Dan Howell is an unemployed musician looking for a job. He walks into a pub one night after a long day of job hunting and spies a piano in the corner with a "pianist needed" sign on it. He turns to the bartender to ask about the position but is stunned speechless by the beautiful person he sees.

Dan is the senior that everyone looks up to, he is charming, witty and sometimes even nice. Phil is the sophomore that is constantly being bullied for being who he his, a boy who likes boys. Roles seem to switch when Dan saves Phil's life, and finds himself falling for the younger boy. Dan is the new target for torment and beatings. But unlike Phil, Dan doesn't handle it very well, and finds himself spiraling downhill, with what seems like no way back to the top.