junior year has finally come to an end, and for the next two months, the summer camp you have went to every year since 9th grade is exactly where you, your brother ashton, and your best friend max mayfield plan to escape the chaos of school, gossip, and unfinished drama. a fresh start, late night bonfires, lake days, and endless summer memories are all you have in mind.
in hawkins, indiana, you’ve always been known as the perfect girl. the pastor’s daughter with a quiet smile and a spotless reputation. every sunday, every hallway, every watching eye expects the same thing from you. grace, obedience, and a life without mistakes. and you’ve never given them a reason to question it. until him. mike wheeler isn’t part of your world. he’s careless where you’re careful, bold where you’ve been taught to stay small. what starts as harmless flirting turns into late nights, stolen moments, and feelings you were never supposed to have. because with mike, you’re not perfect. you’re real. but in a town like hawkins and under your father’s rules, love like this doesn’t come without consequences. and the closer you get to him, the more everything you’ve ever known begins to unravel.
mike wheeler, your twin brother’s best friend, has been in your life for as long as you can remember–and for just as long, he’s been the one boy you could never have.
you and mike wheeler have been inseparable since you were twelve. best friends, late night drives, movie marathons, inside jokes, and a bond everyone envies — mike has always been your person. the one boy who never leaves, the one place that always feels like home. what you don’t know is that mike has been hopelessly in love with you for years. while you’re busy surviving senior year, attention from every guy in school, and the chaos of growing up, mike is stuck watching from the sidelines, hiding feelings he’s terrified will ruin everything between you. but the harder he tries to stay just your best friend, the more impossible it becomes. the jealousy gets worse. the touches linger longer. the looks feel different. and the line between friendship and something much more dangerous starts to disappear. one party. one jealous mistake. one kiss that changes everything. suddenly, the boy who was always your safe place becomes the one temptation you can’t ignore. because maybe mike wheeler was never just your best friend. maybe he’s always been the love story you were too blind to see. wasn’t it obvious?
he’s high again. who you might ask? your ex mike wheeler. you’ve broken up for the past two months over what? a fight. of course. because that’s all you have in these last days.