Jack lives with his mom in a cramped apartment in a large city. He has an extreme allergy to sunlight; as a result, he cannot engage in many activities with his peers, and this leads to his feelings of isolation. Normal social interactions are difficult, and he prefers to spend his time shadow jumping on rooftops. He conceals his dangerous hobby from his mom partly because he knows she would forbid it but also because he sincerely doesn’t want to add to her worries. Jack’s parents are recently separated, and he wants to know where his dad is. Jack is understandably heartbroken by his father’s abandonment. He wants to find his dad but does not know how to start. One day, while shadow jumping, he meets Beth. Jack is intimidated, partly because of Beth’s Goth makeup and partly because she doesn’t seem put-off by his own appearance. He does not know how to navigate a friendship, but he and Beth become close quickly because of trauma bonding; they both have a sense of abandonment. Jack tells Beth about his dad and she decides to help track him down. Beth helps him locate his dad, and she becomes his best friend and the first girl he has ever hugged.