ellie, who has a hearing aid and a cochlear implant, is most comfortable with sign language, but one of her new interpreters doesn’t always convey Ellie’s thoughts accurately. Ellie is also viewed skeptically by her new classmates, who’ve heard her speak and wonder if she’s truly deaf. At home, Ellie’s parents have never bothered to learn sign language and get upset when she removes her hearing aid and cochlear receiver, compounding Ellie’s frustration. Jackson, working to learn signs, is one bright spot in all the change. Romance is just beginning to blossom when Jackson’s health takes a dramatic turn, and he’s diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). As Jackson adjusts to this new reality and learns more about life with MS, Ellie gains new confidence and independence as she finds Deaf community. Each is figuring big things out but also realizing that they don’t want to give up on their relationship. This compelling novel illuminates dimensions of disability experience, including the frustration of ignorance and importance of community for each of the main characters.