Craig is fucked up boy. His mother die. His father beat him. He go to live with Joey. Joey is step-father. But he still have trouble. He still fear his father, fear beatings, fear not being loved enough by him. Then his father die, but first he hit him again, knock him down, make fun of his life. Craig feel that he hate his father, and he yell at him. Tell him he is one who screws up. And then father drive off and die that way, car accident.
Then Craig try and pretend everything is fine, that father's death not bother him. He still go to school and plan on going to dance with his sort of girlfriend, Ashley. Everyone tell him that he need time, that he is upset and Craig deny. Teachers say this, principal of school say this, Joey say this. Craig deny. Ashley say it and he yell at her. But they are right. Even though he not want to be upset he is, of course. Is father.
Craig is having denial. He not let father's death change his plans and he goes to dance. Things are fine at dance at first but he and Ashley win luau king and queen. They go up to stage and get paper crowns and everyone claps and then Craig think he see his father. Father is dead but Craig see him in the middle of the floor and Craig think these things. He want father to be proud of him for winning dance thing, he want father to love him, and he want things to have been okay. Then he goes toward person he thought was father and he see it is just teacher, Mr. Boyd. Craig is upset he thought he see father because he know father dead. But it seem real to him. He think he maybe crazy. Something wrong with him. So he leave room where dance is and go to other room to be alone.
Ashley look for Craig and find him alone. Ashley think she can understand what Craig going through, but Ashley never know such tragedy. But she young so not understand what she not understand, and she try to help Craig. Try to tell him it was too soon to go to dance, too soon after tragedy of father death. Then Craig get mad. Sort of mad at Ashley but also mad about situation, that his father beat him, that his father die, that his mother die. He know this is hard life for someone only 14 and he feel this unfair, feel mad at everything. Ashley is target. He yell at her, face distorted in anger and Ashley feel afraid. He tear down big poster on wall about dance and run off down hallway. Ashley want to go after him but principal stop her.
Craig run down hall and cry and talk to other girl, Terri. Terri mother die too so she know some of what Craig is feeling and she try to help. Then he start to cry and start to grieve. This is shaking, heart wrenching sobbing. This cry that can heal. Then when Craig done crying he find Ashley and dance with her. He is calm down and tell Ashley she can ask him how he is without him losing temper again and Ashley ask how he is and Craig say, "better," in soft and broken voice.
So then next thing happen to Craig he have Ashley is girlfriend. Craig and Ashley are lot alike. They have shared interests. But Ashley love Craig and say she love him and Craig scared to say it back. This make Ashley feel these things. Insecure. Scared. Mad. She want Craig to say it to her and then she have sex with him. Craig can't say it. He buy her 12 roses and write on note card to go with flowers, "Ash, you rock, XO, Craig" This note make Ashley mad. Note supposed to say he love her. Why Craig can not say he love her? Because parents are dead? Because he abused child? Whatever reason Ashley say they take break, like Rachel and Ross from "Friends". Craig upset at this, he not want break like that so he write song where he say he love her and sing it to her in school. This song make Ashley happy and she say he can stay after surprise birthday party and they can have sex then.
It is at party he tell Spinner he staying late to have sex with Ashley. Spinner make it obvious to Ashley that he know this and Ashley get mad. She make Craig go outside with her and she say how you can tell Spinner? She say this private between us. Craig say he only tell one friend. Then Ashley say he write dumb song and that he can't say he love her because he doesn't love her. This is what Ashley fear. Craig not love her. She say Craig con her into having sex with him and this make Craig mad. It make him mad because he does love her but has trouble to say it so he say it with music, he hide behind music to say it. It hurt for him to admit he love people. Ashley not understanding.
This is when Manny come outside, after Craig leave party all mad. Manny say Ashley not deserve him, and she hear song in gym and if song was for her Manny say she be happy forever. Craig take Manny back with him to garage and have sex with her there. Manny get pregnant.