In 57 days, Samoa Kent will receive her soulmark: a pattern that appears on your eighteenth birthday, distinct to you and your soulmate. And even though Cosmopolitan magazine says the odds of knowing your soulmate are about the same as getting hit by lightning while simultaneously eaten by land sharks, Sam knows in her bones that she and Will Monterey are destined to be together. Too bad he can't take his eyes off her best friend.

Sam's plan was to wait until her eighteenth birthday, when she was sure the stars would align. But when Will confesses that he's in love with her friend, Sam realizes she has to act fast.

Enter Israel Fisher. He tells Sam that the only way to make Will notice her is to date somebody else. Of course, he didn't mean himself, but in Sam's eyes, he's the perfect candidate— not interested, not her type, and Will's least favorite person. Best of all, Israel never got a soulmark, so there's no chance of things getting serious.

With 57 days and counting, Sam and Israel go all out. They're so convincing, Sam herself starts to wonder what's real and what isn't. Suddenly, she's in a situation she never imagined: falling for someone who has no chance of being her soulmate. Will she be smart and play it safe, or will she finally be bold enough to go after what she wants— regardless of the consequences?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

In this book, I will be taking on the challenge of portraying a character with a mental illness. Not to spoil anything, but one of the main characters is diagnosed with Bipolar II disorder. I understand that it's a very serious thing to portray a mental illness, particularly one that I have not experienced personally. In preparation for this story, I've taken an Abnormal Psychology class, and read the memoir of Kay Redfield Jamison, who details her own experience from the point of both a patient and a clinician (if you're interested in the topic, I highly recommend her book, An Unquiet Mind). 

However, if there's anyone who has more experience with this and has suggestions for a more realistic portrayal, I'm all ears. This doesn't mean that I'll automatically implement your suggestions, as each case differs on a trial by trial basis. But I always take advice to heart, even if I don't end up following it.

Also, as this work will be portraying a character with a mental illness, please note that there will be topics in here that could be triggers, such as suicide and self-harm. 

Over my time working on this story, I've curated both a playlist and an aesthetics board to inspire me when writer's block hits. 

If you're interested in hearing the songs mentioned throughout the story, you can find the link to the playlist in the external link on this chapter. 

My chapter titled "Art" contains some character and story aesthetics, as well as a link to my Pinterest board. Feel free to follow either of them!