After her father goes bankrupt and has a nervous breakdown, Claire gives up her college plans and is hired for “bench work” at a factory by foreman Sam. Claire’s boyfriend Tom dumps her. Claire meets Frank at a party of her former, upper-class friends, and is ashamed to admit she’s a factory worker. However, she and Frank later meet accidentally and she learns he runs a trucking company. They fall in love.; Lawyer Ray returns from military service and is reunited with his sweetheart Sally. Wealthy widow Jane becomes Ray’s most important client and monopolises his time. Sally and her mother leave to help Aunt Mary run the family farm after her uncle has a stroke. Hearing little from Ray, Sally returns to town and jealously breaks up with him, only to learn Jane is engaged to another man. Ray says he and Sally can wed soon.; Beth is considered a “bookworm” by her crush, study partner Rick, but other boys like Nat and Burt find her attractive and fun when she lets her hair down. Rick discovers he likes the “new” Beth in a romantic way, but she wants to be loved for her true self. Rick confesses he loves “both personalities.”; Boxer Shane meets upper-class Lauren when he rescues her from her wrecked car, but their personalities clash. Lauren is repulsed when she attends a boxing match and thinks Shane is a dumb thug. However, when a forest fire threatens his training camp, located near Lauren’s family estate, she risks her life to warn him, and they admit they love each other.; Engineering student Paul and Jane have a summer romance. He returns to school in the fall but promises to call her. Nearly a year passes and Jane has heard nothing, but she hasn’t forgotten him. Paul shows up on her doorstop, claiming “the pressure was too great” so he couldn't call-—he was “out in the desert, building roads” as part of his education. But now they can be together, forever.