Fifteen-year-old Kathleen Winters has always been a good girl, trying to please her mother. But now, things are changing. First, there's the new girl, Sybil Langley. Sybil is confident, rebellious, and worldly--everything Kathleen wishes she could be. As Kathleen is drawn under Sybil's spell, she moves closer and closer toward crossing a dangerous line. Then there's Ramón. Kathleen knows it's risky to date an illegal immigrant, but she's never met anyone like Ramón. They fall helplessly in love--but the most beautiful experience of Kathleen's life soon becomes the most catastrophic. Kathleen takes off for Mexico and slowly spirals into drug addiction and chaos.

In the end, only Kathleen can bring herself back home. Set against the backdrop of 1970s Baja California, Mexico, Scott O'Dell's powerful novel takes readers on one girl's unforgettable journey of self-destruction and discovery.