"Heather!" Luca called. His voice sounded stern, like this time, he was really serious.
"What, Luca? What else?" I replied, afraid of what he was gonna say next.
"I'm a screw up. I can't give you much. Hell, I can't give you anything! What don't you understand?" I looked at him. I saw the tears in his eyes. I can't bear it.
"I'm just going to hurt you, and disappoint you, over and over again! I don't belong with people like you, GIRLS like you. Please, Heather, you have to understand."
"I don't need much, Luca! I just need you! I-I," I couldn't help it. I started sobbing.
Luca walked. I thought he was going to leave, but instead, he held me. He held me in his arms, in his safe arms, and I sobbed a river of tears.
And then I knew, that I love him.
I fell for him.
Fell for Luca Simone Castello, my dark knight prince.
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]]