In the fiercely competitive world of high school, many students are satisfied with simply escaping the attention of would-be bullies and quietly making it through each day. That is not always possible for someone who wishes to discover more of what life has to offer. Carmen, bored with her easy studies and under the encouragement of the school counselor, decides to try and make sense of a system which has continually rejected her since she entered it. Now she is blossoming into a young lady who is not quite ready for her own reactions to newly-discovered feelings and desires. Dodging the arrows of jealousy from a tormentor, discovering the nature of conflicted love from an older boy, and gently rejecting the advances of another girl take their toll on the patience and faith of a young woman who just wants a fair shot at life. Unfortunately, her problems prove very persistent. Now her boyfriend is descending into madness, and there is more than one person who would rather see her die than live. A high-speed chase in the woods and rescue that is just too late to prevent a terrible tragedy leave Carmen wondering if death really is worse.