Lily is an academically brilliant girl from a poor district in NYC who lives with her unavailable single mother and chronically ill younger sister Winona. Before going off to college, Lily gets the opportunity to win a scholarship which will secure her the key to get out of the hard life she has always known. Only problem: In order to compete for the scholarship, Lily must convince the admissions committee with a speech and...Lily has a severe stutter. As she grapples with balancing the stress of home life and securing her future, Lily embarks on a journey to discover who she really is and what she will do to help those she loves the most.

On an idyllic day at the beach, Alison and her younger brother, Kevin, are saved from a vicious shark attack by the brooding and mysterious Daniel. Welcomed into their home, Alison soon discovers that her mysterious savior and protector has a dark and disturbing past.