Bully

In the present, Tate has just returned from her year-long stay in France and is video chatting with her father, who works an hour away in Chicago, Illinois. Tate’s father used to be in the military; ever since Tate’s mother died from cancer years ago, Tate has been largely independent. This time, she won’t see her father again until Christmas. She is about to begin her final year of high school and is comfortable enough on her own in the family home. 

As a storm approaches, she ends the call to close the windows, and when she glances at Jared’s house next door, she sees an unfamiliar black car drive into Jared’s garage. Moments later, Jared opens his bedroom window, stares out into the storm, and then looks over at Tate. Despite his behavior before her departure to France, Tate can’t help but notice how attractive he is. A large tree spans the distance between their two homes, as if offering a bridge between them, but Tate isn’t sure if her year away was enough to solve the issues that still lie between them.

The next day, Tate is spending time with K.C., who tries to convince her that she should finally stand up to Jared. Tate just wants a peaceful and quiet year, and she doesn’t want to start any drama. When K.C. tells Tate that the “foreplay” between her and Jared has to end sometime, Tate interprets her meaning sexually and tries to insist that she has no interest in Jared. K.C. explains that she was only referring to their feuding, not to any romantic spark. She urges Tate to question why Jared always targets her specifically. She also tries to convince Tate to throw a party while her father is away for three months.

On Friday night, Tate finds it impossible to sleep because Jared is having a party with loud music. Because she has an important running-club meeting in the morning and needs her sleep, Tate decides to confront Jared. She wanders into his house, which is filled with inebriated teenagers. She eventually finds Madoc and insists on talking to Jared. When Jared finally appears, shirtless and angry, he tells Tate not to disturb his party, but she insists that he turn the music down. When Jared refuses, Tate screams, “COPS!” and scares away all of Jared’s guests. He threatens to make Tate’s life miserable, and Tate vows never to shed another tear on his behalf.

Tate attends her first day of her senior year and finds that many of the students who previously ignored her are now welcoming her back and giving her attention. She is suspicious of this behavior and doesn’t know why it’s happening. Tate meets K.C. for lunch in the cafeteria, and while she waits in line for food, Madoc comes up close to her and puts his hand on her behind. Tate turns around and knees Madoc in the groin, sending him to the floor. She insults him and walks away to the laughter of those around her. Then, she notices Jared staring in shock. Tate remembers when she used to love Jared’s attention and has to remind herself that she hates him.

Tate gets more praise from her peers after the cafeteria incident, and she also learns that Jared and Madoc covered for her so that she wouldn’t get into trouble with the school authorities. This puts her in an awkward position. After Tate showers in the locker room and emerges, clad in nothing but a towel, Jared comes close enough that she can smell him. She has to remind herself that Jared has been terrible to her. Jared tells Tate that her new, tougher attitude intrigues him and makes him want to step up to the challenge. Tate mocks him, but their spat is soon interrupted by the coach.

Various rumors circulate about what happened between the two of them in the locker room. Meanwhile, Tate befriends a boy named Ben in her film and literature class. The teacher tells everyone to find a permanent partner for class discussions, and by pure chance, Tate is forced to accept Jared as a partner.

Tate looks forward to her father’s return in three months, as the house is already lonely without him. K.C. comes over to do a treatment on Tate’s hair and notices that she has a perfect view of Jared through her bedroom window. Tate tells K.C. to back off. Although K.C. already has a boyfriend (Liam), she hints that she feels disconnected from him. Both Liam and Jared frequently spend their evenings at the Loop, an unofficial racetrack in town. Jared usually drives in the races, but Liam often stands on the sidelines, and K.C. feels bored whenever she accompanies him. K.C. mentions that Jared seemed different while Tate was in France; he was less angry and spiteful but a lot moodier. Hearing this, Tate wonders whether Jared missed her after all.

Once again, Tate can’t sleep because of the noise coming from Jared’s party next door. This time, she boldly sneaks into his yard and uses plyers to cut the lock on his circuit breaker and shut off the power to the house. Tate manages to sneak back to her house, but then she sees Jared staring at her through his window as his guests start to leave. Suddenly, she hears her front door slam.

Jared runs up the stairs and corners Tate against the wall. She can sense that he is attracted to her, but they are both distracted by this new conflict. She challenges Jared to prove that she was the one who cut the power, and she asks him why he has such a vendetta against her. Jared vaguely answers that Tate became too clingy for his liking; his response leaves her confused. When the police arrive, Jared leaves, promising to make Tate’s life miserable.