"High-schooler Jason, who lives with a drunk, abusive father at home, hopes to earn enough money to escape with his younger sister, Janie, by being tough at school, but the stakes grow ever more dangerous and soon even his fists and ability to think on his feet are not enough to keep his head above water."--

At fifteen, Joshua Blackbird becomes an international singing star but, as his hometown girlfriend relates, after more than a year, the pressures and dangers of fame take a toll and "Shu" disappears.