You just left! You just walked out! They were asking me about it at school, and I didn't know what to say! But now I'm sixteen! I'm a lot older and you can't push me around anymore!" When Dawn Saunders was eleven, her older brother Trent disappeared. He didn't leave any messages to explain why or where he was going. He just left. Five years later, Trent comes back to the house with no explanation. His clothes are ripped, his face is gaunt, and he has a secret. Dawn's parents, who are always away on business, have no idea that he has returned, and Trent wants Dawn to keep it that way. One day, Dawn receives a message, asking her to do something that she would never do in a thousand years. She ignores it, and the mystery person starts to prank her. And not the amusing kind of prank. Car breaks are toyed with, buildings are graffitied, and people's lives are in danger. Dawn knows that she has to figure out who it is before something bad happens, but all that is clear is that it has something to do with Trent.
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]]