Anxious for school to end and summer to begin, Justine Collins occupies her mind with the promise of warm days spent splashing at the beach, enjoying barbecues on picnics, screaming on roller coasters, and relishing special moments with her family. But doubt lingers. Justine's dreams of freedom change as the fear of things hidden away becoming known penetrate her thoughts. Personal matters that she thought would remain buried away find new ways of surfacing, turning her world upside down. Only when Justin confronts and deals with her situation does she realize that she is not the only one who gets confused or feels distant from others. "I leaned against the backseat window and looked up. It was dark and gloomy out there; the sun's glow was fading behind the distant trees and houses. The cool night winds wailed all around, making the tip of my ears sting. "Everything the nuns had said was true: There was a hell, and I was heading directly toward it."