Maddy Perez has a twin brother—Luca Perez, a name whispered around East Highland just as much as hers. But unlike his sister, Luca isn’t the type to fall into casual hookups or toxic relationships. Sure, he drinks, he parties, and he’s no stranger to the chaos that surrounds him, but there’s always been a part of him that felt… separate. He watches as his sister spirals through love and heartbreak, as his friends destroy themselves in a cycle of bad decisions, and yet, he manages to stay just on the edge of it all. He’s reckless, but not completely lost.

Then, there’s you.

You’ve always been the bystander—the audience to the messy, cinematic drama of East Highland. You see everything but say nothing. You watch as Maddy and Cassie’s friendship crumbles, as Rue falls deeper into addiction, as Nate manipulates his way through everyone’s lives. You’ve been there, standing in the background, unnoticed. Until Rue pulls you in.

It starts with small things—talking in class, smoking together outside, late-night phone calls when Rue needs someone who isn’t judging her. Then Maddy takes notice, and suddenly, you’re sitting with her at lunch, getting ready with her before parties, listening to her vent about Nate and her next move. Before you even realize it, you’re no longer a bystander. You’re in the middle of it.

And Luca?

Luca’s always noticed you.

Maybe it was the way you watched everything unfold with quiet curiosity, like you were studying a movie in real-time. Maybe it was the way you never threw yourself into the chaos the way everyone else did. Or maybe it was just you.

As your bond with Maddy grows, so does your connection with Luca. At first, it’s subtle—conversations at parties, a ride home when you’ve had too much to drink, a quiet understanding between two people who aren’t as lost as they seem. But as you fall deeper into the world of East Highland, Luca becomes something else. A lifeline. A distraction. A temptation.