"All the best performers bring their role something more, something different than what the author put on paper. That's what makes theatre live. That's why it persists." -Stephen Sondheim.
Sophie Armstrong, in a few years, that name will be up in lights, the name girl everyone will be talking about, but now, she's just an 18 year old girl who attends a performing arts college. She's a girl with a big dream, her mind focused on one thing, and one thing only, getting her name up in lights.
Until, one day, she bumps into Daniel Harrison in her dance class, the guy who has all of the girls falling at his feet. Sophie knows not to get involved with him, because he's dating Kylie Collins, the queen bitch, who would make Sophie's life hell if she knew what would happen.
But with the friends she has, Sophie knows she will get through this stressful time filled with boy drama and get her back on track. But will that stop her dreaming of him?
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]]