My heart stopped. The world froze. The bullet seemed to shot towards her in slow motion. Her bright, auburn hair blew back from the force of the bang, and I saw her gorgeous, horrified face a moment before the bullet plunged into her body. A scream rang out around the school, and I realized with a shock, it was mine. Ignoring the frightened faces of the students, I sprinted towards her, my arms reaching out to catch her, just as the blood soaked through the gorgeous white dress she was wearing. I gently layed her down, and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Her green eyes fluttered open, and I gazed into her familiar irises. She smiled weakly, and wiped away a tear I didnt know had escaped. A sob racked through my body and I brushed my lips against hers.
" Don't leave me!" I whispered, my voice cracking. She laughed silently, before linking her fingers through mine.
" Never!" she whispered back, her voice dying. With one last breath, she said her last words.
" I love you Finn!"
I closed my eyes as I felt the tears pour down my face.
" I love you too, Apryl May!
" Forever and Always!"
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]]