The Cure

Laney can't breathe. She hates that she's wasted so much time letting anxiety and panic attacks rule her life. She hates the way everything frightens her. And she hates how she falls apart every time she sees him... Zak Graham, the secret love of her life. If only she had the guts to talk to him. Just once. But she'll never be tough and confident like Kristy, or bubbly and fun like Siobhán, or dependable and nurturing like her best friend, Vanessa. No, she's just mousey little Laney with the dark, empty space inside herself that she can't run away from, no matter how much she tries. A big, terrifying emptiness that's always looking over her shoulder, watching... and waiting. She'd talk to her parents about it, but they've been more and more distant lately. Especially her dad. So, when she finds herself sitting on the side of the road, humiliated and breathing into a paper bag for the second time in three days, her friends decide to take matters into their own hands. Being supportive isn't helping anymore. Laney needs therapy. But can Dr Rivers, the chief of psychiatry at the city hospital, give Laney the tools she needs to destroy her fears? Sure he can. Dr Rivers has been working on some very special, highly experimental therapy techniques, and Laney is the perfect candidate for a trial run. At first, she's not certain, but after a few sessions with the handsome, serious, and clinical doctor, Laney starts noticing some unusual side effects. Unpredictable strengths from within that she never knew she possessed. She's a lot clearer now about the people around her, about how to handle them, and about what she has to do to hold on to the things she loves most in this world. She's finally becoming who she was always meant to be. The cool one. The pretty one. Monsters in the shadows don't scare her anymore because... It's Laney's time to shine.