One second.
All in the span of one second, my life changed. All in the span of one second, a drunk driver hit my best friend's car and led her to Heaven. She was all I had in this dark, cruel world. Now she isn't.
It's been three years. I haven't forgotten. I can't forget.
I don't have any friends. I don't want to replace her, nor do I want another friend after her.
Meanwhile, there is a boy who wants to get to know me. His name is Simon. I don't want to be his friend. I don't think I can handle getting attached to someone after her. If I do, I might just lose him too.
I loved her...can I love him?
CAUTION- This story is Mature, including mentions of suicidal thoughts, depression, self-harming, death, swearing, and also includes sexual scenes. View at your own discretion, although I don't recommend this story for anyone under the age of 15. (The irony of myself. Haha.)
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]]