Broken good girl with a dark past meets conceited bad boy with an even darker one. Sparks fly, flames ignite.
But will the two storms put out the fire between them?
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When River James entered high-school, she imagined it would be like every other year she'd attended school in Brookedale County: Treacherous, long and wearing. Her plan was to hide behind the books that lined the shelves both in the school library and the hole-in-the-wall shop she was employed by. She was determined to finish her senior year, turn eighteen and run, tail between her legs, from the town she felt trapped by and the tormentors she'd wish death upon if she wasn't so freaking nice. Trying to escape her demons from home was made so much easier when she put on a brave face, and let everyone assume what they wanted. But it certainly didn't make life easy at school.
Not in her plan was Trent Maldoun, the new boy with a crooked smile he flashed almost too easily at everyone but her and eyes that turned dark as the night sky, with as many secrets as there are stars. With his loud, duct taped Chevy and a past filled with only rumors, River didn't expect to catch his attention behind the cover of the newest teen fic. She wasn't ready for his hot and cold moods, and the butterflies he let loose in her stomach.
And she didn't expect the problems that came when a boy like Trent suddenly notices you exist. You should never judge a book by it's cover, but sometimes it holds a strong clue to what lies among the pages.
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]]