WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION Adrift after a failed suicide attempt, golden boy Everest can't find anything worth living for - until he meets Beverly, a loner determined to prove him wrong. ***** For a boy who seemed to have it all - wealth, good looks, popularity, a wide circle of friends - Everest Finley becomes the ultimate social outcast after failing to take his own life. Dejected and alone, he starts his last year of high school by acting out, determined to ruin his golden boy reputation after his best friend and girlfriend both turn on him. But to his surprise, resident loner Beverly Davis reaches out and tries to befriend him. Ever the optimistic, her empathy and persistence eventually convinces him to spend time with her, and the two slowly bond over their complicated family lives and a love of singing. But even as their budding friendship begins to hint at something more, Everest continues to struggle with depression and unhappiness. Can a simple pact between the two truly encourage him to find something worth living for? Content and/or Trigger Warning: this story contains mentions and descriptions of depression and self harm. -SKY

"First things first, learn how to loosen up. If you really want to learn, you can't be so uptight." He said as he circled around me. "It's just weird, I'm not used to it." I said shyly. He stopped, standing in front of me. He sighed. "Look Gracie, I'm not saying you should be totally open and comfortable with this, but I'm saying, if you want to learn, you're going to have to learn to trust me. Do you trust me?" I hesitated, then nodded lightly. "Good." He said with a small smirk. "Now lesson one," he started to circle me again, "You're going to learn how to kiss." (cover by: BeautyDoesntWither)