Sunsets Behind Us

"For soon your soulmate will find you, and you will find yourself in ruin," prophesied the mysterious blind man, Mr. Mirai. Cal has never forgotten. Years later, Selena Osorio - the bright, assertive high school senior - finds herself drawn to 39-year-old Liam "Cal" Callahan, a charismatic English teacher at her former high school. After Cal fails to hide his own newly discovered feelings for Selena, the risks of their "arrangement" could shatter families, careers, and reputations. Stakes mount under the suspicions of Cal's top administrators, Principal Rick Lincoln and Superintendent Brant Beckett. Navigating the treacherous waters of this picturesque Illinois River Valley community, Selena and Cal must also keep their secret hidden from those closest to them. Demi, Selena's unsuspecting mother who works in Cal's school district. Leonard, Selena's possessive boyfriend. Lilith, Cal's beautiful, volatile wife. Dangerous rumors soon float on the wind, causing Welles County State's Attorney Samuel Hathorne to investigate charges of sexual predation. Special Investigators Janine Hathcock and Hunter Cruz move in, and the impending legal storm threatens to lock Cal behind bars, pinning him as the poster-boy for Hathorne's political campaign. After all, it is an election year. Selena is a fighter determined to keep Cal from incarceration, but can these two rebels defy the daunting odds and justify their taboo relationship? "No, Cal. . . we won't be trying to make a statement. . . we can just keep it quiet. Between us. . . like a whisper."

Selena: "I mean, aren't we going to have to drift apart at some point, like, before long? Or break this off and try to go back to being just friends? I mean, people could never accept us together. . . like at your work. I grew up with all those people, their families. . . they could never understand us." Selena Osorio is a bright, assertive high school senior. Liam "Cal" Callahan is a 39-year-old, charismatic English teacher at Salena's former high school. Selena and Cal would tell you that since November, they have become very good friends. But in small towns, lies die hard, secrets don't survive long, and rumors take on lives of their own. As winter approaches, dangerous whispers waft through the halls of Cal's school and float on the breeze through the local communities. Stakes mount under the suspicions of Cal's top administrators, Principal Rick Lincoln and Superintendent Brant Beckett. Navigating the treacherous waters of this picturesque Illinois River Valley community, Selena and Cal must do their best to keep their secret hidden from those closest to them. Selena's mom, Demi, works in Cal's school district, so is it really possible that she has yet to catch wind of the rumors? What happens if word reaches Leonard, Selena's possessive boyfriend? And how long will it take Lilith - Cal's beautiful, volatile wife - to acquire indisputable proof of her suspicions? Will Cal and Selena overcome the rumors and somehow be able to keep their relationship hidden, or will they be forced to end it before they are exposed? Who could have started such accurate rumors? And who is the stranger in the old, Navy blue Caprice Classic? Of course, we also have to wonder: Will Cal find himself in ruin, as prophesied years earlier by Mr. Mirai, the somewhat mysterious, blind old man who sometimes knows things he shouldn't?

"Miss Osorio, do you mind explaining to me why - when I pulled up next to your car in the lot and shined in my spotlight - I saw both front seats pushed all the way forward and that orange shirt you're wearing on the headrest of your driver's seat?" In the small town of Kent, Illinois and the surrounding communities, secrets die young and lies die hard, but rumors take on new life with every breath. With the approach of winter, dangerous rumors resurface, and an unidentified citizen files a formal complaint with Cal's school district and the Illinois State Board of Education. Faced with these threats, Cal and Selena double-down, becoming even more reckless in their determination to be together. Cal's wife creeps ever closer to proving her husband's indiscretions, Selena's mother intensifies her quest for answers, and the local police come within inches of exposing the taboo relationship. Pressure builds, wearing away at Cal's resolve to maintain the charade, and something has got to give. In this chaos, there can be no painless road forward for anyone involved, anymore. Can Cal continue to avert the official inquiries from his school's administrators? What happens if Lilith acquires the proof she desperately seeks? Will Demi finally confront Selena about her suspicious behavior in recent months? What happens if this dynamic, delicate landscape reaches critical mass? And, of course, we have to wonder: Will Cal find himself in ruin, as prophesied years earlier by Mr. Mirai, the somewhat mysterious, blind old man who sometimes knows things he shouldn't? "I've got the police in this town watching your every move, 24/7, Liam. Look down the alley. . . go ahead, look. . ." and I did, trying to look surprised. "See that police car parked down there, off to the left? Yeah, watching your every move, 24/7."