A 15-year-old whose family moves from Oregon to Boston misses the girlfriend he left behind, so he runs away to see her. On the way he hooks up with a female art student in her 20s who is also hitchhiking across the country, from whom he learns some valuable lessons about life.

James throws a party to make new friends -- among them, Sly and Marlene.

When even the girl with the bad rep turns down James, he brags to Sly that they made out anyway.

Kathy is caught having a secret affair with her professor.

James joins a cult.

Bobby, James' old friend back home in Oregon, comes to Boston because he needs to have some medical tests done. James's new friend, Patricia, finds herself falling in love with Bobby, who turns out to be fatally ill.

James' fast and loose new friend leads him to commit a crime.

James is hot for teacher, who happens to be pregnant.

James is pursued romantically by both Sandy's friend and one of Paul's students.

James befriends a deaf classmate, and puts himself in his shoes.

Marlene develops a crush on a rock star.

James loses his virginity to a Swedish foreign exchange student and turns 16.

James is uncomfortable at a Valentine's Day party.

James fears that Gun may have given him a little something ""extra.""

Marlene's all-girls basketball team challenges James' all-boys basketball team to a championship.

James's classmate, who edits his school paper, has a drinking problem. James works with a teenage reporter who declares that she is an alcoholic, fluffs an important Interview with a Pulitzer Prize winner and arrives drunk when invited to dinner at the Hunters.

James and a teacher knock heads over James' controversial football articles in the school paper.

James solves his car crisis by taking his parents' out without asking them.

After helping James with his campaign for class president, Marlene begins to disagree with his philosophy, and decides to run against him.

James helps an old lady rescue ducks from a city pond.

While away on state finals with his swim team, James wins a bet by taking a girl back to his hotel room -- which soon comes back to haunt him.