Kiss Me

Zoe is taken to the doctor for back pain and learns she has scoliosis. The doctor prescribes a back brace to keep her spine aligned for several years until she stops growing. She worries about being marginalized at school and resents her mother's insistence on wearing it.

Her mother insists on the brace; Zoe feels misunderstood and stifled. Her father laments that the condition comes from him. The home atmosphere grows tense as the brace dominates daily life.

Zoe meets Shelby in the neighborhood and offers friendship. Shelby is slightly older and opens up about her own troubles. Zoe sees a chance for support and companionship.

Zoe starts babysitting for Chance and Vera a few hours each week. Chance, a photographer, hints that Zoe could model. Zoe becomes curious about the modeling idea.

On one evening when Chance drops her off, Zoe impulsively kisses him, drawn by her crush. The moment leaves both of them unsettled and tinged with complicated feelings. They part with a new, fragile tension between them.

Shelby confides about an abusive father and controlling parents who keep her at home when she's not working. Zoe learns that Shelby's home life is far more troubled than her own. The two girls grow closer as they share their struggles.

Zoe and Shelby encounter each other at school and later see police cars at Shelby's house. Shelby calls the police out of frustration with her father. The moment underscores the danger Shelby faces at home.

Zoe learns she has a summer job with the park district, partly because she is considered handicapped. Accepting the job means she must stop babysitting during the week. The news shifts her daily routine and priorities.

Chance suggests a weekend photo shoot, and they flirt during the session. Several provocative shots are taken as their mutual attraction grows. Zoe tests boundaries between her friendship and the possibility of romance.

Shelby's mother catches Zoe and Shelby kissing, which strains their relationship. She forbids Shelby from seeing Zoe, creating distance between the two friends. The girls must navigate feelings and loyalty under pressure.

Vera notices something off about Zoe and Chance; she confronts Zoe at her park job and tells her she is no longer needed as a babysitter. The accusation causes Zoe to reassess her relationship with the couple. The tension spills into Zoe's work life.

After three years, Zoe stops needing her back brace. Shelby gets married, and Zoe attends as a guest. The two girls have grown, and their friendship remains a memory that shaped them.

Chance visits Zoe at her work and invites her to his place while Vera and the kids are away. When he undresses, hoping for sex, Zoe realizes she does not want to go through with it. She asserts her boundaries and declines.

In the closing moments, Shelby briefly visits Zoe before Zoe leaves for college. Zoe's mother informs Shelby that she is about to depart. The two girls vow to keep a piece of each other in their hearts.