Love, hate, and a twist of fate.
Summer Moreno's goal has always been the same: get out of this claustrophobic little town, do what her brother couldn't, and make her parents proud. So far, she's been pretty good at sticking to these goals (or as she calls it, The Plan), but the universe has a funny way of stopping things right in their tracks.
Myles Griffith also has a goal: make Summer's life as miserable as possible. He's great at it, and has been great at it for years. Tripping in the hallway, name calling, public embarrassment? He's got them down. The only thing keeping him from spending most of his time goofing off is football, and this season isn't looking too promising with two star players injured. They're already losing games. Badly, too.
What neither expect is for Summer to suddenly be named the school's lucky charm for football games. And suddenly, Summer's Plan includes being part of the team?
The worst part? She's falling for the last person she ever thought she would.
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]]