Romeo, Juliet, and Cheetos

Abstract

Tessa is finally able to talk to her best friend, Mia, again, which is great. The only issue is that Mia committed suicide a year ago, and the Mia that’s currently residing in Tessa’s head isn’t the same supportive friend Tessa remembers. Not to mention, the whole normal-people-don’t-have-dead-people’s-voices-in-their-heads thing. Despite feeling crazy, Tessa is glad when Mia tries to help her navigate junior high, deal with her overprotective parents, and get a part in Romeo and Juliet. When Tessa has her first crush, starts to make friends, and gets asked to her first dance, Mia gets jealous and angry. Dark thoughts start to invade Tessa’s mind as Mia becomes harder and harder to control. Tessa deals with anxiety attacks, depression, therapy sessions, and the trauma of loss while she tries to rebuild her world and find a new sense of normal.