Emily, a 16-year-old girl, struggles with self-esteem issues and yearns for popularity. Her life is far from perfect, especially due to her mother Debbie’s alcoholism, which was publicly exposed during a fight with Emily’s only friend. Debbie’s addiction not only limits their financial capabilities but also emotionally distances her from Emily.
In her pursuit of acceptance, Emily befriends Hannah, a popular and outgoing girl she’s been observing on social media. Despite her doubts, Emily blindly follows Hannah’s lead. The story begins with Emily getting ready to share her experiences at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting in 2022.
The narrative then shifts between Emily’s trial for manslaughter in early 2019 and the series of events from the previous year that led to her charges. The suspense builds slowly as Emily’s choices land her in dangerous situations. It’s heart-wrenching when Emily blames herself for the deaths of a family she was babysitting for.
When the truth finally comes out, Emily starts to process what happened and prepares for the aftermath. The journey is made less difficult with the support of some empathetic characters, including her mother Debbie, who turns her life around after the trial. The story concludes on a satisfying note in the epilogue. The majority of the characters are presumed to be white.
