The narrator, Alina, recounts her life story, focusing on her complicated relationships and a supposed family curse that prevents her from finding true love. According to her mother, the curse causes Alina to fall for people who don't love her back. To avoid the curse, Alina's mother raises her to avoid boys, but Alina eventually befriends a boy named Sage. They secretly become close, but Sage suddenly disappears, and Alina discovers he has changed and is now in trouble with the law.
Alina moves on and starts dating other boys, but she remains drawn to Sage, who eventually returns and confesses that the stories about him were lies. They rekindle their friendship, which develops into romance. However, Sage's past and fear of becoming like his imprisoned father cause him to break up with Alina.
Heartbroken, Alina turns to her mother, who reveals that the curse was just a myth created to cope with her own heartbreak. Alina becomes pregnant with Sage's child, but she doesn't trust him to be a good father. Sage apologizes and wants to make amends, but Alina is hesitant.
In the end, Sage proves his commitment by reporting his father to the authorities and pledging to raise their daughter with Alina. The story concludes with Sage meeting their newborn daughter, Michaela, and Alina finally finding happiness and closure.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. Alina's mother claims that their family is under a love spell that makes them fall in love with people who don't love them back.
2. Alina's father left her mother before Alina was born.
3. Alina's mother told her to stay away from boys to avoid the curse.
4. Alina went to an all-girl school and wore a "I hate boys" t-shirt.
5. Alina met a boy named Sage while swimming in the ocean.
6. Alina's mother sent Sage away, and Alina didn't see him for over a year.
7. Alina saw Sage again at a high school party, and he had changed.
8. Alina found out that Sage had been involved in a robbery with his father and had to leave town.
9. Alina and Sage became friends again, but Sage had changed and was now smoking.
10. Alina broke up with her boyfriend Connor and kissed Sage.
11. Alina realized she had feelings for Sage, and they started dating.
12. Alina's mother was upset about their relationship and threatened to cut ties with Alina if she stayed with Sage.
13. Alina moved in with Sage after graduating from high school.
14. Sage's father got arrested again, and Sage broke up with Alina.
15. Alina went to her mother's house for the first time in years and apologized for not believing her about the curse.
16. Alina's mother revealed that she had been dating someone new and realized that the curse was not real.
17. Alina found out she was pregnant with Sage's child.
18. Sage apologized and asked to raise the child with Alina, but Alina didn't trust him.
19. Sage reported his father to the authorities and got him arrested.
20. Sage showed up at the hospital to meet his daughter, Michaela, and asked to raise her with Alina.