Nancy and Joan are neighbors in the town of Milledgeville, Ohio, which has been the subject of a benign alien "invasion" since she was a young child. The aliens have taken over a part of town called "Bugtown," which the human townspeople don't go to, but other than that, the aliens and humans live an integrated existence. Aliens go to the local high school and play on the football team, and they shop at the same grocery stores. They've even adopted human names. Joan has a bad history with boys, and her latest beau, named Johnny Fabriano, is no different. He's a wannabe-greaser-high-school-dropout who spends all his time at a billiards hall. Joan takes up with him and they drive together into Bugtown one night. After this, Joan begins acting strange, the way the other townspeople have since they visit the aliens. She has a faraway look in her eyes, and has a strange telepathic connection with the other aliens. On prom night, Johnny goes as her date, but tries to rape her in the parking lot. Tham, one of the aliens, saves her and Joan beings going out with him, instead. This infuriates her father, who hits her, and she comes to live with Nancy instead. Eventually, Joan moves all the way to Bug Town with Tham. Nancy is worried for her, and so she lets Johnny drive her into Bug Town. She realizes Johnny is crazy, however, when he pulls out a pistol and tries to shoot Tham. Joan jumps in front and takes the bullet, instead. Tham vaporizes Johnny, and Nancy tries to drive away but loses control of the car. When she wakes up, the aliens have left the town, taking Joan with her. Nancy reflects and thinks that perhaps that life is better for Joan, anyway.