On July 15, 1999, Megan Landry faced an unwelcome task: clearing out her trailer to make room for Isabella, an exchange student destined to spend a year studying in Chatham-Kent, nestled in the heart of Ontario, Canada. Megan was far from pleased with the arrangement, insisting that she already had a circle of friends in the town, including Luke Chambers. However, her mother insisted that she should foster female friendships as well.
As a senior with just 412 days left before she embarked on her college journey, Megan confided in Luke her disdain for Isabella, yet he encouraged her to focus beyond the exchange program's temporary inconvenience. Luke invited Megan to join him, his older brother, and their friends on a snorkeling trip, but she politely declined and spent the day anticipation Isabella's arrival, along with her family.
Isabella's introduction to the Landry household was warm and welcoming, with everyone except Megan embracing her. Sharing stories of her global travels since childhood, Isabella presented thoughtful summer gifts to Megan's mother, sister, and Megan herself. While Isabella was engrossed in catching up with Megan's family, Megan found herself snooping through Isabella's bag, discovering her passport and a floppy disk labeled "Summer of 1998."
Catching Megan red-handed, Isabella swiftly intervened, preventing her from delving further into her personal belongings. Megan's mother, sensing the tension, compelled her to spend time with Isabella. During their shared drive, conversation slowly began to flow. Megan emphasized that Chatham-Kent would not offer Isabella the thrill of an American adventure, insisting that everyone in the town knew each other's business.
When they arrived at the cafe where Megan worked, she was surprised to learn that half of her shifts had been reassigned to another student. Desperate for the money to fund her college applications, Megan confronted her boss. Isabella inquired about Megan's college aspirations outside, prompting Megan to reveal her dream of attending the University of Washington, which offered a full scholarship for Computer Science.
In stark contrast, Isabella admitted she hadn't given much thought to college and preferred to live in the moment. As Megan showed Isabella around the town, she shared stories about Luke and his wealthy family, the Chambers, who owned much of the neighborhood. She explained how this desire to escape their shadow fueled her ambition to join major startups like Apple and Yahoo.
The stark differences between Megan and Isabella became increasingly apparent. Meanwhile, Luke exited Sheriff Meyer's car after their discussion, catching Megan's eye, and she subtly revealed the underlying tension between her and Isabella.
Isabella gracefully introduced herself to Luke, and the two instantly clicked, forming a bond that seemed predestined. Luke, eager to share his world with her, invited Isabella to the Bloom, a delightful gathering by the serene seaside, which she eagerly accepted.
At the Bloom, Luke introduced Isabella to his older brother and an array of his closest friends. Isabella felt at ease, her conversational prowess shining as she seamlessly engaged with everyone in the group. Drawn by the allure of nature's beauty, Megan and Isabella ventured to the lake to witness the breathtaking bloom. Curiosity piqued, Isabella inquired if Megan harbored any romantic feelings for Luke. Megan, with a tone of sincerity, assured her that Luke was akin to a brother to her.
Later, as the group shared a bottle of liquor, Isabella joined in the revelry, but Megan politely declined, her resolve unwavering. That night, under the canopy of stars, Luke confided in Megan about Isabella's remarkable ability to connect with everyone. Megan, however, harbored doubts about ever being able to forge a friendship with Isabella. Undeterred, Isabella confessed her intentions to pursue Luke, receiving Megan's reluctant blessing. As Luke and Isabella engaged in animated chatter, punctuated by giggles, Megan stood on the periphery, observing with a mix of amusement and longing.
On their journey back home, Megan offered a heartfelt apology to Isabella for her intrusion into her personal space.
December 15, 1999, marked a pivotal day for Megan. As she sat glued to the television, Isabella arrived with her college mail. Megan's heart raced as she read the exhilarating news: she had been accepted into the University of Washington, awarded a scholarship for her academic excellence. Isabella's joy mirrored Megan's, and the latter credited Isabella's arrival in Chatham as the best stroke of luck she had ever had. With a sense of adventure in their hearts, the two girls vowed to embark on numerous misadventures that winter.
Megan's relationship with Luke flourished, and he was thrilled to learn about her scholarship. As Isabella helped Megan prepare for the evening's garden party at Luke's family home, Megan proposed a daring escapade: skinny-dipping into the ocean from a cliff, a fantasy she had harbored for years. With a camcorder in hand, Megan captured the moment, declaring Isabella her best friend as they shed their clothes and plunged into the ocean, their laughter echoing across the waves.
Back at the Landry residence, Megan's mother, brimming with excitement over Megan's scholarship news, earnestly urges her daughter to prioritize her college experience and cease her incessant worrying about the family's financial burdens. That very evening, amidst the secluded embrace of an abandoned cottage, Megan and Luke share a tender moment, only to be interrupted by the harrowing sound of gunshots echoing through the night. Venturing outside to investigate, they stumble upon a man in their neighborhood indiscriminately firing at birds, shrouded in the mysteries and paranoia surrounding the Y2K bug and whispers of the world's end. Luke surmises this erratic behavior as a byproduct of such apocalyptic fears. Megan locks eyes with the shooter but retreats back inside, shaken yet resilient.
Later, as Megan's escort to the glamorous evening party at the Chambers' mansion, she finds herself by Luke's side, as he socializes with the guests, boasting about his imminent enrollment at the University of Branson to pursue a business degree. Privately, Luke confesses to Megan that he harbors no passion for business but lacks the courage to disclose his true feelings to his family. Megan, unwavering in her support, reassures him of her steadfast companionship, prompting Luke to confess his love for her—a declaration heard for the first time. Megan reciprocates her feelings, but their tender moment is abruptly curtailed by Isabella's interruption.
As Isabella and Megan share a stage during the party's lively dance, Luke watches in awe, yet his attention frequently wanders back to his lighthearted conversations with Isabella. Luke's father, lifting a toast to the Chambers family, proudly announces that Luke will continue the family tradition by earning a business degree at Branson. The evening concludes with a Christmas family film screening, which shockingly unfolds into a graphic video depicting Luke engaged in intimate acts with a girl resembling Isabella. Stunned, Megan flees the scene in a blur of disbelief. The other teenagers mock Isabella, but she and Luke chase after Megan, desperate to halt her escape. Megan, in a fit of emotional turmoil, pushes Isabella aside and flees back home.
July 15, 2000 finds Megan transformed, adorned with piercings and a grungy makeup that mirrors her tumultuous inner world. As the local Sheriff enters her home, seemingly for questioning, Megan leaps from her window and flees into the night. Huddled over her computer, she runs a code, her mind racing with a secret impending exposure.
The next morning, tension flares between Megan and her sister over the latter's provocative attire. Megan warns her mother that town gossip already tarnishes her reputation and she fears the same fate for her sister. Swallowing her medicine, Megan heads to the docks, where she notices a missing person's poster outside her friend's shop. Later, at the pharmacy, she inadvertently eavesdrops on a conversation revealing that a fisherman has discovered a body in the lake.
With urgency, Megan speeds to an abandoned cottage, scrubbing the floors with fervent desperation. She then rushes to the lake but arrives just too late; the ambulance has already arrived. Megan stands by, helpless, as the police officers remove Luke's lifeless body from the water and place it in a body bag. Luke's father, grief-stricken, identifies his son. Suddenly, Isabella arrives at the scene, urging Megan to align their stories.
