Chapter Summaries  Before (May-July) Summary  On a night that
should be one of the happiest and most memorable of his life,
Ben Bright, a senior at New York's Eastport High School, is a
bundle of nerves. Seemingly, Ben has everything going for him—he
is smart and talented, and will be playing the lead role of Tony
in the drama department's production of West Side Story, which
is opening momentarily. He also has a solid relationship with
classmate Ariela Cruz, who, in a convenient reflection of
reality, is cast as Maria, his love interest in the musical. Ben
recognizes his good fortune, and wishes that he could just savor
the moment. He has a secret though, which he has resolved to
keep until tomorrow. He is determined not to ruin the experience
of this very special night for his loved ones, which is exactly
what will happen if they find out that instead of going off to
college and an exceptionally bright future as expected, Ben
Bright has enlisted in the United States Army.  Junior Niko
Petropoulos, Ben's bes