Since she was born, Dejana has jumped from foster home to foster home. Since she was thirteen, she's been a member of the Two Six, where she met her boyfriend, Javier. She loved Javier, she loved him even after he was murdered right in front of her. Having ran away from the foster home she's been in for two years, she must decide if living with The Six is the life she wants.
Hi. I'm Dejana St. Clair, and I'm almost 16. I live in a shitty foster home in the shitty slums of the shitty city of Chicago. I don't really leave the home during the day, just look out the window from time to time. At night though, I used to sneak out and meet up with Javier. That's my boyfriend. Well, he was.... He was in the Two Six, but he was the sweetest guy you'd ever meet. We'd go out at night and he'd buy me shit. Gold chains, new clothes, anything I want. He used to take me to go fuck up some buildings, because I do graffiti. But anyway. I remember the last time I saw Javi. The night he got shot right in front of me. The night I ran away instead of calling the police because I would've gotten killed.
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.
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