In 1975, sixteen-year-old Barbara Langille faces a long, sad, lonely summer without her boyfriend, Will. She waits for a letter from him, some word that shows her he still cares. On antidepressants, and hoping the pills will prevent another breakdown, she believes she's on solid ground, but will soon find that she's really on LOOSE GRAVEL. Her need for excitement and the thrill of breaking the law takes her on a downward spiral, losing her balance along the way. Determined to get back on her feet and to face a future without Will, she sets out to become a woman: choose a career, lose her virginity, and leave home—all the achievements she believes will bring love and happiness. In this quest, she turns to the boys who are the exact opposite of Will, the long-haired dropouts in the park, convinced that maybe, just maybe, one of them will love her. All the while, running from the feeling she might never be loved again. She learns lessons about give and take as she weaves her way through hidden agendas and the never-ending confusing world of love, all the while forming beliefs about her self-worth. Along the way, she loses more than she bargained for in the gaining of her independence. The one thing she never thought she'd lose… the only reliable person in her life.