Anita Minteer, a California teen, is dealing with an absentee mother, her mother's abusive boyfriend, Rooney, and a lack of respect from her classmates. This all changes when she meets convict Howard through a pen-pal school project. Anita obtains Howard's parole and confronts Rooney violently after he rapes her. Soon, the gun-crazed adolescent is on the run with Howard, pursued by his parole officer.