"Evangeline, can you stay for a minute, I just need to speak to you" My incredibly hot geography teacher asked me. I just nodded and packed up my things a little more slowly. Once everyone had shuffled out of the classroom I walked up to his desk and perched myself on the edge. "It's about your grades" Mr Reed announced as he repositioned himself in his chair. "What about them?" I asked innocently whilst looking at him with my best puppy dog eyes. "Don't even go there Miss Dylan" He told me lowering his voice slightly, god, that was so sexy. "I don't know what you mean, Sir" He cleared his throat and sat up before getting to the point "Look, your grades are bad, that's the point, you need to do something about them, maybe get some tutoring" he told me sternly. I didn't reply, not really knowing what to say or caring about it. "Miss Dylan, say something" I looked him in the eyes before moving closer to him, so close I could feel his breath on my face. "Sir, can you change my grade?" And that's when the door opened.
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]]