Ray is an ordinary teenager, he doesn't have the most enjoyable or exciting life a high schooler could have, wake up, go to school, study, eat, read, etc... Again, again and over again, nothing's new... What can Ray say ? He never bothered to make friends, he doesn't need any, he's just fine on his own, he's always been alone in fact, and that's been the case since his childhood. Books are an escape from his boring and lonely life, Ray lives very well with his current life even if sometimes, he asks himself this question: "What matters to me ?"
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]]