Eighth Grade takes place in the final week of middle school - that's year 9 for us in the UK. Kayla can see the light at the end of the tunnel, a new life in high school where she can shed the identity of "most quiet" and be who she wants to be — although who that person is, she hasn't quite figured out yet. For now, the last stretch of eighth grade still beckons, bringing with it awkward social encounters with Aiden (Luke Prael), Kayla's crush and part of a particular breed of 13-year-old boy who blows raspberries loudly in class before pulling strings of gum out of his mouth (and also asks for nudes); popular girl Kennedy (Catherine Oliviere) whose mother forces her to invite Kayla to her birthday bash out of pity; and Gabe (Jake Ryan), Kennedy's cousin who likes to spend pool parties proving he can hold his breath longest.