ABIGAILdreamsofacceptance.Aneternaloutcastreturningtoschoolforthefirsttimeafteramysteriouseventthepreviousyear,Abigailescapesfromherhostilesurroundingsbyimmersingherselfintheworldsofthecharactersshereadsabout.MELISSAwantscontrol--she'sasophomorestrugglingtoignoreherdysfunctionalhomelifebyusinghersexappealandcrueltytomanipulatehersurroundings,latchingonespeciallytohernewandnaivefriend,Sophie.SOPHIEisconvincedthatMelissa'slife--thatis,alifesheseesasfullofpopularity,parties,boys,andpower--iswhatwillmakeherhappy,andwillstopatnothingtoemulateher.ELLIE,anobservantwriterandSophie'schildhoodbest-friend,isn'tsurewhatshewants--excepttogetoutoftherutofself-resentmentandfalsitythatherpeershavedraggedherinto,andtofindproofthatthat'snotallthereis...bbb
EnterJEREMY,asubstituteteachergoingthroughsomesoul-searchingofhisown,whoarrivesattheschoolandintroducesAbigail'sdramaclasstoArthurMiller's'TheCrucible'.TheparallelsbetweenAbigail'slifeandtheplaybeginwhenJeremystepsinasherscenepartner,andshestartstosinkintoafamiliarescape,immersingherselfinthisnewcharacter...butherplanstakeanunexpectedturnwhentheirrelationshipbeginstomovebeyondthefantasyworldshe'sconstructed.
ThisstrangeandtaboobondquicklybecomesasourceoffascinationforbothEllieandMelissa.Assheobservesthem,Elliefallsinlovewiththeirstory,convincedshe'sfinallyfoundtruthinafakeworld--whileMelissaissuddenlydriventoseeAbigailnolongerasavictim,butasathreat.Wellusedtobeingtheoneearningmaleattention,MelissaresentstherelationshipbuildingbetweenAbigailandJeremy,andtheirclosenessquicklybecomesasymbolofeverythingshe'smissinginherownlife.PullingSophieintoadownwardspiralwithherasshestrugglestomaintainhercarefullyconstructedhierarchy,MelissafinallystrikesouttodestroywhatAbigailhas--andwhatshe'salwaystrulywanted--someonewhowillfinallyloveherforwhoshereallyis.
Setagainsttheblearybackdropofquietsuburbia,zoomedinonthelivesoffivelostsoulswithinoneclose-knithighschool,Blameisanhonestcoming-of-agetaleaboutthemanypathsthatbecometangledwhenwerefusetofacerealityinoursearchforlove.