A high school senior tries to cope with the shifting patterns of his life while struggling to come to terms with his parents' divorce, his best friend's sudden departure, his mother's remarriage, and his father's nearly-fatal accident.
Emily Arrow has two problems, trying to work in her invention group with bossy Linda Lorca in charge and thinking of a wedding present for Ms. Vincent, the student teacher.
When his wounded father is sent home early from Vietnam, Luke finds it difficult to adjust to the troubled, emotionally shaken man who seems so unlike the fearless hero of his dreams.
"Mean Janine" turns out to be a complicated person, as Eric discovers during his spring term assignment to observe a classmate and record his observations, an assignment that changes both of them in unexpected ways.
