You know that one person? That one person who has it all. The person that really shouldn't even exist because it's not fair for the rest of us. That person, that when you see them, you think they wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't be good at anything, because they are so beautiful. Their beauty is enough to get them whatever they want in life, so why should they actually be good at anything else. Well, then you get to know the person and you start to see that not only are they beautiful, but they are also one of the smartest people you have ever met, and trust me, you've met some very smart people. Then, just when you think that they probably can't even walk because they have to have something, some fatal flaw, you see that they have some amazing talent. Maybe it's athletic, maybe they are an artist, a singer, who knows, maybe they can fly. That was me. Until it wasn't. So what was it, my fatal flaw? The fatal flaw, was that fatality, and that I wasn't one.
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]]