It's all about to fall apart... or come together, for Julie...
Her life wasn't what she had wanted it be, but at 18, when is anyone's? She wanted a future for herself, better than the alcohol, better than the drugs, better than the men that her mother loved to drown herself in, but she wasn't quite sure how to get there. Stuck in high school because of her mother's bad decisions, Julie was tired. Tired of pretending, tired of falling behind, tired over being overlooked. In such a vulnerable state, she's almost ready to do anything she needs to do to revel in reality, to take a step in the right direction, and to finally be noticed. But .... when she finds out her teacher is the one that wants to do all of this for her, Julie isn't sure whether she should go along for the ride, or scream, and run in the opposite direction. Everything teeters on the edge, including what's right, and what is wrong.
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]]