In interweaving stories of sixteen-year-olds, modern-day Jesse tries to cope with the ramifications of her brother's death on 9/11, while in 2001, Alia, a Muslim, gets trapped in one of the Twin Towers and meets a boy who changes everything for her as flames rage around them. Now: Jesse is still coping with her brother's death on 9/11 and the way her dad filled their home with anger and grief. When one thoughtless decision turns her life upside down, she must face the past to make amends. Then: Alia is a proud Muslim, visiting her father at his office in one of the Twin Towers. Trapped in the flames, she has no choice but to trust a boy she's just met.