Axelle Erickson lives on the vast prairie of the Oklahoma Panhandle, but there are no endless horizons in her life. Homework and chores rule her days. She is the youngest, a surprise child in her family, and it is easy to blame her for everything-including the accident that changed her brother's life forever. Her only joy is being with her friends Kelly and Benita in their secret place. When her parents leave town, Axelle and the girls ride off on what starts as a small adventure but ends up being a life changing time that marks Axelle's first steps into womanhood.