"STOP IT!" Jessabelle screamed, flailing her limbs in hopes of freedom.
"I'm not going to hurt you baby" a masculine voice replied. "I am the one protecting you"
"I know your lying." Jessabelle murmured. She had been through this many times, but the fear she felt every time was never unlike the first.
"Calm down babe" the voice whispered to her, And with one fast yank of her arms, she was free. But not for long as the muscular arms, once again found their way around her waist and pulled her back into the sculpted chest of her captor. "I told you to calm down" said the voice more sternly this time.
"Never" Jessabelle screamed as she finally managed to elbow him in the stomach. She turned just as he doubled over from having the wind knocked out of him, and at that moment she turned and ran.
She had no idea how to get out, but she knew she would find an exit eventually. She let her legs carry her towards a hopeful exit. Without much thought she yanked open a random door and found that it led to another corridor.
After what seemed like hours of running in circles, she found her way back where she started. Once she got there, the first thing she noticed was the lack of people, or more like the lack of her captor. The second thing she noticed was a door that didn't seem to have been there before.
After finally being able to muster up enough courage, she made her way towards the door. Once inside, she began walking down the hallway to the room at the end. As she began to approach, she felt the familiar arms wrap once again around her torso. "Now where do you think you're going?" the man asked. "You should know that room is off limits."
Jessabelle turned her head just in time to see the man take out a syringe, then she felt the all to familiar feeling of a needle being inserted into the side of her neck. "Stupid girl" was the last thing she heard before everything went black.
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]]