The Other Side of Apart by Emily Cox

A powerful first love story that pulls you into the beauty and struggles of fighting for what you want despite the odds.

Weaving the darkness of past hurt with the light of new romance, The Other Side of Apart is perfect for fans of Jandy Nelson and Amber Smith.
Marcus had life figured out—a hard earned 4.0, hours of intense soccer training, and a full-ride to Stanford to kickstart his dream future. Running away with his secret girlfriend to escape a crazed criminal was never part of his plan.
But Mei Li is worth leaving perfection behind for even if she’s tangled in her family’s lies and has a stalker ex-boyfriend. She’s funny, sexy, brave, and most of all—impossibly—she and Marcus are together again. So worth it.
However, together isn’t the rings-on-their-fingers, back-of-the-motorcycle perfect they’d hoped it would be.

Marcus desperately clings to the dream future he still wants while Mei is haunted by memories of her abusive past. So when that past catches up to them, fear, doubt and painful consequences threaten to tear them apart…no matter how fast or far they run.