Connecticut high school students Max Doyle and Jessica Carpenter fall in love and feel making love isn't enough, so they brave everyone's objections and get married. Jess gets accepted at Harvard, to pursue her lifelong ambition to become an orthopedic surgeon; Max decides against accepting any other college and waits for another chance to get in, meanwhile taking a job in construction so he can still be together. Still they really spend most time apart, she even sort of falls for fellow student Carter, who is also a gifted guitarist-singer. When Max announces college is no longer his firm resolve, she blames him for changing their plans, too much ingratitude even for his love to swallow...