U shkoli Marianna i Konnel prykydayutʹsya, shcho ne znayomi. Yoho lyublyatʹ i lyublyatʹ usi, vona - samotnya dyvachka, nad yakoyu vidverto smiyutʹsya. Odnak mizh nymy vynykne dyvovyzhnyy zv'yazok, yakyy vony vyrishuyutʹ zberehty v tayemnytsi, i yakyy vidtodi nazavzhdy zminytʹ yikhni zhyttya. Piznishe v Dublinsʹkomu koledzhi Marianna vpevneno vpysuyetʹsya v mistseve suspilʹstvo, a Konnell nez·hrabno znakhodytʹ svoye mistse sered stolychnoyi bohemy. Za roky navchannya vony postiyno kruzhlyayutʹ odyn navkolo odnoho, to viddalyayutʹsya, to zblyzhuyutʹsya, ale mizh nymy vse odno ye shchosʹ, shcho tyahne yikh odne do odnoho nerealʹnym chynom. Mizh inshymy stosunkamy, skhylʹnistyu Marianny do samoznyshchennya, depresiyeyu Konnella, vony pereviryayutʹ, naskilʹky daleko vony mozhutʹ zayty v bazhanni buty prosto normalʹnymy lyudʹmy i, nareshti, nespodivano vryatuvaty odne odnoho.