"New seasons, a new semester, and new secrets - except, not really.
With the leaves gone, the sun faded, and the world asleep, every sad, buried secret will crawl out from underneath and knock Makayla clean off her feet. After all...there's no joy without heartache. Winter has the habit of being the sluggish time of year when your life goes full-stop for no apparent reason. But see, it's the natural succession of things. Soon, there will be a spring to follow.
And for Makayla, Damien, and Nick, it seems that fragile hearts don't do well in the cold, or even in the promise of a new cherry blossom.
(Love can't keep everyone warm.)."
Note: If you haven't read Act I, do *not* make the mistake of reading this story! It is a sequel to Act I of The Sparkle Toofus, which can be found on my profile under my works. Unless you want to spoil the story for yourself, I strongly nudge you to read Act I first before starting on this sequel. ^.^
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]]