Lily had never been too noticeable through her first three years of high school. She was a very simple, ordinary girl. It was depressing to say, but her life was almost boring. The same routine day after day, over and over. The only thing likely to change were the leaves she ran past every morning or the songs she'd sing in the shower.
Lily began to feel unsatisfied with her life. She was terrified of the future because the future meant that she'd be put out of her comfort zone, somewhere she'd never even tapped a toe in.
However, when Lily starts talking to a mysterious boy in the park who has a liking for cigarettes, she becomes hooked. She wants to be different, dangerous. She craves it. This boy has given her the opportunity to live her life to the fullest and experience something real.
Along the way she will meet a smoky singer, a gay poet, a girl who needs vodka to activate her brain, a photographer that's a part-time dweeb, a bipolar blogger, a hippie dropout, a heartbroken Beyoncè lover, a John Bender wannabe, a soon-to-be Harvard student who is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe, a flower child who could easily become a Disney princess, and this last one, well, Stephen King should write his love story because not only is it scary, but it's also non-existent.
Little does she know, these people will change her life forever.
So, buckle up your seat belts, because we're spending a year with the punk kids.
"If I could pick anyone in the entire world, in the entire world, Will, I'd still choose you."
***
William Nile has always felt a lack of control in his life.
His head's clustered and the past likes to eat at his thoughts. Isolation is a synonym for safety and staying neutral is a key ingredient for survival. He's always felt more put together when he was a mess; always felt like the world was clearer in the dark.
He can't help it, this is just how it's always been.
Then comes along a new foster family who throws him for a loop. They're exactly who they say they are, exactly who they act to be.
With that comes a goofy boy named Clement and his best friends, annoying twins who laugh loudly- -good luck telling Jude and Demi apart- -and a girl named Minnie who has a god complex.
Will knew from the day he arrived that he needs to focus on acting the way his foster moms want, on getting good grades, at playing soccer well and making sure that for once, he doesn't mess up.
He knows he doesn't want to lose these friends, knows he wants to feel wanted and needed and understood. Because here, there is more focus on his mental health than there is on if he's acting the 'right' way. Here, there is room for growth and change past a foster parent's ideal child.
Here, there's no room for entertaining the idea of him with a pretty boy who has a witty smile and a loud laugh.
On that last note, he has no idea what to do (and Will is someone who likes to plan ahead).
***
A coming of age story.