A Story of Now

At nineteen, Claire Pearson feels stalled. A difficult year has left her with bruised confidence, friendships that no longer fit and parents whose expectations seem impossible to satisfy. Her sharp manner makes it easier to keep people at a distance than to admit she needs them. When Robbie and Mia appear at her workplace, she has little reason to imagine either will change that. An unexpected friendship develops anyway, and Mia's warmth begins to reach places Claire has kept guarded. The closer they become, the less certain Claire feels about calling what she wants friendship alone. Starting over may require her to question both her defenses and the future she assumed was hers.