The Clan, as the clique is called, is a highly non-traditional gang. While they disavow participation in school, these enigmatic boys don't believe in drugs or violence, and are advocates of self-education - older members tutor younger apprentices in everything from car mechanics to Latin. But the comfort and acceptance of the Clan is no longer enough for Thomas Fairbairn, (a. k. a. "Baby") - his Clan name, - Baby wants to be more than just a mechanic like his domineering older brother, so he breaks rank from his peers and takes an aptitude test at school. Once the administrators are aware of Baby's intelligence, the principal pairs him with honor student Casey Willardson to help him catch up in the gifted program. As the two work together - dark, handsome rebel and beautiful, popular school girl - the preconceptions and misunderstandings they have about each other are slowly stripped away. They quickly become close and learn to trust and even love each other. But Baby and Casey discover that even though they don't care about superficial differences, their friends do. Their relationship provokes a showdown between the Clan and the varsity football team that promises to end in disaster. This book, which had no redeming qualities whatsoever, was extremely boring and very slow. I hardly made it through the third chapter. It did have an interesting premese though; it just wasn't well done.