kiaramithi
She came to the Philippines expecting a fresh start.
Instead, Jay-Jay Mariano found herself surrounded by chaos.
A quiet transfer student from New York, Jay only wants three things: read her books, eat her favorite snacks, and survive high school without drawing attention to herself. But keeping a low profile becomes impossible when she ends up in a school full of troublemakers, curious classmates, and people who won't stop getting involved in her life.
While everyone sees a calm and mysterious girl, nobody knows the truth behind her smile. Nobody knows about the loneliness she carries. Nobody knows about the promise hidden behind the safety pin necklace she never takes off.
Nobody, except someone who starts paying attention.
Mark Keifer Watson never planned on caring about the quiet girl who always had her nose buried in a book. But the more he notices her, the more he realizes that some people hide their pain better than others.
As secrets unravel, old wounds reopen, and feelings begin to grow, Jay finds herself facing the one thing she's been avoiding for years:
Letting people in.
Because sometimes, the person who changes your life isn't the one you were looking for-
it's the one who stays when everyone else leaves.
A story about healing, friendship, family, and finding a place to belong.