Stevie is apprehended in a gay-bashing and sentenced to serve community time in an AIDS hospice. At first, Stevie is intent of doing as little as possible but he is soon confronted with the reality of AIDS. Gradually, he befriends Will, a patient who becomes a mentor to him.

A young teenage girl, Katie, can not snap out of her depression after losing her mother. Katie has lost interest in school, her friends, and gymnastics. All that changes in the summer when she is asked to monkeysit Gibby, her science teacher's Capuchin monkey. Taking care of the monkey changes her life in a big way. Gibby's happy-go-lucky personality renews Katie's zest for life. Gibby helps her with gymnastics, renewing friendships (including finding a potential boyfriend) and overcoming her nemesis, a mean girl who is out to beat Katie at everything.