She woke up on the second day of high school with all the memory of a broken future—and one promise seared into her bones: never be powerless again. Katelyn Bergmann transfers into Mariner Heights High with a quiet plan: study hard, stay invisible, and avoid the boy who turned her life into a slow collapse four years ago. Instead she sits next to Conrad Schmitt—the notoriously untouchable "school boss" with a knife-edge stare and a soft tooth for stray cats. He is colder than the rumors, kinder than the headlines, and infuriatingly hard to read. When Katelyn catches a real act of cruelty, it drags Conrad into the spotlight—and into an accusation that could end him. She has the memory to remember every betrayal and the guts to expose one more liar. But exposing the truth will cost her reputation, and Conrad’s safety will turn into her responsibility. Together they make an improbable bargain: she will teach him the books; he will teach her how not to be afraid. The result is a slow-burning partnership that rearranges power, friendship, and the rules of the game.
12 Chapters
