Overweight and under-confident teenager Rae Earl is discharged from psychiatric hospital and is met by her mother, who is hiding her Tunisian boyfriend Karim from the immigration authorities. Rae goes to the pub where her friend Chloe introduces her to her circle, including the desirable 'half geek, half rock god' Archie, whom Rae would love as her boyfriend. She is, however, prone to panic attacks and tries to return to the ward but is persuaded by her friend Tix to brave the big wide world. After a reconciliatory chat with her mother she attends Chloe's pool party where she is self-conscious about the self-harming marks on her legs. However her unorthodox psychiatrist Dr Gill shows her how to turn things to her advantage and her sense of humour wins over her new crowd of friends.

Rae is not happy. Elderly Mrs Dewhurst across the road has accused her of being a Peeping Tom whilst a conversation with her friends in the pub exposes her as a virgin. A visit to Tix at the psychiatric ward is also depressing. However Archie asks her on a date and they are soon kissing. A second date is planned but Archie fails to show and when Rae goes after him he admits that he is gay and hoped that kissing a girl would make him straight. He is scared to come out so Rae decides the best way for them both to save face is for her to claim that she dumped him. Afterwards she goes to see Tix, this time the visit being more positive.

Rae and Chloe fall out when Chloe admits she is secretly dating their P.E. teacher Stephen Carrisford. There is further disharmony when Chop and Finn invite Rae to a rock concert but not Chloe. In fact they regard Rae as one of the lads, rather than a girl, which disheartens her and, after an encounter with the Green Lane gang of bullies, she starts self-harming again. Rae admits to Dr Gill her envy of Chloe after which she is again picked on by the Green Lane gang but rescued by Finn, for whom she realises she is falling. However, on the day of the concert, she stays behind to console Chloe, who has been dumped by Carrisford. They share a pleasant girls' afternoon at Chloe's house and Rae is about to confess all about her mental illness but is upset when Carrisford phones and Chloe rushes to see him.

Rae and Finn are really hitting it off but she is scared he still sees her only as one of the boys. She tells Chloe about her self-harming and proposes telling her other friends in order to be honest. Then her mother and Karim go to Tunisia for a few days, Rae being warned against having any parties. However when Rae discovers that the postcards supposedly sent by her absent father working in Scotland were sent by her mother she rebels and has a party. She is also angry with Dr Gill because, although Rae knows his marriage is in difficulties, he never tells her about it. At the party an attempt to make Finn jealous almost goes wrong when Finn accuses Rae of being mean to him but there is reconciliation. Next day Chloe admits that she also fancies Finn but Rae, wondering if telling the truth is the best option, decides against informing everybody else of the self-harming. Rae's mother returns, having married Karim in Tunisia, and Rae, realising her mother acted for the best, congratulates her.

Rae finds that she is vying with Chloe for Finn's affections. The gang is going to a rave but Rae's mother puts her foot down and tries to prevent her. After being sick Rae realizes that this is due to the combination of alcohol and her medication so she decides to stop taking the latter. This makes her behave oddly, freeing Karim's cage birds, some of whom die and leading to a huge row with her mother. After laying low at Finn's she goes to the rave where she is upset to see Chloe and Finn kiss. She returns home and patches things up with her mother but gets a call to say that Tix has regressed after Rae failed to turn up to go out with her.

Feeling guilty that she was not there for Tix Rae is also depressed when Chloe tells her of her feelings for Finn and imagines running her over. Things get worse when Rae realises that Chloe has read her diary and tries to commit suicide but is herself run over. Whilst Rae is unconscious Tix appears and tells her how life would be poorer if Rae was to do away with herself so, after being discharged from hospital, she goes to see Kester Gill, discussing her suicide attempt and her feelings for her father. On Kester's advice she goes to her mother's wedding and gives a speech, revealing the truth about herself. Afterwards she makes up with Chloe and Karim and discovers that Finn does love her. She visits Kester who tells her that, whilst she is not better, she is at last ready for therapy.