Beautiful Flaws

“I need you to use one word to describe yourself, and one word to describe the person sitting to the right of you. We’ll go around in a circle. Does everybody understand?” Mr.Braeburn explained, his eyes bright as he sat down on his knees by the rest of us. Everybody exchanged looks, and I carefully looked to my left. Emmett grinned at me, waving a little, and I couldn’t help but return the smile. “Piper, since you’re farthest from me, why don’t you start us off?”

I nodded at the english teacher, then titled my head up, grasping around for ideas.

“Flawed.”

The word fell out of my mouth without me having to think, and searching the faces of the students around me, they didn’t look impressed. I didn’t care though, so I pointed to the person on the right of me. It was Pierce, and I said “Quiet.” The corner of his mouth quirked up in amusement, and the rest of the circle went around until we finally got to Emmett. Without hesitation, he pointed a finger at himself and said, “Thoughtful.” His green eyes then slid to me, falling on the tattoo on my shoulder, and he smiled again. “Beautiful.”

Flaws? Beautiful? Well, according to Emmett Keys, flaws are the most beautiful thing about humans--they’re what sets us apart. Piper can’t say she agrees, but out of sheer luck and fate, Piper and Emmett’s paths cross in the most unlikely place for miracles--Victoria Butler High School in Dayton, Ohio. Piper was never exactly a social butterfly, but when she first meets Emmett, she finally feels like she’s met someone who understands her. They both like to observe the world, people, the universe...and try to figure it out. And over the course of their senior year and the sweet, sweet summer before college, they have plenty of time to do just that.