A meteor explodes over the Midwest, and teens exposed to the fragments break out in a rash of glittering scales. Among the affected are a homophobic bully, an honor student, and a witty gay guy. Zack, Hilde, and Silas overcome their initial antagonism to form an unlikely alliance. As the scales spread over their bodies, they must work together to combat their self-loathing, accept their alienness, and escape the forces bent on crushing them.