I wake up Monday morning an unusual way. You would think to get up for school since, you know, it's in the middle of November, but instead it was a little more complicated. I woke up to the sound of sirens and the smell of smoke, as my father held me in his arms. Just then did I realize our house was gone, turned to ash. Just like that, in an instant, I lost everything. My house, my clothes, jewelry makeup, memories, everything that was important to me, gone, and I was left with nothing.
Aurora Worthington's life was a picture-perfect script, written by people who cared more about appearances than authenticity. In Encino Hills, she was the queen of the high school elite-the untouchable blonde with an icy smile and a wardrobe that could grace a runway. To everyone else, she had it all. But beneath the surface, Aurora was drowning in a sea of her own insecurities, believing that love was something reserved for people who deserved it. People unlike her.
Her world was black and white-cold and lifeless-until a lanky boy from Reseda stepped into her life.
Miguel Diaz was the kind of person she had been taught to ignore. He was earnest, kind, and completely different from anyone she'd ever known. He wasn't wrapped in the privilege of Encino; he was wrapped in hope, determination, and an unshakable belief in second chances.
It was love at first sight-well, at least for Miguel. Aurora tried her best to ignore the way his big brown eyes followed her everywhere she went or how he took every opportunity to talk to her. But the more she pushed him away, the more she felt her carefully guarded walls start to crack.
For the first time in her life, Aurora wondered if someone could see past the mask she wore-and if she was brave enough to let them.