The book opens with an author’s note from its author and narrator, 17-year-old Greg Gaines. Greg is a retired filmmaker struggling to write a book, having abandoned the film world after making what he refers to as the “Worst Film Ever Made.” He warns his readers that if they expect some thought-provoking, coming-of-age tale about friendship aborted by cancer, they will be disappointed by this book because he learned nothing. Greg does not guarantee readers will walk away entertained, or gain important life lessons, or even feel endeared to him in any way. All he offers is his version of a story, one Greg believes is not so well-told.

Greg is a senior at Benson High School which sits between an affluent and a non-affluent neighborhood, attracting students from a variety of backgrounds. The students, according to Greg, fall into one of several categories: rich kids, church kids, jocks, smart kids, theater kids, stoners, gangbangers, band kids, or gothy dorks. No group rules the school, resulting in daily chaos. On the topic of high school, Greg assumes that his readers share his belief that it “sucks” (5). To survive his high school experience, Greg develops a set of rules that allow him to gain access to all groups by not becoming friends with any of them.