In the fall of 1989,18-year old Frankie Peterson meets aspiring rock musician Rex Thornton, and the encounter changes her life. Frankie is dreaming of college and leaving home. Her mother, however, does not support her dreams, and leans hard on her for help with the household and her little brother, Erick. Frankie feels stuck with no way out. When her best friend Ronnie drags her to see a band in Seattle, Frankie meets Rex, the band's singer. Soon, Rex becomes a catalyst for the life transformation Frankie longs to create, a friend, and a source of heartbreak.