Maggie was twelve when "Zitcake" became her nickname. Starting Junior High with a face full of acne, hand me down clothes, and living in a trailer court may be too much for her to overcome. Add to that having spit wads thrown on the daily bus ride and not receiving the attention of that special cute guy and you've got a recipe for unpopularity. It's the 1980's when big hair, leg warmers, Valley girls, and moonwalking are all the rage, but Margaret George, aka "Zitcake" rarely enjoys these things due to her divorced parents' low paying jobs and busy schedules. Ever determined, Maggie joins the school swim team for an opportunity at jockhood and maybe even the attention of eighth grader Brett Fleeder. Classmates Tara and Lunden are certain they can thwart Maggie's efforts and even push her into a relationship with six foot tall, skinny Jay Swanson. Despite her efforts to stay uninvolved with Jay, Maggie is drawn in by a browbeating band of antagonizers who are bent on Jay's destruction. When new neighbors move in next-door, Maggie feels her path to popularity may finally be unobscured, until a frightening disease leaves her questioning her priorities. With the school's Box Social dance upon her, Maggie faces a choice- follow the popular path, or make her own trail, one that has life and death consequences.