Female Gaze

introduction

EPIGRAPH

"Love is patient, love is kind, love means slowly losing your mind."

— 27 Dresses

"So many broken-hearted people have got to hear the birds sing, and see all the little flowers grow, just the same as if the sun hadn't stopped shining forever!"

— Emily Dickinson

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SYNOPSIS

          BROOKE 'BRIE' SHERIDAN has been looking forward to her senior year of college since the start. Ever the romantic (and not hopeless, as she's been reminding everyone since she has known how to describe a feeling), loving is what she does best—friends, family, partners, life—so, naturally, a breakup with her long-time boyfriend right at the start of the year throws a wrench in her plans. With no boyfriend and no subject to feature in her senior project, the perfect future she'd idealized feels more like a fever dream.

          RHETT PRICE doesn't do relationships. He hardly does anything that requires the bare minimum of commitment, really, but there's only so far that mentality can take you when a) you play a team sport and it's not every man for himself out there, and b) you don't want to be the type of person that peaks in college. There comes a time when you have to start taking life seriously and, when presented with an ultimatum by his family, he knows he'll have to change his ways if he wants the future to be as bright as he wants it to.

          After unceremoniously having had her heart broken by Rhett one too many times in the past, Brie has no reason to either trust him or to even consider accepting the help he's offering—especially when there's always a caveat when it comes to him. Sure enough, him accepting to be the new subject for her senior project comes with its added benefits, but she also has to help him out in return, aiding with the rehabilitation of his image. If she can forgive him, even after all the times he has left her heart shattered into a million little pieces, they'll both get what they want out of their futures.

          Brie has never been one to walk away from her dreams, and Rhett Price won't be what stops her from achieving all of them—especially when she's unsure of how genuine he's being when he tells her he wants to make it up to her. She has been burnt enough to know better and, if he thinks he can play her to get what he wants, he's mistaken; after all, two can play that game.

          It's only a matter of who falls first and harder. All's fair in love and revenge.

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

DEDICATION

          To my hopeless romantics out there, those who keep going after they get their hearts broken. If you're still going, if you're choosing to move forward and keep trying, remember it's one of the bravest things anyone can do. You are loved. Forever and always.

          To the loves of my life, the brightest lights — smidorii / falling-into-you / thaliagrace- / champagnekatie_. You have changed my life for the better, and I'm forever grateful for all of you.