For Keeps

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, Darcy Elliot and Stan Bobrucz, who both excel academically, are entering their senior year in high school and have just started the sexual aspect of their so far two and a half year relationship. Their lives for the next few years are all mapped out. Darcy, the editor of the school newspaper, will attend the University of Wisconsin in Madison in the journalism program next year, but not before she and her divorced mother, Donna, who acts more as Darcy's best friend than mother, will spend the summer together in Paris. Stan, who works in his Catholic father's shoe store part-time, will, on his father's urging, attend Caltech in architecture, that is if he can get a full scholarship, which is almost a guarantee. Because they do see their future lives together as husband and wife at some point, Darcy and Stan will retain a long distance relationship during their post-secondary school years. Their plans take a turn when Darcy discovers that she's pregnant. Regardless of their respective parents' wants for what they should do, Darcy and Stan ultimately decide to do what they want, which, after consideration after consideration is thrown out, is to get married immediately and keep the baby. They, however, still have plans to complete their senior year at high school, and continue with their post-secondary education after graduation. But reality does not end up matching their fantasy life of having their cake and eating it too, which may be helped or hindered by their parents' wants for their lives. Their relationship may not be able to endure all the stresses of needing to become adults sooner than they had planned.