non grata

At Lakeview High, Jude Lavine reigns as queen bee—popular, untouchable, and seemingly perfect. But when her longtime boyfriend suddenly breaks things off, her carefully constructed world begins to unravel. As she struggles to hold onto her place at the top, Jude strikes up an unexpected friendship with Nikki, a quirky member of the yearbook and media club, a bond that could shift her identity and social standing in ways she never imagined.

Still reeling from Josh’s new girlfriend being welcomed into her former circle, Jude scrambles to repair her fractured reputation. She schemes to secure an invite to an old friend’s party and even tries to spark a romance with Josh’s best friend, but both efforts fall flat. With her old world slipping further away, Jude leans more on Nikki—whose loyalty and boldness begin to reveal just how far she’ll go to help Jude reclaim her standing.

Weighed down by heartbreak, Jude spirals into depression, abandoning her once-flawless image as she drifts through school pale, barefaced, and withdrawn. Fever dreams blur reality, drawing her into cryptic visions of Phil, a metaphysical “super senior” from her new circle, and memories of the love she once shared with Josh. When Nikki takes her to a secret refuge she visits in times of sadness, Jude confronts both her grief and the fragile remnants of her past.

On her birthday, Jude braces for disappointment when her estranged father cancels their plans. Masking her hurt with bravado, she turns to Nikki for comfort, spending the day in unconventional ways that slowly push her to confront her fear of being alone. Memories of how Josh once filled that void resurface, but it’s Nikki’s unwavering loyalty that finally breaks through—culminating in a surprise party with Jude’s family and new media club friends. Watching from the sidelines, Josh begins to question his choices and reaches out with a hesitant birthday text.

As cracks form in Josh’s new relationship, he corners Jude in the media room, only to be met with fierce resistance from her new friends. He offers her a heartfelt card, confessing his mistakes and asking for another chance—pushing Jude into a spiral that leads her to disappear without explanation. Believing she’s missing, Phil and Nikki launch a frantic campaign that sweeps through the school, turning Josh into the prime target of a bounty hunt. When Nikki finally reconnects with Jude and learns she’s considering Josh’s offer, their friendship erupts into a bitter fight. In the chaos, Phil takes matters into his own hands—kidnapping Josh.

Josh escapes Phil’s clutches and his double life unravels when his girlfriend discovers his plans with Jude and confronts Nikki, who—despite feeling hurt—still defends her. Jude stands at a crossroads: reunite with Josh or walk away for good. While her old friends pull her back toward the familiar, a heartfelt conversation with her mother forces her to reflect on what she truly wants.