Filipina-American Emilyn Padilla has a secret. While her parents believe their daughter is following her older sister Aprilette's path toward medical school, Emilyn is actually preparing for a photography competition that could win her a scholarship to art school. Science makes Aprilette shine; through a camera lens, Emilyn finally sees herself clearly.

 

Every week, she slips away to develop her portfolio and rehearse her presentation with Jase, a guitarist whose calloused fingertips brush against her photographs with the same reverence she feels listening to his music. Her parents think she's volunteering at the hospital and cramming for the SATs, never suspecting she's learning to stand before strangers and speak about the images that make her pulse quicken. This summer tastes like freedom, but leaves a question lingering: What costs more; sacrificing your passion or breaking your parents' hearts?