A high school student named John strangles his girlfriend Jamie by the riverbank, leaving her lifeless body for his friends to find. The group—comprised of Layne, Matt, Clarissa, Tony, and Maggie—reacts with shock and confusion but opts not to report the crime. Layne takes command, displaying a disturbing lack of empathy by encouraging the group to keep the murder a secret. Although torn and grappling with their own moral dilemmas, they reluctantly follow Layne's lead. Matt, who is particularly disturbed by the incident, struggles with his own emotions and his sense of responsibility toward Jamie and his friends.

As the story progresses, tension among the group escalates, exposing underlying emotional rifts and ethical conflicts. Layne's grip on the group's loyalty starts to falter as Matt becomes more vocal about his distress and moral objections. Clarissa and the others struggle with their own fears and uncertainties, torn between self-preservation and doing the right thing. Surrounded by a backdrop of teenage alienation and disillusionment, their friendships are tested to the breaking point, forcing each of them to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and their loyalties.