As a child, Ephira was a foreboding. The other children, or people in general, had never seen red hair before, and the way her eyes would shine frightened them. She didn't speak very often, but when she did, her soft voice sent waves of suspicion into the hearts of the village elders. Furthermore, she didn't play with the rest of the children but would rather sit in the grass and pick at dandelions. But she might turn out to be normal, like the others, so the elders sat back and watched her as she grew.
As she entered the second decade of her life, Ephira became a bigger mystery. Her light red hair turned into a shade of auburn, and at times, her light blue eyes turned black—especially when she played with herbs and magic spells. The elders could not deny it: Ephira was a beauty, a very charming and talented beauty, and she had to be destroyed.
[first uploaded on mar. 21, 2014] || cover by @lovalot
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]]