Dark YA

 Binding 13 by Chole Walsh 

I wanted to call child protective services multiple times during this book. I am a mandated reporter and was ready to report multiple things. But you can't report a book. This stressed me out. We did not need the school secretary engaging in sex acts with a literal student. (CPS call #1) She is a predator and a pedophile and doesn't need to be around children. Now, for the actual story. Shannon has been bullied mercilessly at her public school and her mom takes out a loan so she can go to the private school. On her first day she gets hit in the back of the head with a rugby ball and it's not good. Johnny didn't mean to hit her, but her mom doesn't believe him. He has been ordered to stay away from her. No problem, except he can't stop thinking about her and looking for her. The become friends and he is desperate to protect her from everyone and everything. But, also, he's a star rugby player and is very high profile - like destined for the national team high profile. Everyone knows him. That works out in his favor when people start hassling Shannon; he is able to put a stop to it. Her friends think he's into her. His friends think he's into her. They both deny it. She ends up at his house and kisses him, but he doesn't respond and she is so embarrassed. Then, she ends up at his house again because his mom is doing some real wing woman work, and he tells her that he wished he had responded differently, then he kisses her. Now its the day of the big game. He gets injured, or re-injured is more like it. She waits around outside of the locker room so she can see him, and they end up getting caught making out. Coach is disappointed and says he's going to have to tell their parents. The game and dealing with Johnny's injury went so late that they have to stay in a hotel. His best friend gets Shannon and takes her to the hospital with him. Johnny is super loopy from the medicine and tells his dad that he has to find the girl because he loves her. Then she shows up. Nurse says only one person can stay the rest of the night with him and Shannon tries to leave and he decides to go with her. His parents decide that she should be the one to stay since her being there is the only thing keeping him calm. As he's falling asleep he asks her who is hurting her and she says her father. The next day she is back home and her father is beating the literal life out of her, not for the first time (he is CPS calls 2 and 3). Her older brother Joey gets home and beats him to protect her. Their mom runs to the abusive father instead of checking on Shannon. Joey tells the younger boys to pack bags, gets Shannon, and then they leave. The book ends with Johnny waking up and having a memory of Shannon telling him her father, but can't remember the context. We have no idea how Shannon is or where Joey took them.  This book had me stressed! I like Johnny and Shannon, but I don't understand why this book has such a cult following. But, I am going to read the second one.