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Ruby moves
Ruby, 17, lives alone in the yellow house after her alcoholic mom leaves her to leave with basic necessities. Family services step in and take Ruby to live with her older sister, Cora, and her husband, Jamie. Cora left Ruby and her mother when she went off to college, and Ruby's mother cut off all contact with Cora, making Ruby think that Cora no longer cared about her. -
Ruby meets Nate
Once Ruby is in her sisters house, she immediately wants to run away, so she never unpacks her bag. She doesn't like Cora's huge house and how everything is perfect, and would rather go back to living by herself in a house that can not sustain her needs. While trying to run away one night, Ruby hops over her neighbor's fence and meets Nate, a boy her age, and they have a brief conversation. Jamie then finds Ruby trying to escape, but doesn't make a big deal out of it. -
Ruby accepts her life
After realizing that going back to her old life would not be the smartest idea, Ruby starts school at yet another highschool, the same one Nate goes to. At first she refuses to carpool with him, but eventually she gives in. After school one day, Nate drives her to the mall because he has to give a woman laundry and coffee as part of his job. Nate gets a call from his angry father and has to rush home, leaving Ruby curious about him. -
Ruby gets a job
Cora tells Ruby that she should start thinking about college and a job, and also gives her $200 for new clothing. When Ruby goes to the mall she sees the same woman she met with Nate a couple days earlier, running a jewelry kiosk in the mall. She has a help wanted sign up, so Ruby decides to apply. The woman, Harriet, has always worked by herself, but gives Ruby the job the same day she applies. -
Ruby has a talk with Cora
One morning while waiting for her ride to school, Ruby talks to Cora and Cora tells her that she tried many times to get in touch with Ruby, but Ruby doesn't believe it. Cora says that she tried to invite her to her wedding, and tried to get ahold of her so that she could take her from their drunken mom. Ruby rushes off to school and thinks about this the rest of the day. -
Thanksgiving
During Thanksgiving, Jamie's huge family comes over to have dinner with him, Cora, and Ruby. Ruby finally realizes what family actually is when they all go around and say what they are thankful for. Meanwhile, Nate is nextdoor helping with making pies, when Ruby walks over to his house. She enters through the back door and sees and hears Nate being physically abused by his father. Ruby tries to help but can not do much about it. -
Christmas
Ruby experiences Christmas with new traditions and spends her first Christmas without her mom. Her, Cora, and Jamie walk around the neighborhood and hand out little gifts to people. Ruby wants to go give one to Nate, but when she knocks on the door for him, he doesn't come. Ruby instantly gets worried and realizes that the abuse is even worse than she originally thought. -
Nate runs away
After the breakup with Ruby and the pure stress he's been experiencing, Nate decides to run away. Ruby gets scared and goes to look for him, and finds him. She gets their relationship back on track and helps him find a safer place for him to go. Nate decides that he needs to go live with his mom, who lives in a different state. -
Graduation
The book closes with Ruby graduating highschool. She reflects back on memories made everywhere she's been, and realizes that she wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Ruby also decides that she is going to be going to college with Nate in the state that his mom lives in. The book never states what happens to the couple or Ruby after that, but the reader can assume all is well in the end.