Close Yet Far

Thirteen-year-old Coral Robertson is a popular eighth-grader at Bay Vista Middle School. Her classmate, Shay O'Brien, is a loner who lives in the shadows. The two girls have nothing in common until they become finalists in a speech contest. What begins as a friendly competition escalates into manipulation and bullying. As Coral struggles with pleasing people and Shay teeters on the edge, their worlds start to unravel.

This story is about those moments in life that define who we are. Will Coral and Shay find the courage to face their fears? What is holding them back? Who wins the grand prize?