Ask anyone: sixteen-year-old AJ Marett has the perfect life. He has a perfect family, perfect status in the perfect small town, and the perfect group of friends at the perfect high school. But AJ knows the truth. He has Becker muscular dystrophy, a disorder of the muscles that causes weakness and pain. He feels lost, but most of all, he fears the sympathy of his family and friends. How much longer he can keep his condition under control is anyone's guess.

Carrie Wardlaw's life is anything but perfect, but that doesn't mean she hasn't captured AJ's imagination. His friend since the...