Ollie Ollie in Come Free

Gifted student-athlete Oliver Vandenberg’s life seemed to be on cruise control. Midway through his junior year in high school his life is suddenly turned upside down by a horrific car crash resulting in the loss of both his parents. After the accident, he is forced to decide where to live his last year of high school before going away to college. Oliver chooses to move to Alabama to live with his grandfather on a small farm near a tiny college town called Mezzo. Once there, he discovers another world altogether, where social class and racial distinctions are more pronounced and difficult to navigate. As he acclimates to a small public school and a new football team, he encounters unique personalities that challenge his worldview. To complicate matters he falls in love with another outsider, a beautiful Jewish girl named Aya Abrams, whose father is the president of the local university. Oliver must overcome the loss of his parents, provincial attitudes, and the complexities of being in love with someone of another faith. With the help of his grandfather and a special ability to compartmentalize, he adjusts to meet the demands of his new life.