17 year-old Alex Wilson breaks into the music store where he works to steal a guitar, not counting on the fact that his boss and mentor, famed Blues musician Henry Baldwin, would be working late that night. Armed with a gun, Henry goes into the darkened store to confront the intruder. Henry is shocked to find Alex there and goes to call the police when Alex tries to stop him. There's a struggle for the gun and Henry is fatally wounded. Alex is arrested, found guilty and remanded to the local juvenile detention center until sentencing. Monica works at the detention center supervising a group of six boys, including Alex. In a show of false bravado, Alex makes it known that he's serving time for murder. Ronald (the angel from records and permanent files) suggests to Monica that perhaps the boys need to find some common ground. The next day, Tess surprises Alex with some strawberry pancakes for his birthday, and when everyone joins to sing ""Happy Birthday,"" they stumble onto some u