Desperate for Love

Alex Cutler is the most popular student with a promising future. Cliff Petrie is an introverted teen who keeps to himself. Lily Becker is a popular, attractive cheerleader who has been dating Alex and is planning to marry him after graduation.

Alex's father believes he should attend university and points out Lily's different background. The friction is reinforced by Lily's reputation and the town's view of her. The two families become sworn enemies, foreshadowing trouble for the couple.

What started as a promise to stay together ends when Alex breaks off the relationship to satisfy his father. Lily is shocked and upset by the sudden rupture, and her sense of betrayal deepens. The couple's plans begin to fall apart.

Feeling depressed, Lily reaches out to Cliff, who secretly admires her. At first Cliff hesitates, thinking Lily still loves Alex, but they discover they have much in common. Lily confides that she feels used and devalued by men.

Lily seduces Cliff and explains she is attracted to him; she even plans on marrying him. Cliff, impressed by how highly she thinks of him, struggles with his feelings. The budding romance destabilizes the triangle even further.

When Alex learns of the affair, he responds in anger and ends his friendship with Cliff. Over time, he comes to regret that decision, and the boys begin to reconcile. The trio's tangled loyalties leave Lily caught in the middle.

A short while later, Alex and Cliff befriend each other again. Lily reveals that she and Alex have become a couple once more, leaving Cliff crushed by the turn of events. The emotional stakes rise as friendship and love collide.

Alex promises to elope with Lily, but he is too afraid to commit and stands her up on the plan. Lily returns home in tears, and her father, already wary of Alex, becomes furious and lashes out. The broken promise deepens the rift between families.

In a volatile moment, Lily's father grabs a rifle and goes into the woods. Meanwhile, Alex and Cliff are hunting in the same woods, unaware of the danger. The tension of the night sets the stage for a disappearance.

The next day, Alex is reported missing, leaving Lily to seek comfort from Cliff. She begins to suspect that Cliff killed Alex out of love for her, complicating the emotional web. Cliff remains silent as rumors swirl.

After Alex's funeral, Lily tells the police what she believes happened and Cliff is arrested. The town is shaken as a young man’s life seems to unravel before the trial.

Two years pass and the murder trial begins, bringing Lily back into focus as witnesses are called. Lily claims Cliff admitted the killing, while her attorney questions her reliability and past promiscuity. The courtroom becomes the stage for truth and manipulation.

Cliff ultimately pleads guilty to murdering Alex, accepting responsibility for his actions. He is sentenced to eight years in jail, but is released on parole after four years. His parole arrives in October 1988, marking the end of the legal saga.