Set in an unremarkable Yorkshire coastal town, Laurie (Lauren Coe), a school running champion newly arrived from Dublin, is stalked by Pete (Cosmo Jarvis), a disheveled and darkly compelling thirty-something who works as an occasional handyman at the local high school. Frustrated and lonely, Laurie overcomes her initial fear of Pete and the pair strike up a mischievous and ambiguous relationship. They fall into a pattern of nocturnal meet ups and drunken escapades, characterized by the dark humor and sharp repartee they share. During the daytime, Pete paints houses, obsessed by the photographs of families he finds within, whilst Laurie practices at the track and actively avoids her mother Jean (Sadie Frost) at home.As their bond grows, Laurie - plagued by adolescent insecurities, which are fueled by her new classmates - becomes perturbed by Pete's lack of sexual interest in her. He even rebuffs her clumsy attempts to seduce him, despite leading her on with unaccountable devotion. On a drug fueled night out while celebrating her birthday, the situation escalates beyond his control when Laurie tries to kiss him. It is at this point, that Pete's real predicament and intentions come to light.It is revealed that Pete, despite having had numerous opportunities to to tell Laurie the truth about who he is, selfishly elected to dip his toe into the water, wanting to feel the temperature before taking the plunge. As he gets to know and love Laurie, he postpones the inevitable moment of honesty, incapable of facing up to his responsibilities, at the risk of ruining the bond they have built in their time together.