Now a teenager, Elena grapples with the onset of puberty, her studies, and her friendship with Lila, who now works in her family's shoe-repair store. After a library awards ceremony reveals what Lila has been keeping secret, Elena learns what her friend's grand plans might be. As the girls' encounters with the opposite sex become more and more frequent, Lila takes a stand against the dangerous Solara brothers.

Lila rejects two potential suitors at a cost; Elena prepares to spend the summer away from Lila and her family.