Seymour Herson is the least popular student at Glendale, a private school in Manhattan. Hes painfully shy, physically inept, and his new nickname, Chunk-Style, is about to enter common usage. But Seymours solitary existence abruptly ends when he meets the new transfer student: Elliot Allagash, evil heir of Americas largest fortune.Elliots rampant delinquency has gotten him expelled from dozens of prep schools, but despite his best efforts, he cant get himself thrown out of Glendale, his father has donated too much money. Bitter and bored, Elliot takes up a challenging and expensive new hobby: transforming Seymour into the most popular student in the school. An unlikely friendship develops between the two loners, but as Seymours popularity blossoms, he feels increasingly uneasy with Elliots wily designs.