Pay as You Exit unfurls its narrative through the lives of three central characters, each lending depth and dimension to the unfolding drama. At the heart of the tale is Sarah, a promising high school senior with a bright future ahead, woven with threads of bustling social engagements, an offer from a reputable college, and a nurturing bond with her mother, Joan. Joan is portrayed as a wise and understanding figure, who respects Sarah's burgeoning independence. Yet, as a widow exploring new love with a colleague, her attempts to halt Sarah's budding liaison with Dane inadvertently widen the chasm between mother and daughter, blinding her to her own romantic entanglements.

Much like Joan, Dane is intricately crafted, his character contrasting sharply with Sarah's nurturing environment. Estranged from his mother since the tender age of five, Dane's life unfolds in shadows of melancholy, straining his ability to connect with women. At twenty-two, his dreams of artistry have withered, leaving him ensnared in an unfulfilling job, his spirit parched like the sunbaked Arizona landscape of his youth. His yearning for Sarah becomes a desperate attempt to fill the voids in his life. With a scant glimpse into his past, we grasp the underpinnings of his actions—those of a solitary, self-interested young man who ultimately fails to enrich Sarah's world.

Alongside these key figures, three supporting characters intricately weave through the narrative fabric. Angie's role, Sarah's confidante, offers solace amid Sarah's turmoil. Yet, Angie wrestles with her own struggle—her parents' insistence on her attending the prestigious University of Southern California clashing with her passion for photography at the Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara. Her parents dismiss her aspirations as whimsical, an issue left unresolved, and her storyline is neatly concluded, lacking the resonance needed to mirror Sarah's plight.

In contrast, Sarah's friend Bob emerges as a well-rounded supporting character. His genuine affection for Sarah highlights his contrast with Dane, embodying the traits Joan desires in a suitor for her daughter. Although his social finesse may fall short of Sarah's, Bob is depicted not merely as a nerd, but as a kind-hearted friend whose unreciprocated romantic inclinations enrich the story. Goldman's narrative deftly sidesteps a clichéd ending where Sarah might realize, post-Dane, that Bob was her true love all along.

Rounding off the cast is Tripp, Joan's romantic interest, whose charm quickly fades. Though not necessarily more self-serving than Dane, Tripp stands out as the embodiment of commitment issues, lacking any backstory to soften his character. Initially, his shared passion for filmmaking and apparent affection might sway Joan, but when he abruptly withdraws, it serves as a stark reminder that misjudgments in love know no age boundaries, ensnaring both the seasoned and the naive alike.