Gloom

Mavin Keller has a plan: survive senior year, save for college, and never let anyone close again, until Sonnie Hale walks into his life.

***

Mavin spends his days counting down the moments until he can finally leave his town behind, working long shifts and coming home to a house that never feels like home. He's learned to keep his head down and his heart quiet.

But then he meets Sonnie - the boy with too much light in his eyes and bruises on his skin. After Mavin steps in to stop a group of bullies, he doesn't expect Sonnie to start showing up everywhere - in the hallways, after class, even online.

What begins as awkward avoidance turns into late-night laughter, small rebellions, and a friendship that could bloom into something more. Something Sonnie wants. But Mavin is wary, because his past isn't done with him, especially Jaxx, the boy he once loved, the one who left him shattered.

When old wounds resurface and truths come to light, Mavin must choose between staying safe in the dark or reaching for the boy who might finally make him feel seen.