teresa richards

They say it’s best to be yourself. Debatable.

Sixteen-year-old Aspen’s unruly red hair is the only thing wild about her, and she’s regularly overshadowed by both her roller-derby-star sister, and her cheer-captain bestie. But the spotlight hits her hard when questionable pictures show up online, leading to a string of vicious rumors that get her kicked off the cheerleading squad and abandoned by her friends.

Aspen copes by crafting a secret skating persona-complete with a mask-and straps on some roller skates: outriding rumors, making new friends, and falling on her butt (a lot) while learning roller-skating gymnastics. After a local skate-off takes her viral again, resulting in a sponsorship, sudden YouTube success, and a skateboarder boyfriend, she considers ditching the mask. But skating is her escape and the bullies still prowl-she can’t risk the fragile peace she’s found, even though her double-life is slowly ripping her heart in two.