What's worse? The death of a loved one or the betrayal of a loved one? Why not try out both?
"We need to leave now Cosima!" Isaiah urged as the cave started to crumble.
"Are you seriously expecting me to just leave her in there all by herself?"
"Cosma come on, if we don't move out now, we're all going to die," Oakley said.
"NO, she's my sister and I'm not going anywhere without her."
"I can't lose her too," Cosima whispered, crumbling just like the cave she was in. Oakley and Isaiah were now able to move her without her fighting back, and rushed out of the cave.
The team collapsed in a pile only about 20 ft from the cave, just as enough rocks fell down to block the entrance.
"IZZY!" Cosima let out a heartbreaking scream directed at the remains of the cave, and hurried over to the entrance, beginning to remove the rocks one by one.
"It's too late Cosima, she's gone," Isaiah came to her side and put his hand on her shoulder.
"No.. no she can't.. she can't be gone. I just saw her, she is right in here. She has to be, I can't live without her."
"Cosma, we need to get back to the agency." Oakley said.
"No, I will not leave without her!"
"Cosi-"
"No, you need to listen to me! I will NOT leave without her!"
Isaiah pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed "then we have to do this the hard way." He reached for his pocket and before Cosima could react, she felt a sting in her neck and as her vision turned black, she sent a look of betrayal towards 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]]