Book 1 in the "Life in-" series Scarlett Rain Rhodes is just like every other 17 year old high school Junior. She goes to school, makes good grades, cheers on her schools squad and tries to stay out of drama. What makes her different is the fact that she is responsible for taking care of her four siblings after her parents passed in a car crash two years ago. Now her life consists of football games, doctors appointments and a whole lot of yelling. After spending two years of trying to keep every person she meets at arms length what will she do when the new guy just can't take a hint? Ashton McClain is charming, arrogant and extremely good looking. He's a perfect guy and he seems hellbent of getting to know the real Scarlett. Not the girl who smiles politely when people talk to her and remains quiet in the back of the classroom. He wants to know the girl who talks nonstop and yells obscenities at bad referees. The problem is that after two years Scarlett doesn't know if she's able to confront that side of her without completely falling apart. * This story is completed * * WON A 2019 CHICK LIT FICTION AWARD Hit 1 Million Reads (2/19/19) Hit 2 Million Reads (4/03/19) Hit 3 Million Reads (6/04/19) Hit 4 Million Reads (7/09/19) Hit 5 Million Reads (8/17/19) Hit 6 Million Reads (11/20/19) Hit 7 Million Reads (1/26/20) Hit 8 Million Reads (4/10/20) Hit 9 Million Reads (5/23/20) Hit 10 Million Reads (8/28/20) #1 in General Fiction (2/05/19) #2 in Fiction (4/10/20) #4 in Humor (1/15/19) #18 in Teen Fiction (3/05/19) #3 in ChickLit (12/22/18) #1 in Drama (4/19/20) #4 in Young Adult (3/15/19) #6 in Teen Romance (1/15/19) #1 in Football (12/ 03/18) #1 in Loss (1/03/19) #1 in Adorable (1/10/19) #19 in Romance (6/18/19) #1 in Teen Love (11/13/19)

When Charlotte agrees to fake date bad boy Mason to make her best friend and secret crush, Ben, jealous, she thinks it will be a simple arrangement. The rules are clear and she's certain of her goal: make Ben fall in love with her. So why does it seem like the lines always blur when Mason is around? *** Charlotte Anderson has secretly been in love with her best friend, Ben Hathaway, since childhood, though he's never seen her as anything but the girl next door. After witnessing Ben kissing another girl at a party, a heartbroken Charlotte accidentally admits her crush to notorious bad boy Mason Reed... who also happens to be one of Ben's closest friends. But Mason isn't going to tell Charlotte's secret; instead, he suggests they fake a relationship to make Ben jealous. They create a set of strict rules for the arrangement: no kissing when Ben isn't around, no sex, and no falling in love. But as their fake relationship progresses, and Mason's walls break down, Charlotte finds herself questioning her true feelings for both boys, and wondering if some rules are meant to be broken-especially when it comes to love. [[word count: 100,000 - 150,000]] Cover designed by Gillian Goulet (This story is a standalone title in the Dependency series) [[Wattpad Editors Choice: June 2021]]