It is the first day back at school. Devon Richards is starting his final year at Niveus Academy, a prestigious private high school. At the back-to-school assembly, the students meet their new principal, Headmaster Ward. To Devon’s surprise, he is assigned to be a Senior Prefect. Chiamaka Adebayo, the only other Black student at Niveus, is made Head Prefect. Devon is not surprised at this, because the position of Senior Prefect is often determined by a student’s popularity, and Chiamaka is the most popular girl in school. Headmaster Ward also lists the school values: “Generosity, Grace, Determination, Integrity, Idealism, Nobility, Excellence, Respectfulness, and Eloquence” (16).

Devon feels out of place at Niveus; as a scholarship student, he comes from a poor family, while most of the other students come from wealth and privilege. On his way to class, Devon sees a student who came out as gay the year before and feels a wave of jealousy that the boy’s coming out was an easy process. Devon, too, is gay but feels like he can never make the fact public knowledge. In music class, Devon’s favorite teacher, Mr. Taylor, congratulates him on becoming a prefect.