Class president Nova (Aimee Teegarden) is eagerly preparing for her high school's prom, alongside her dedicated friends Mei (Yin Chang), Ali (Janelle Ortiz), Brandon (Jonathan Keltz), and Rolo (Joe Adler). They've crafted the perfect decorations, stored carefully in the school's shed, as Nova secretly hopes that Brandon will ask her to be his date.
Meanwhile, Lloyd (Nicholas Braun), often overlooked in school, confides in his stepsister Tess (Raini Rodriguez) about his prom struggles. Although he's disheartened by not having a date, Tess encourages him to find the courage to ask someone out. At the same time, Tyler (De'Vaughn Nixon) faces some relationship drama with his girlfriend Jordan (Kylie Bunbury), who suspects infidelity after she finds a single gold earring in his car, but he reassures her of his fidelity.
On a different note, the rebellious Jesse Richter (Thomas McDonell) has been skipping school frequently, stirring trouble such as riding his motorcycle on campus. Principal Dunnan (Jere Burns) confronts Jesse about his behavior, though Jesse remains unapologetic.
The pressure mounts when Mei learns about her acceptance into Parsons. This revelation complicates her plans with boyfriend Justin (Jared Kusnitz) regarding their shared future at the University of Michigan, leaving her stressed and increasingly irritable as prom approaches. In an unexpected turn, she agrees to go with him despite her turmoil.
In the midst of this, sophomore Lucas (Nolan Sotillo) finds himself drawn to his lab partner Simone (Danielle Campbell) and seeks the help of his friend Corey (Cameron Monaghan) to impress her.
As the night unfolds, Tyler takes Jordan to the school’s shed, adorned with candles, to pop the question for prom, leading to an unfortunate fire that destroys the decorations Nova had worked so hard on. With just three weeks until the big event, she pleads for additional assistance from her friends, but disappointingly, they all bow out for their reasons.
Principal Dunnan devises a plan, mandating Jesse to assist Nova with prom preparations or risk failing to graduate. Though both resist the idea, they ultimately agree to team up. Meanwhile, Lloyd, still on the hunt for a prom date, faces a series of unfortunate hiccups and starts losing hope.
In a twist of fate, Brandon arrives at Nova’s house only to inform her he cannot take her to prom after all, leaving her in despair. As their work progresses, Nova and Jesse start to bond, sparking an unexpected connection.
With prom just around the corner, Tyler invites Lucas to a barbecue, prompting Lucas to invite Simone, who reluctantly attends. Tensions rise when it becomes evident there’s history between Tyler and Simone. Meanwhile, Mei's attitude continues to darken, leading to a breakup with Justin, causing even more emotional strain.
Things take a turn when Nova discovers her school’s prom theme is identical to that of a rival high school. Jesse, keen to gather more intel on their decorations, suggests they sneak out on his motorcycle, but they’re caught by the police, leading to a stern conversation with Nova’s furious father.
In the hallways of their school, Lucas starts focusing more on Simone, trying to make amends for a recent slip-up. Eventually, Nova and Jesse find themselves shopping for prom dresses together, deepening their connection. Simultaneously, Lucas scores concert tickets as a surprise for Simone, but she inadvertently sidesteps their plans in favor of attending prom with Tyler after he maneuvers his way back into her life.
As prom night approaches, tensions escalate. Nova reveals her feelings for Jesse to her friends, but unbeknownst to them, her father overhears, leading to a confrontation where he outright forbids Jesse from asking her to prom. Heartbroken, Nova decides against attending the event.
On the significant night, Lucas attempts a grand gesture by climbing a tree outside Simone's house to declare his feelings. Disheartened by her decision to go to prom regardless, he finds solace in rekindling his friendship with Corey.
Nova, burdened by her worries, decides to leave prom early after a series of unfortunate events, but just when she thinks it’s over, the fountain centerpiece unexpectedly revives. In a turn of luck, she discovers it was Jesse who restored it. With a new hope ignited, Jesse approaches her, finally ready to ask her to prom, and she agrees. The evening culminates in a magical dance and a romantic kiss, signifying that love blossoms even amid chaos.
