They said The Cure would be safe... they were wrong.
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Pin straight brown hair, toothy smile, normally nose, average completion, big boring brown eyes. This was Jennifer. And this in particular Jennifer hated Halloween with a firey passion. She didn't have a particular reason. Well, she did, but it wasn't a very good or rational one. Jennifer, more than anything else, loathed the color orange. So of course when people asked, especially hot neighbors like Jake, she said she didn't have a reason or rhyme. Jake's shaggy blond hair, sea blue eyes, and perfectly tan skin were enough to make most girls do anything. Plus, a little white lie never hurt anyone.
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]]