Nathaniel Conti doesn’t feel real when he’s alone. Maybe that’s why he has a reputation as a troublemaker—he’ll do just about anything to have everyone’s eyes on him.

But things are about to change. Nathaniel is in his first year of college, flung into new circumstances with new people to meet. There are public speaking classmates, lacrosse players—and then there’s the aspiring photographer who asks Nathaniel to be their model, who’s interested in more than what’s on the surface. Nathaniel feels like he’s moving forward—until a former friend shows up, someone who reminds him of habits and hurts he thought he’d left behind.

From the author of Icebreaker comes a deeply felt, gorgeously told story about confronting what's buried, coming into your own, and finding your people.