The narrative unfolds over the course of a single, ordinary day at a suburban high school in Portland, Oregon, seamlessly weaving together the lives of several students. Through a fluid, almost documentary-style approach, viewers are introduced to various teenagers as they navigate the complexities of adolescence, including issues of friendship, alienation, and the pressures of high school life. The film's unique structure, using long takes and following characters in real time, allows the audience to drop in on moments that seem inconsequential at first but collectively form a mosaic of teenage existence. The interconnected stories highlight the diversity of experiences in the school environment, from the mundane to the meaningful.

As the day progresses, the focus narrows to two students in particular, whose experiences and actions start to diverge significantly from those of their peers. While the day begins like any other, with classes, conversations, and typical high school routines, the atmosphere subtly shifts. Without explicit judgment or moralizing, the film begins to hint at the undercurrents of disturbance and disaffection that lie beneath the surface of teenage life. The portrayal of these two students becomes a lens through which the film examines themes of isolation, despair, and the search for identity, setting the stage for a dramatic pivot that challenges the viewer's perception of normalcy and routine in the school setting.