#1Β New York TimesΒ bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles itβyou know...itβfrom the guyβs perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.
Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it werenβt for the dogβs owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.
Twenty-four weeks ago: Neonβs dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they havenβt taken that next big step...yet, theyβve starting talking about...that.
Twenty-four days ago: Neonβs mom finds herβgulpβbra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So heβd figured heβd better practice, what with the big day only a month away.
Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dadβs bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. Theyβre not candlelight and they definitely arenβt caviar, but they are her favorite.
And right this second? Neon is locked in Ariaβs bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to...about to... Well, they wonβt do anything if he canβt get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!