𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫:
Despite living in the large city of San Francisco, Atlas wants out. He wants to make the decisions of his life himself, starting with choosing to move across the country for college. But, that's only after he finishes his senior year in high school. So Atlas keeps up his perfect grades and indifferent facade, counting down the days until graduation. His senior year should be easy, smooth, and free of distractions. And it's just that, until he gets a text message from an unknown number, claiming that she likes him but is worried he'll judge her real identity. Originally, Atlas texts back out of curiosity, planning for this to just be a little game in his last year. But when he texts this mystery girl more and more each day, he realizes that not only is he at risk of losing sight of his original goals, but his heart.
𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐋𝐲𝐧𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞:
Willow is a cheerleader, best friends with the most popular girl in school Audrey Grace, so obviously, Willow is popular as well. Willow has everything, popularity, beauty, intelligence. She has the "perfect" life...according to everyone around her. Back at home, only a couple years after her parents' divorce, she gets a wedding invitation from her father. In a year full of change, one thing that's been keeping her centered is Atlas. Willow has been liking the same boy for the past two years, a boy who doesn't even know her name, despite her popularity. Now that she's a senior, she wants to make a move, but is scared that he will make assumptions based on rumors and the simple fact she's a cheerleader. So she texts him from an unknown number, hoping that he will fall for her personality. Willow thought she couldn't possibly fall any harder for Atlas, and every day just proves her more and more wrong.
"If you love me, you won't leave me."
Jessie has believed those words from her boyfriend, Josh, since senior year of high school. She loves him and doesn't want to leave him. Not even when he shouts at her and hits her. Jessie's best friend, Kolleen, can't stand seeing her in that situation.
With a bit of convincing - and the worst beating she'd ever received - Jessie agrees to move into an apartment with Kolleen. But not long after, Jessie is scared the worst of her nightmares will soon become a reality. Josh goes missing, and suddenly Jessie would swear she's being followed. One night changes everything, and one person soon changes Jessie's outlook.
A responding officer from that fateful night begins to seek her out, at first claiming it's part of his job. As she spends time with her new friend outside of his job, she starts realizing that her feelings are evolving. After being abused for over a year, Jessie is terrified she's falling in love. What's even more terrifying is that he might be, too.
She isn't ready for love. Not yet. She makes up her mind that if he is falling, and if he does love her, he'll wait for her to be ready, and if she loves him, she won't let herself hurt him.
Can the words that used to cage her in really be the key to her freedom?
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