India is the novel's protagonist, a dynamic character who undergoes profound changes as the story follows her from her teenage years into adulthood. From a young age, India is brave, goal-oriented, and confident she knows what she wants from life. After experiencing a production of Guys and Dolls with her mother, India sees it as a prophetic moment and determines her destiny is to become a Broadway star. She tells her mom, “When you see the future, it’s not what you want to happen. It’s what will happen” (4).

India’s youthful ambition spurs her to chase her dream, but she soon learns that dreams don’t always become reality. Her inability to sing kills her Broadway musical aspirations, and she must settle for stage acting. She then meets Robbie, falls in love, and becomes unexpectedly pregnant during her senior year of high school. India lives an entire life in the space of nine months as she and Robbie navigate life-altering decisions of whether to terminate the pregnancy, start a family, or place the baby for adoption. With a full scholarship to college in New York on the line, India decides to place the baby with Camille and start her life again.