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"look me in the eyes and say you love me, like its the end of a fairy tale movie." the journey of love and hatred. - ❀ COMPLETED STORY! thank you for the support, I really appreciate it! ❀ - A/N I decided to take a more creative approach with the images used in this story since, I wanted it to represent young, vintage love. I do not take credit for the images used in this story but, poems are written by s.k.diana.

Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."

Stories tell you about girls who play with fire and come out unscathed. They tell you about girls who play with fire and end up falling in love with it. Thinking about it always made me laugh. Oh, how nice it would be if all that were true. Because fire isn't something you could hold in your arms and dance with. It's not your lover. It's not something that can be loved. I'll tell you what the stories forget to mention. I'll tell you what really happens when you play with fire. Girls play with fire because it's been so long since they've felt something. Girls play with fire because once you touch it, you can't let go. Girls play with fire and in the end, all they can do is burn, burn, and burn.

Once, she woke up in a warm, soft bed surrounded by towering city buildings. Now, she wakes up wrapped in threadbare sheets in the wilderness. Once, she raided the fridge for delicious food, snacks and ice cream. Now, she hunts for meat every day to keep the hunger at bay. Once, her goal for life was to get a job, make money, be happy. But now? Now there is only one goal: To survive. ➳ ➳ ➳ This is the story of Leila, a lost girl in a broken world. The pandemic of 2020 was the catalyst for a reaction that shook the planet, leaving it barren, devastated and ruined. The Earth as we know it exists no more and each day is a struggle to stay alive. But when Darius, a mysterious boy, enters Leila's life, her world turns upside down. Together they embark on an emotional journey, figuring out what it means to live, to love, and most importantly, to survive. ➳ ➳ ➳ WARNING: This story will contain descriptions of violence and unsettling scenarios. It also centers around COVID-19, which may be triggering for some readers. I hope that you are all healthy and safe during this time :)