Never Grow Up {Watty Awards 2012: Teen Fiction}
18 parts Complete Elisa Taylor is a high school teacher who is only nineteen and teaching to get her credits. Watching students grow up turned out to be one of her favourite things to do in the limited time she was a teacher, from that gangly, awkward phase into the smooth ladies' man, or from the insecure nerdy girl with glasses into an outspoken, confident and well-liked girl. All the transformations amazed her. Of course, whenever anyone needed help, she'd offer them her hand.
All was fine and dandy until she met Blake Manson.
He was basketball captain from his old school and then got sent into a youth rehabilitation centre for getting into a messy, bloody fight with the rival school. Due to his good behavior, he got permission to go to school in the morning and return to the centre in the afternoon. But for that to happen he'd have to transfer schools, to avoid another fight.
He was posted to the school Elisa was teaching at, and became her student. He was feared by his fellow classmates for his notorious past. Still, she decided he was worth saving.
Throw in some cigarettes, drugs, gangs, fights and - not forgetting - a rocky romance. After all, this was THE Blake Manson.