There are a million reasons why goodie-goodie and sixteen year old, Mariella Guessman, should give up "fifteen year old", Dakota Linley: his troubling past; he gets in fights; he always tries to act tough; his grades aren’t the best; the list goes on. But when Dakota is around, Mariella’s heart beats fast and her stomach goes to her throat. Her friends and family tell her to watch out and stay away, but can she? Will she defy her parent's word to be with her first love? Can she help him through his anger or will she end up with a broken heart?