Heroin addiction has been a constant presence in 16-year-old Raina's life. But what Raina refers to as a "pet," or white horse, has turned her life into a bleak existence with little stability, first with her abusive addict mother, and later with her junkie boyfriend. This is Raina's story, told through her personal writings, her caring teacher's first-person accounts, and the author's third-person narrative.