In 2015, the communities of Oakwood and Middlesex are in transition with incoming students changing the complexion of the local high school. Newcomers threaten to destroy core values the community has held sacred for decades. At the same time, longtime residents are determined to hold onto the good old days. When Andrew Young and his brother Michael move into the house across the street from Carrie Mae Benson, the community takes a turn for the worse. Drug traffic grows. Gang crimes increase. Assaults escalate. Gun violence spirals out of control. That's when Carrie Mae decides to stand her ground to protect her neighborhood. But she soon begins to see that things are not as simple as they appeared at first glance. When love meets hate on the battlefield, the outcomes are remarkable. The cost of victory, however, is extraordinarily high. This novel tells the story of what happens when a 60-year-old school-community representative vows to become a champion for victims of bigotry and violence. She enlists the support of high school students, who learn to deploy their hearts and minds as weapons against intolerance and apathy. The characters stop pointing fingers and take the time to listen to each other. They engage in critical conversations and simple acts of compassion. In the process, they transform their dysfunctional community. This fictional work explores themes of agape love, school change, perspective transformation, critical consciousness, Black history, Christian principles for living and community transformation. This book is guaranteed to stimulate your thinking about the vitality of our communities and the future of our children.