Dan Howell is a timid boy, who always does as he is told. He was once friends with Phil Lester, the 'bad influence' who soon ditches Dan for the popular group in Year 7. After five years of not talking to each other, they're partnered in a project and Phil's wants to win Dan over just like he has with most of their year. But yet, Dan is determined to find out what Phil is hiding behind his arrogant mask.

Phil is an orphan, bullied, and living alone with no friends in a home. He does his best not to let that fact that no one seems to care about him get to him, but it's getting harder. Then a nice couple start to take interest in him, and it turns out they have a son his age, Daniel, but the love they begin to share isn't of a brotherly nature...