School is over for the year and the summer holidays have arrived. A pool party is in full swing as a group of Grade 11 students from St Barts celebrate the end of the year. Four friends, Ben and his girlfriend Emma, and their friends Ryan and Josie, separate from the main group and steal away to a bedroom. Together they hatch a plan to take revenge on one of their teachers, Mr Newman, for failing Ryan in Music. Using a laptop, they construct a fake profile about Newman on a social website, suggesting Newman’s marriage is in crisis and that he displays an unhealthy interest in young children. When they are done, they have a laugh, shut down the computer and head off for the summer break.

Term One

The holidays are over, it’s back to school and the situation has exploded. Everyone is talking about the website. It seems that during the break the word has spread, so far in fact, that Mr Newman has been suspended from work, pending an investigation.

There is much confusion within the school community about the website.  Is it real? Is it a fake? And if it’s a fake, then who made it? Students are summoned to the headmaster’s office for questioning and Ben, Ryan, Emma and Josie now find themselves in a real dilemma as they know Mr Newman is innocent. They know the investigation will turn up nothing, and Mr Newman will be allowed to teach again, so they make a pact to keep their mouths shut. If they say nothing, it will all blow over. Obviously.

Term Two

The weeks roll along as the school year takes hold. Josie, obsessed with the school formal, starts making preparations for the event. Her obsession for the formal is equalled by her obsession for Ben. She confesses her love for him to Ryan, even though Ben is going out with her best friend, Emma.

Ben, in the meantime, is desperate to consummate his relationship with Emma. He’s waited patiently, he has protection, but Emma wants to wait as she is starting to feel guilty about the website. Ben assures her there’s nothing to worry about and as time passes it does seem that the controversy surrounding Mr Newman will indeed blow over. That is, until, the headmaster calls a special assembly.

At the assembly the headmaster informs the student body that Mr Newman has committed suicide. The school community is rocked to the core. As shock sets in, Ben, Emma, Ryan and Josie retreat to the safety of their respective bedrooms and text each other. Their pact to keep their mouths shut is now more important than ever.

Term Three

The website scandal and Mr Newman’s suicide has now drawn the attention of the national media. Julie Weathers, a reporter for the current affairs program Headline Tonight, files news reports from outside the grounds of St Barts. What was a sordid and sad event for a school community has now caught the nation’s interest.

The school community is enraged by the negative press, hysterically so, and as it has become apparent that the website was a fake, the desire to discover who was behind it is stronger than ever.

Ben’s younger sister Veronica, herself partially implicated in the website’s creation, accidentally tells a friend that it was Ben and his friends that did it. She confesses to Ben her mistake and he is furious at her.

Ryan, in the meantime, asks Josie to attend the formal with him. She’s laughs at him and turns him down saying she wants Ben to take her. Ryan informs her that Ben will obviously be taking Emma. However, Emma is consumed with guilt. She goes to Ben and declares that they must confess that they created the website. He is enraged and they argue. 

Not understanding how Emma could be so stupid, Ben goes to Josie to talk and she agrees with his position that they must remain silent. They end up kissing, but there’s still the little problem of Emma. Josie reassures Ben that he should leave Emma to her.  Suddenly, a new rumour emerges catching the attention of the national press. Mr Newman may have been conducting an affair with one of the students - an affair that led, in part, to his suicide. The alleged student involved is Emma. The school community turns on her.   

Term Four

The school formal is approaching, however as Emma has been shunned by the school community she decides not to attend. Ben’s sister Veronica, whose opinion of the school and her brother has forever changed, urges her to go. She tells her that she must be strong so Emma changes her mind.

On the night of the formal, Julie Weathers is reporting from outside the school grounds, wrapping up the year’s events. The school has managed to work through a terrible time. Emma enters and goes straight to Julie Weathers and tells her she knows who made the website. Then, in front of everyone, Emma confesses. It is a moment of revelation and honesty. Ben and Josie deny it, but Ryan supports Emma. Julie Weathers drops her hard journalistic edge for a moment and tells Emma that she has done a brave thing.

With the truth revealed, the scandal is over. Ben storms out, followed by Josie. Emma leaves too. The music starts up, but it's different now. The night has darkened. Ryan is left alone in the middle of the room. He, like the rest of the school, has his whole life in front of him. Time enough to consider the consequences of their actions.