Meet Mason. He's smart, good-looking, athletic, funny, and popular. Most people would say that he's darn near perfect. What in the world would drive a boy with everything going for him over the edge? His family, that's what. His parents always push for him to be more like his perfect twin sister, Lacey, but nothing he does is ever good enough for them. Maybe he never will be good enough.
Meet Niall. His life has been a living hell ever since he came out of the closet when he was fourteen-years-old. His parents practically disowned him when they found out, and at school, he was bullied mercilessly for it. He only had one friend, Landon, who hadn't abandoned him when he found out, but he soon found that Landon had problems of his own and Niall didn't want to be another burden for him. Soon, he turned to self harm to find some closure, but it only made him hate himself more. Maybe he should just do everyone a favor and end it all.
Mason and Niall.
Two strangers with only one thing in common.
They both should be dead.
They both would be dead if someone else hadn't interfered,
And saved them from themselves.
But where do they go from there?
And who's to say they can get it right the second time?
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]]