Katerina Herald has something to hide, something very real. Facing an absent mother and an especially angry father- she's become used to cowering. However, when the new student Cain Masters rolls in, he becomes intrigued by the struggle Kat faces. With his insistent prodding and her looming graduation from high school, can she really get by with a little help from her friends? Is survival possible in a house of hatred?

Kahlan Anderson doesn't quite fit in. School is a bore, her friends are non-existent, and her uncle is on her back constantly about making better life choices. The only people she can rely on is her uncle and her cousin, Violet, and all she seems to do is disappoint them. Kahlan has never felt more alone. That is, until Blake Lahey stumbles into her life. He's handsome, persistent, and won't leave her alone. Kahlan can't understand why he wants to be her friend and is determined not to let him in, no matter how hard he tries. But there's a fire between them that she can't deny, a fire so fierce she can't stay away. The problem with fire is that you always end up scathed. Will Kahlan learn to trust again? Or will she watch everything she's worked hard for go up in flames? [ Currently rewriting ]