Lincoln Memorial High takes pride in offering camaraderie and fun for its students. Leonard Kellison isn't convinced. A social outcast interested in heavy metal and the Goth aesthetic, Leonard has much more to deal with than he lets on. At school, it's a hostile student body and a principal who is growing tired of disciplining him. At home, it's an angry stepfather.

In their small counterculture clique, Leonard and his friends struggle to find meaningful identities through experiences with mental illness, sexuality, and substance use. With the help of a new friend, the reserved Susan Ingram, Leonard slowly begins to create his own place in the world. But can Susan really have his back when she has her own secrets to protect?