Well, that was painful. This story picks up where the last left off. It still does the flashback/flash forward thing from the last book. Information about Talker's rape is slowly revealed in tandem, past and present, between Talker and Brian's therapy sessions with the university therapist and as events unfold in the present which require Talker to relive and recount the situation (around 6 months later). Whereas Talker wasn't strong enough to talk about it immediately afterward, now he is strong elater. He has to be to keep Brian safe because he finally learns what Brian (and Jed) did to keep him safe from Trev. 
 These boys need each other so badly, you just can't help but root for them to continue happily into their future. 
 On to Talker's Graduation.