Amy Evans, 17, is a high school senior in a small town near Lubbock. It’s November, 1969, and her boyfriend, Bobby Dalton, 18, is home on leave before going to Viet Nam. His best friend, Kevin Frazier, 20, has just returned from the war. The three friends spend as much time together as possible before Bobby leaves.

Convinced that he is the love of her life, Amy surrenders her virginity to Bobby the night before he leaves. Bobby asks Kevin to look out for her while he’s gone, take her to the dances and parties, and take care of her if anything should happen to him. Kevin readily agrees, but family and friends begin to suspect that he is moving in on his best friend’s girl, and Kevin fears they’re not wrong. He’s had feelings for Amy for some time, but, knowing she’s in love with Bobby, kept quiet.

Amy discovers she’s pregnant, but just before she can tell Kevin, he confesses his love for her. She’s crushed, and although she needs him more than ever, avoids him as she struggles with her own situation. She gets advice from her best friend, Sandra, who begins to suspect that maybe it’s Kevin that’s the father.

Kevin finds solace with Maggie, the new, young English teacher, a self-professed “radical feminist, anti-war activist” who is herself at odds with the local conservative views. He also strikes up a friendship with Cliff, also recently returned from Viet Nam, and the first black teacher in the town’s history.

After arranging a veteran’s parade around the town square, Amy goes to Kevin to make up and be just friends again. He agrees, and then she drops the bombshell.

Amy writes to Bobby, who’s thrilled, and asks her to meet him in Hawaii and get married. She’s elated, but Kevin reminds her that Bobby won’t able to get R&R, especially to Hawaii, for at least six months. She’ll be showing by then.

As Amy struggles with what to do about the pregnancy, she receives word that Bobby has been killed in action. Kevin rushes to her side and stands by her as Bobby’s body is returned home and buried.

Afraid to tell her very conservative father, afraid of being kicked out of school, afraid of the entire town’s reaction, Amy decides to go to Albuquerque for an abortion. It’s legal there, more or less, according to Maggie, and at least safe. Friends chip in for the procedure and help provide cover as she and Kevin slip away following an out of town basketball game.

Arriving at the hospital, by taxi after Kevin’s car breaks down at the motel, Amy has second thoughts. It’s Bobby’s baby, she doesn’t want to do this. Bobby was an only child, it would be his parents’ only grandchild. Kevin promises that if she decides to have the baby and keep it, he’ll be a dad or an uncle, it’s up to her, but he’s not leaving. She calls her father, then returns home on the bus with Kevin, where her parents, Bobby’s parents, and most of the town wait at the station to welcome her with open arms.