Let's face it- Lacey knows she's hyper-competitive. Which is why tennis is for HER. She lives and breathes tennis, constantly surrounded by it all the time. Honestly? It keeps her distracted from all her other life problems. And, okay, let's be honest again- she's extremely good at it. She has unbeatable skill, climbing her tennis league.
Her life is perfectly normal. That's until some new things walk into her life.
Matthew Nakasone was never usually IN Lacey's life- until their paths cross unexpectedly at a high-ranked tournament. They meet awkwardly, but Lacey is fascinated by Matthew's talent- and that's when she meets her biggest archrival, Alina Nakasone. Alina is just as good as Lacey is- and they know they're both as competitive. Alina and her brother are nowhere near alike- Matthew's nice and teasing, Alina is tough and aggressive. Not to mention, Lacey also meets Shun Lai- the #1 ranked player. They get off to an interesting start, after discovering they have even more connections than they think.
And... then come Jeremy and Joshua Li, new kids in LACEY'S usual program. Brothers with talent never seen before, Lacey could be in BIG trouble. Due to the mixed matches, she could easily be taken down by any of them. Jeremy and Lacey get off to a bad start... Joshua and Lacey get off to an... butterflies-in-my-stomach kind of start.
And worse of all? New transfer kid Ayden takes all of Lacey's glory and pride, meanwhile teasing her CONSTANTLY. It has driven her insane, and is a constant distraction- especially when they're put as partners for a project that costs 50% of her grade!
Worry comes, and then unexpected romances. She makes enemies, friends, rivals, crushes- all a mix of feelings while trying to balance her schoolwork, extracurriculars, passions, hobbies, and of course tennis.
She doesn't know it, but she's going to have to turn to some of the least expected people ever- before everything crumbles.
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]]