Set in 1988, Cassie, a junior in school, is a high school sweetheart loved by everyone. Her popularity in the school is nothing compared to her kind nature and loving heart; she could make anyone fall to their knees with just one smile. Not only is she one of the cheerleaders and in with the 'it' crowd, but she is also one of the most intelligent students to grace Creaton High.
When Cassie falls for the town's bad boy, things become more complicated for her, and more secrets from her life begin to surface.
The story follows relationships with Cassie and how each one becomes affected by her secrets and caring nature, all of which seem too highly contrast with one another. From familiar relationships to platonic relationships to romantic relationships to toxic and abusive ones, all of which Cassie experiences throughout the story.
"Cassie believed that because it had happened for so long, in some sick, twisted way, she wouldn't be able to live without it; Without the pain and fear, because deep down, she believed she deserved it. "
Strong Language
Strong themes include:
-Mentions of physical and mental abuse
-Mentions of Drug and Alcohol usages
-Mentions of depression, anxiety and suicide
-Mentions of sexual assault
All characters are written by myself, with a couple having influences from popular shows and movies including Stranger Things, Never Have I Ever, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Clueless
This book is a sample of 5 chapters only and can now be found on Amazon Kindle
Kayla is a smart, focused, top-mark student in her last two senior years of high school in a private facility for rich kids in Florida. All she wants is to get accepted to Harvard and graduate with top marks to follow the career she has set for herself. Her entire life is about becoming an independent and successful vet. She has micro-managed it and planned it to the tiniest detail. Leaving no room for a social life or living her teen years like her peers.
This year has had its ups and downs, with her stepbrother of almost ten years coming to live under the same roof after being raised apart after their parents married. The chaos and drama his appearance has brought since he despises not only his father but Kayla's mother too, has made home tense. He's a rude, defiant, and arrogant pain in her ass who is hellbent on causing trouble and listens to no one.
Dane is the polar opposite in every way - Vain, oversexed, a playboy who takes nothing seriously except booze, girls, and his motorbike while he rebels in every way against his father for ripping apart his family. Looking like a teen idol, acting like someone who doesn't need to take accountability for anything in his life, Kayla honestly cannot stand him. She sees a loser who will live on daddy's money and drink away his youth while sleeping with every girl in the county.
At 17, they have known one another most of their lives and never had any kind of friendly relationship. They have always been classmates but never friends and definitely not siblings. - but all that is about to change.
A series of events pulls them closer, a forbidden and unexpected accidental kiss, and they plummet into confusion as feelings grow that neither expected. Slowly the walls come down between them, and they have far more in common than they ever imagined.