Three years after her mother' s death, 16-year-old Zara is still settling into life in Carolina Beach, N.C., where she knows almost no one. Working as the lone projectionist at the Palace Theatre- a rundown movie house that shows only vintage ' 50s sci-fi and horror flicks- Zara spends her nights in a dusty booth, fueled by coffee, pushups, and the occasional existential crisis (with popcorn). Then she meets Zachary, whose " Z" name feels like fate. His clothes don' t match, his stories don' t always add up, and he might be the most interesting person she' s ever met. As their friendship deepens into something more, Zara learns about the struggles Zachary hides beneath his charm- and wonders if trust is possible. When her boss tasks her with organizing a Valentine' s Day Godzilla marathon- complete with 150 inflatable Godzillas on the roof- Zara must confront the chaos in her own life. Like any good Godzilla movie, the big question remains: who will survive, and who will be crushed?
