Plunged into a foreign environment her freshman year of high school, Doreen feels isolated and alone. Her tan complexion, dark hair, and brown eyes mark her as an outsider among the sea of white students around her. Then she spots Saul, a friendly, yet mysterious classmate whose handsome dark features mirror her own. Overjoyed to see someone who looks like her, Doreen chats him up at every opportunity, from uninvited whispers in the classroom to exuberant shout-outs on AOL Instant Messenger. Despite his quiet, reserved nature, Saul can't resist her enthusiastic antics, and the two teenagers become fast friends. Over the years, as they repeatedly drift apart and come together again, Doreen finds herself increasingly puzzled by Saul's intensely private ways and evasive responses. When his secrets are finally revealed, the two outsiders join forces on a long and arduous journey to find their way home.
