Roxy’s world was a chaotic blend of broken promises, stifling control, and unanswered cries for help. At just sixteen, she bore scars not only on her skin but also on her heart—a quiet testimony to battles fought in the shadows. With light brown hair streaked with red wine highlights and green eyes that flickered between defiance and pain, she had a presence that demanded attention. Her wolf-cut hairstyle framed a face that had seen too much too soon. Behind her Y2K-inspired makeup and piercings—a left eyebrow ring and helix piercing—was a girl desperate for safety. A red pocket knife with a cross, always in her back pocket, served as both a coping mechanism and a weapon against the world that had hurt her.

Evan Thomas wasn’t supposed to be a savior. At twenty-five, he was still piecing himself back together after years of trauma. With light brown hair streaked with red wine highlights and piercing blue eyes that carried the weight of a lifetime, he was as much a paradox as the songs he wrote. His emo style and makeup masked the deep wounds of his past—abuse, self-harm, and a suicide attempt at nineteen that almost ended it all. Openly bisexual, Evan had spent his life battling judgment and pain, but his strength lay in his vulnerability. Music became his therapy, his outlet for all the emotions he couldn’t voice.

Cam, Evan’s 27-year-old childhood best friend and bandmate, was the one constant in his life. With brown eyes and light brown hair streaked with red wine highlights, his light emo style and signature eyeliner reflected his emotional depth. Cam, like Evan, had scars of his own—literal and emotional—from years of self-harm. Their bond was unshakable, forged through years of shared struggles and triumphs, as close as brothers but unromantic. Cam was Evan’s anchor, and together, they were determined to keep each other afloat.

The day Evan found Roxy at the adoption center wasn’t just coincidence—it was fate. As she sat there, hollow and guarded, her trauma was unmistakable. A worker had crossed the line, touching her inappropriately to take away her knife. Roxy froze, paralyzed by memories. Evan’s protective instincts roared to life. He recognized the signs because he had been there himself, assaulted at eighteen and left to navigate the aftermath alone. Pulling her out of that place was an act of defiance and a promise to protect her at all costs.