Maria Edith Rose Clarke is not someone that you want to mess with. Especially since her life isn't the best at the very moment. Her mother left her family last year, without warning. She's the only girl in the family, maybe not the baby, but she practically lives under her five brothers shadows, doesn't matter if she's older than three of them, she still the least favorite Clarke.
Then she has to deal with school. It has been only two months since school started, and yet, Maria is already having a terrible year.
For one, she pushed away most of her friends.
Two, is the stupid rumors and drama.
And third, is her actual grades.
Now she doesn't try anymore. In the past, she was always trying her best but now, what's there for her in the world. She did the best she can so she would live a good life, and have a good future, but what's the point if she's going to die anyways. She doesn't make an effort. She just doesn't care.
But her dad does. So that means he'll force Maria to do anything that will bring her grades up. Unfortunately, Maria's attitude brings her grade down a bit, so actually paying attention in class wouldn't make that big of a difference. Besides, she already failed most of the assignments this semester so far.
So really the only option left is extra credit. Which is something that Ms. Kennings, the principle, can come up with pretty fast.
And that's how Maria ended up tutoring the three worst students in East High, Zac Henry, Caden Jones, and Matthew Hill. To make matters worse, the three of them hate each other. Despise. Loathe. Dislike greatly. Abominate. Abhor. Detest. Other synonyms that I won't name.
So technically, she has to tutor those three, in a group, and individually, bring their grade up to a C or higher, fix her attitude, do well in school, then she'll have grades that her mother is pleased by. So, in other words, mission impossible.
In which two ex-step-siblings reconnect after just about blowing up their family the first time around...
Three years ago, Maddie fell hard for Jacob Isaacs, the smartest boy in her school. The only problem was this: Her dad had quite literally gotten engaged to his mother. The two tried to dampen the flames of their burgeoning attraction for each other but not before they got caught and were the talk of the town for months.
After the fall out, Maddie moved away to try and start her life over and not be known as the girl who got caught doing it with her 'brother' at prom. She hasn't seen her family in ages and intends to keep things that way.
Jacob, on the other hand, has worked hard to accomplish everything he's ever dreamed of. He's stayed close to home, done exceptionally well at school, and is adored by just about everyone who meets him. There's only one problem: There's a Maddie-shaped hole where his heart used to be. But no matter how hard he tries to reach out and find her, he can't. She won't let him. He let her down and gave up on them when she needed him most. And she's not ready to forgive and forget.
But then Maddie's dad passes and she's forced to come home for his funeral. It should be a quick visit. She intends to make it one. But Jacob has other plans. He let his girl slip through his fingers once and he won't let that happen again. So now he has to convince her to give him one more chance. After all, they're not related to each other anymore.