For Aurora, it is the dawn of a new life. She moves into a college dormitory, meets her new roommate, and explores Honolulu city life with her best friend, Alex. Her days brim with the promise of adventures to come, but Aurora's happiness will soon be haunted by threats both physical and from another realm. Her nights are shaken by warnings of pain and loss. When her waking life is torn apart by heartbreaking news from her doctor, Aurora must fight for her life. She grows to depend on Alex, who becomes her rock as she undergoes chemotherapy. But the tables turn when Alex falls victim to gay-bashing predators. Aurora convinces her parents to offer him shelter, but his presence strains their fragile marriage. In the midst of great difficulty, Aurora meets a new man, a dream lover who tries to persuade her to leave with him. Tempted but afraid, she retreats to her dreams more frequently, searching for him, seeking love beyond her physical existence.