An anxious college freshman befriends a party-loving junior girl, both hatching a plan to escape with a suicidal friend from the political tensions in the Texas borderland to California.

SYNOPSIS:

College freshman Mateo meets college junior Susie, bonding over their traumatic experiences from the Drug War which have left Susie wanting to flee the borderland for another place, planning a “test trip” to San Francisco with her boyfriend Tony. Abby still traumatized from her father’s murder now lives in El Paso unable to reconnect with her friends until Susie invites her to her farewell party. At the party, Abby has a panic attack and Susie gets drunk, and Tony mocks Mateo. The next morning, the hungover Susie misses her flight to San Francisco, the whole incident embarrasses Tony and he breaks up with her. Susie proposes to Mateo and Abby to run away together to Los Angeles, California in an attempt to escape the traumatic experiences they live on the border and change their lives for the better. Mateo accepts with the condition that they go see Cecilia Carrasco, a journalist he admires at a conference.

On the road, Abby unsuccessfully attempts suicide, Susie tries to lure Mateo into alcohol but only makes him sick and Susie suffers from withdrawal. They go to the Carrasco conference and both Susie and Mateo end up inspired to do a journalism/art project, but Abby balks at the idea. Abby gets in touch Esteban her abusive ex-boyfriend and ends up staying with him in Los Angeles. Susie goes back to drugs and pushes Mateo, seeing herself as a danger to him.

Days later, a distraught Abby calls Mateo telling him she’s back in Juárez and needs to escape from Esteban. Mateo unsuccessfully tries to rescue her and ends up getting beaten up by Esteban. He tells Susie and together, they rescue Abby and all return to Juárez. Susie and Abby reunite with their families. Mateo and Susie share a dance.