In a small suburban town, 16-year-old Vivian Carter hides her deep sadness behind a gentle smile. As she grapples with the loss of her beloved grandmother and the pressures of high school, a moment of humiliation pushes her over the edge. Consumed by rage and despair, Vivian transforms from a quiet artist into a cold-blooded killer. As she navigates the darkness within, she must confront the consequences of her actions and the haunting shadows of her past.
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]