Skye Randall, an amateur botanist in Scottsdale, Missouri, gets through the day by tending to plants. Living with a pregnant dropout sister, immature brother, hippy father, and headstrong mother, nurturing plants is Skye's one escape. While her family struggles to make ends meet, Skye stays in her own little world, pruning, watering, and waiting. In keeping up with the antics of her family and best friend, Delilah, Skye picks up a smoking habit. As the pace of life quickens and her lemon tree grows in the room she shares with her sister, one move Skye makes forever alters her life, family, and her future.
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]]