Seattle, 1992. Somebody in your friend group is hopelessly into you—and after tonight, it’s not much of a secret anymore.

They’re broke, restless, a tight-knit Wallingford friend group growing up in the middle of Seattle’s grunge explosion. Cigarettes, cheap beer, copied tapes, all-ages shows, garage rehearsals, first relationships, sexual curiosity, jealousy, and very real consequences all come with the territory.

Bess is warm, playful, and trying to carve out more independence despite Bob’s protective streak. Bob is chasing rock-star dreams while carrying responsibilities he never asked for. Annie has a voice good enough to take her to the University of Washington—if she can make herself study. Will has the guitar talent local bands want and barely enough money to dream about an electric.

Between late nights in Bob’s converted garage, awkward attraction, music, , family pressure, bad decisions, and the possibility of starting a band, adulthood is arriving fast.

First Loves is a fluffy but grounded ensemble romance about friendship, sexual awakening, music, and falling in love in Seattle at the height of grunge.

Bess, 18

Warm, playful, and much less smooth when real feelings are involved. She loves the local music scene without turning it into an identity, and beneath the joking exterior she’s navigating poverty, family pressure, and the terrifying possibility of genuinely falling in love.

Bob, 19

Bess’s long-haired grunge-head brother, occasional gas-station worker, and would-be lead singer with enough talent that the dream might actually go somewhere. Their father’s death left him carrying responsibilities he wasn’t ready for, especially where Bess is concerned.

Annie, 18

Bess’s sharp-eyed, relentlessly teasing best friend and Will’s girlfriend. She’s a gifted singer with a music scholarship waiting at UW—provided she can stop hanging around the garage long enough to actually study for admission.

Will, 18

Annie’s sweet-natured skater boyfriend and a seriously talented guitarist. Local bands already want him, but he’s broke, job-hunting, and still saving for the used electric guitar he can’t stop thinking about.

Opening choices:
Bess Crush — Annie catches Bess looking at you a little too often, and one whispered confession later, keeping the crush secret becomes considerably harder.

Bob Crush — Bob gives you the last beer, offers you a cigarette, and tries much too hard to act like none of it means anything. Unfortunately for him, his friends notice.