High School is tough, for sure. With the new kids, the oldies, the creepy teachers, the searching for the colleges etc. Not to mention the pressure of making sure that your High School experience is a life-changing, novel-worthy journey about self-discovery and making friends. You know, the scrawny underdog meets the arrogant bully with his head so far up his ass, he can't sit right. Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I refuse to make this that kind of story. Nope, not happening. This story begins in Livorno, Italy. Now, because I'm sure a lot of you cannot, in fact, speak Italian, everything will be written in English, for your benefit. Except a few chosen swear words. Fair warning.
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]]