Eighteen-year-old RJ runs through the streets of Los Angeles with a blood stained shirt and a gun in his backpack. An artist and skater with a heart of gold, R.J. dreams of moving to New York City to pursue his dream of creating comic books. His hand-made sketchbook demonstrates his unique talent and acts as a portal between fantasy and reality. A strong influence of the game of chess from RJ's incarcerated father permeates his art and life; RJ lives by the rules of the game and knows the repercussions of one bad move. Soon, RJ meets Angel, a rebellious singer in a local teenage punk band. Their unexpected story of true love causes the tides to turn in both of their lives, and RJ reveals a secret that could cost the life of his new love.