public love (Chris Sturniolo)

Everlee Ruelle is the smartest kid in high school. She thrives on academic validation and struggles with mental illness. Bipolar disorder causes her to act out and it causes her to worry about being alone. She knows everything about everyone whether it's good or bad. She pushes people away and doesn't like asking for help.

Chris Sturniolo is also captain of the Lacrosse team and is friendly with everyone. Chris doesn't really care for relationships and could live without meeting anyone. There was one person who was stuck in his mind though. Everlee Ruelle. She tutored him and his brothers from freshman through junior year. They never became friends or ever had an actual conversation. He liked the way she was quiet, it balanced him out. He liked that she was cautious and always read people easily.

When they meet for the first time, they talk like they've met hundreds of times before. He's had a crush on her forever. She's liked him for years. So when she gets attached to him and pushes herself away, he's determined to keep her in his life.