Schuyler, the odd, quiet girl who sits in the corner of life, is different from most people; she has absolutely no friends, lives alone, and hides not only from the outside world, but from her memories, too. Her day-to-day life is completely uninteresting, a planned routine established to stay hidden that has been successful, until he falls into her life, or more accurately, her bed; too bad he won’t leave.
Sage, an attractive narcissist, whose exceedingly foul-mouth and quick wit has gotten him in trouble time and time again, seems to be her complete opposite. He’s extremely forthright, somewhat infamous and never shies away from a challenge, but they do have one thing in common: secrets. Both are living a lie. Both are running from something in their dark pasts. Thrown unceremoniously together, they may have bitten off more than they can chew. Unfortunately, the enemy you know is never the one you have to worry about.
Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option.
*****
Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her...
Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault.
[[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]