"Anna, why don't you tell us why you're here?" Kyle says. I hesitate. I'm not good at being open.
"Pass." I say. Kyle gives me a look and shakes his head, telling me silently that there are no passes. I sigh before looking up and reluctantly saying, "I'm here because, in my sophomore year of high school, I became addicted to drugs and alcohol."
_
Anna Fields is ready to move on from her past of drug abuse and alcohol addiction. She's been in rehab for the past year and a half, and everyone at Elliot James High School knows it...which is why she decides to move to the other side of the country.
She will now be living in a sobriety house, and will be attending Alcoholics Anonymous twice a week, thanks to her sobriety counselor. Oh, and she's going to a new school, Riverside High, where nobody knows about her or her past, so she can move on.
Well, that was the plan.
Unfortunately, Ace Michaels, Riverside High's very own golden boy, knows Anna's secret...well, that she's keeping one. And he's not above blackmail.
Ace decides to use Anna's secret, that she thinks he knows, to his advantage.
But will he take it too far?
WARNING: This story will deal with body image, drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, sexuality, suicide and other serious issues. If any of the things listed here offend you or make you uncomfortable, maybe this isn't the right story for you.
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]]