The DUFF

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical, loyal, and doesn't think of herself as the prettiest of her friends. She's far too smart to fall for the charms of Wesley Rush, the school's notorious and infuriatingly hot playboy. So when he casually labels her the "DUFF" - the Designated Ugly Fat Friend - to her face, her first instinct is to throw a drink at him. But the label sticks in her mind, and with her home life crumbling and her self-confidence wavering, Bianca is desperate for a distraction. In a moment of impulse, she kisses Wesley, and it's surprisingly good.

What begins as a secret, no-strings-attached arrangement spirals into something Bianca never expected. Their physical relationship becomes an escape, but the more time she spends with the one guy she thought she hated, the more she sees beyond his reputation. She discovers that Wesley has his own problems and vulnerabilities, and soon their simple arrangement becomes complicated by genuine connection. Bianca must confront what she's really seeking: a temporary escape or a chance at something real, forcing her to look beyond labels to figure out who she truly is.