When someone dies, people reveal so many reactions - the expected reaction is to cry, and to cry hard.
People told me I was nonchalant after my mother died, but deep down, I was broken, possibly suicidal - but my father was worse. I thought the drinking and yelling was only a phase, he hadn't touched a hair on my head, so I saw no worry. My aunt though, thought different, especially after my head was nearly swiped off by a beer bottle.
~•~
Malaika Malinga is stubborn, cold, negative and even rude at times. After her mother's death, her attitude worsens to the point where her aunt moves her overseas for a "New start".
Perhaps a new scenery is just what she needs, it might brighten the fifteen year-old's mood - with new people, new friends, and an unexpected romance.
~•~
#AllRightReserved@Xolsolz
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]]