One kid. One life. Two possible futures. Jace is angry-and for good reason. Raised by his grandmother, protecting a younger brother with special needs, and carrying the weight of abandonment, Jace has learned to survive by staying in control. Basketball is his release. Anger is his armor. Respect is everything. But between eighth grade and graduation, small choices begin to stack. Who he walks with after school. What he laughs at. When he reacts-and when he doesn't. Told through a powerful dual-path structure, this YA novel follows the same moments in Jace's life-peer pressure, bullying, drugs, school discipline, and court consequences-showing how different choices create different outcomes. This is not a story about being perfect. It's a story about control, accountability, and momentum. For readers who want realism, not lectures.