jetdiamonddust
Fourteen-year-old Kenzie is finally finding her footing in San Diego. The heavy grief of leaving New York City and the painful memories of the past year haven't vanished, but under the warm California sun, her heart is finally starting to feel lighter. She's no longer the anxious new girl hiding in the back of the classroom. She's a Pacific Crest Charter Academy freshman with a bright future, a great squad of friends, forest-green braces that match her school colors, and-best of all-Charlie. Walking through the halls hand-in-hand with the boy who loves her natural brown hair more than any Halloween costume makes the suburban dream feel completely real.
But as the calendar flips to November, Kenzie realizes that high school doesn't stay paused on a happy ending.
With the cheerleading season coming to a close, a new athletic whistle blows. Kenzie is trading her spirit pompoms for knee pads as she steps onto the hardwood for the highly competitive PCCA volleyball tryouts. Moving from a flyer in the air to a setter on the court means mastering an entirely new set of skills under the watchful eyes of a tough coaching staff. The varsity spotlight is blinding, the drills are grueling, and the competition for a spot on the roster is fierce.
It's not just the athletic pressure that's heating up. Navigating her very first official relationship with Charlie means balancing sweet sidewalk dates and lacrosse practices with the reality of high school rumors. Plus, the PCCA halls are never quiet for long, and old rivalries have a way of finding their way across the court.
With the Thanksgiving holidays approaching and a massive school dance on the horizon, Kenzie has to learn how to execute a perfect game plan. Can she keep her focus, protect her heart, and prove she belongs on the court? Or will the fast-paced drama of her new life cause her coastal dream to come crashing down?