Rachelle Jones Smith

Tru Untrue Rachelle Jones Smith

Tru is anything but. A midyear transfer, he's the mysterious new 'hood guy who has quickly become the class clown and discovered all his teacher's peeves. And Nell, the reticent isolationist sits nearby, ignoring the daily spectacle of Tru's antics as she writes and sketches in a moleskin and relishes in her seeming-invisibility. They share no connection and have never said a word to one another.

Then Ms. Yashar announces a collaborative senior presentation. Nell looks mortified when she hears she must pair up with a classmate. Tru sees her weary look and, lingering after class, asks Ms. Yashar to pair him up with her to save her the awkward "who doesn't have a partner yet?" moment in class. He's used to saving those who need it. But will Ms. Yashar allow this delinquent to redeem himself with this good deed when the last landed him in jail?

Tru Untrue is a story of two teens on the fringe - one with a criminal past and overwhelming reparations and one whose family structure is fractured by rejection and death - who find peace in a classroom partnership. This is a story that intertwines several lives while moving these young adults through life-defining decisions involving preconceptions, identity, family pressure, and criminality.