Nowhere Special

Elpidia and Stan both attend school in a small, impoverished desert community in Southern California. They both struggle with their family lives as well as getting along with people at school. Stan's father is out of work, drinks a lot, and frequently beats his mother. Stan is a big and heavy kid, and he feels that people on his bus make fun of him and don't want him to sit next to them. Elpidia is living with her abuela after her parents' drug addiction leads to their house burning down and their incarceration. This has caused a rift between the two sides of her family, with her father's relatives from a nearby reservation blaming Elpidia's mother for everything that occurs. Some of Elpidia's cousins, who go to her school, have accosted her and beaten her up several times. After Stan's father's last episode, his mother takes him to Charlie, a Filippino man who occasionally teaches people how to fight. Elpidia's grandmother takes her, as well, so she can defend herself from her cousins. The two bound over a love of writing, as well as their tough circumstances. Having the support of someone else is very helpful, and Abuela takes Stan under her wing, sending food to school from her restaurant for Stan, since his mother struggles to provide for him. Elpidia's grandfather on her father's side tries to mend the relationship between the families, and Elpidia has come to a detente with herr cousin after Stan stood up for her. As their fighting lessons continue, they come to the attention of the local gang leader, Mezco, who wants to recruit Stan for his gang, so that he can be a lone white face in the group, and because of his size and fighting skill. Stan doesn't think this is a good idea, and tells Charlie about it. Charlie takes Stan to Mezco and tells Mezco very politely to leave Stan alone. Later, things blow up both at Stan's home and with Charlie. Stan may have the skills to protect himself, but is he a danger to others?