Opposite of Always

Forty-five minutes earlier, police officers stop Jack King as he tries to enter the emergency room. Handcuffed, he pleads for the police officers to let him see his dying girlfriend for five minutes. They escort Jack to Kate’s room, where he tells her she’s going to be okay and then injects her with a syringe he hid in his shoe. It doesn’t work, and Kate dies, resetting the timeline and jolting Jack painfully into the past.

Jack King considers himself an expert in “almost” because he doesn’t succeed at anything he tries. He doesn’t make the sports teams or extracurricular clubs, nor is he good at any of the hobbies he dabbles in. At present, he’s a high school senior on a weekend college visit, hoping to spend time alone with his crush, Jillian.

Jillian has been Jack’s best friend since freshman year, but now he’s in the friend zone. Jillian’s boyfriend, Francisco “Franny” Hogan, is Jack’s other best friend. In one moment, Jack declares that Franny’s a great guy and says he wouldn’t ever jeopardize their friendship over Jillian, but in the next, he doesn’t seem so sure.

Jack attends a party during the college visit. He’s sitting on the stairs, watching Jillian, when he meets a college first-year student named Kate. She senses his feelings for Jillian and tries to give him advice until Jack acknowledges he needs to move on and begins flirting awkwardly with Kate. They talk all night, bonding over their quirks and self-proclaimed corniness. When they part ways in the morning, Jack asks how to get in touch with her, but Kate merely assures him they’ll see each other again.

Back at the dorm where Jack’s staying for the weekend, he sleeps until 2:00 pm, when Jillian tells him they need to start heading home to Elytown. Before they leave, Jack finds Kate’s dorm and gives her his contact information. While he and Jillian are on the road, their conversation suggests Jillian might be into him, but Jack’s in denial about it.

Jack doesn’t hear from Kate for several days. Meanwhile, Jillian is mad at him for some reason and won’t talk to him. He goes to her house to confront her and finds her power is out due to unpaid bills. Jillian admits she’s afraid that everything is changing and was upset that he chose to spend time with Kate instead of her. Franny joins them, interrupting an odd romantic tension between them. Jack is relieved to finally get a text from Kate.

Jack has always been passive with girls and everything else. He decides to do things differently this time and take action. He texts Kate back and asks if she wants to get together.

Kate says yes, so Jack drives 90 minutes to the campus, where they eat cereal at her favorite outdoor spot in the gorges.

When Jack returns home, his parents ask where he’s been. He admits he hadn’t been honest before about where he was going, and he tells them about Kate. They lecture him on being trustworthy.

Later, Franny tells Jack that his dad, whom he calls The Coupon, is getting out of prison. Franny hasn’t seen his father since he walked out on the family eight years ago. Franny and Jack were kids when they became friends. Jack was being bullied, and Franny, who was big and athletic, protected him.

Jack, Franny, and Jillian all play in the school band. They’ve also recently formed their band, called JoyToy, to perform at Jack’s parents’ 30th anniversary party in a couple of months. The performance will be a surprise, and all three are practicing hard to make sure it’s a great gift.

Jack writes a cute, humorous email to Kate, asking her to go to his prom with him. She writes a similarly silly, witty message back, informing him she can’t dance and selecting the “maybe” answer box.

Jack’s parents love Franny, in part because he’s so trustworthy. They attend all his basketball games and allow him to sleep over anytime he wants. He does so on Friday night while his abuela is at work. He tells Jack that his abuela plans to cook a big dinner for his dad’s first night home. Franny asks Jack to be there for moral support.

Through a chain of emails, Kate explains to Jack that the situation with her ex-boyfriend is complicated because he’s been with her through a lot. She says she will go to prom with Jack but doesn’t want him to assume it means they’re a couple.

Kate comes to Jack’s house for dinner and meets Jillian and Franny. She instantly bonds with Franny because she has an “in” with the band he loves, Mighty Moat. Jillian and Franny leave after dinner. Jack and Kate play video games. They kiss, and it’s magical.

Jack goes to the mall with Jillian and Franny to buy formal wear for prom. He used to be hesitant about prom, but he’s excited now that Kate’s going.

Jack asks his mother to help pick out a corsage to give to Kate at prom. She chooses a bright yellow orchid. She tells Jack she’s proud of him and the man he’s becoming.

While Jack gets ready for prom, his parents gush and take tons of pictures. The plan is for Kate to meet him at his house. She’s late, then very late. Finally, Jack drives to her parents’ house to look for her, but nobody’s home. Two hours after prom started, Kate calls Jack to say she’s so sorry, but she won’t explain what happened or why she stood him up.

Jack is depressed after Kate stood him up for prom. Franny and Jillian try to help by pushing him to practice their music for the anniversary party and keeping his phone from him when he’s obsessively checking social media. Jack and Jillian have a deep discussion about family, love, and loss, which helps Jack feel a bit better.

Franny’s father has been out of prison for two weeks but hasn’t come to see Franny or Abuela. He didn’t even come for the big dinner Abuela planned. Jack, Jillian, and Franny are hanging out one week before graduation. They feel grateful to have each other and recognize that while they all have troubles, they have reasons to be hopeful, too.

JoyToy’s performance at the anniversary party goes well and caps off a happy occasion. Afterward, Kate calls Jack. She makes an emotional apology and says she’s realized she wants to spend her last hours, her literal dying moments, with him.

Jack rushes to the hospital, where he finds Kate in a hospital bed, hooked up to numerous machines. He meets Kate’s mother, Regina. He tells Kate he forgives her for missing prom but wishes she’d explained the reason. Even now, Kate isn’t ready to tell Jack her medical diagnosis. They sit together, eating food Jack brought from the party and talking. Jack goes home once Kate falls asleep. Late that night, Kate’s mother calls him and says she’s died. Jack’s world feels like it’s turned upside down. He tries to hurry to the hospital, but his brain is still foggy from sleep, and he falls down the stairs. He can’t move his arms, and he’s in excruciating pain. He feels sure he’s about to die.