"You know what, have fun with him for now. But you will want me again, and when the time comes, I'll be here. Long enough to tease you, anyways," he said.
He paused for a minute, laughed, and then left.
---------
Angela breaks up with her boyfriend, James. And when she does, he tells her she'll want him again, and about a year later, she does. But he said that to her when she left him, so how can she get involved without knowing it's fake, or if he's getting feelings for her again? Especially since she dated Josh, his friend, two weeks after they were done?
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]]