"Don't sleep! Dream, but don't sleep!"

Those were the words of Liz Murray's first boyfriend, whom Liz writes about in Breaking Night. Like Liz, he was also the child of neglectful parents, learning to fend for himself on the streets of the Bronx. She was attracted to him because of his incredible sense of humor and bold assertiveness, a quality that her best female friend, Sam, also possessed. When she saw how sweet Carlos was to her AIDS-stricken mother, because of his love for Liz, she was hooked on her love for him.

Liz and Sam finally became officially homeless when Liz was fifteen. Her boyfriend, Carlos, told Liz to "enjoy the freedom; make it work for you!"