Troye Mellet is not popular. He's middle class in the teenage hierarchy and the head of the bitter kids. Cocky "populars" and superficial teens are his enemies, and high-school society his hell. But, behind the social ruse that is his hatred, there is a deep sadness. Loneliness; bottled and festering into complete misery. Connor Franta is popular, and he is weighed down by that label. He's the shyest one of his group, the vulnerable one, the easiest one to tease. Terrified of losing his "friends," even with their constant bullying, Connor's life is a whirlwind of anxiety. He's miserable, but the idea of sitting alone at lunch shakes him to his core. When a group of underdog teachers notice their unfortunate similarities, these seemingly polar opposites are brought together. Both boys find life-altering answers, love and comfort within a person they've been trained to hate. After all, since when did the truest kind of love care about status? TW: self-harm, eating disorders, talk of suicide, gun violence, smoking. (Nothing to the extent of a mature content filter)

What if you could hear them? The thoughts they deigned not reasonable enough to say out loud, the things not suitable for even a giggly teenage gossip conversation. Would it be a blessing or a curse? Troye, the unlucky teenager bestowed with this 'gift', thinks of it as a curse, with good reason. Do you know how hard it is to keep a relationship with someone when you know exactly what they think of you? Impossible. It's impossible. Or at least that's what Troye thinks, considering he's given up on even trying to make it work. He's different, people shun different. People hate different. And it's better to go under the radar, to be nothing, than to be hated. Right? Tyler, on the other hand, has taken a different approach to a similar problem. No, he can't 'read minds', but he does have a part of himself he doesn't want a soul to know about. He's quarterback, every girl's dream guy, an academic mastermind, and he's also gay. He's seen how different kids get treated, hell, he's been the one to treat them that way before. Why on Earth would he ever wish that on himself? No, it's easier to hide, to be someone you're not, than to be hated. Right?