All she wanted him to do was smile. A love story.

Being one of only two out gay students in a sometimes not-so-open-minded high school has presented Jackson Humes with certain challenges. Even though all teenagers' lives are challenging in their own ways, Jackson's takes a complicated turn the day he catches Alex Cole in the guy's locker room posing in front of a mirror wearing nothing but a pair of dingy tighty whities. While the rest of the school worries that the recent mountain lion sightings in the woods might have something to do with the star quarterback's disappearance, Jackson worries that Alex is going to rearrange his face in a manner that will make any attempts at future dating impossible. When an unhinged Alex corners Jackson in the woods, Jackson responds by miraculously breaking the laws of gravity. He soon realizes that his emerging superpower is connected to a dark secret, forcefully suppressed after the long ago deaths of all those involved, including Jackson's own parents. But secrets don't stay buried forever, as Jackson is about to discover.

|| Featured FREE story with exclusive paid chapters - previously a paid story || When Haley discovers the truth behind Xavier, whose silence holds a deeper meaning, she sets her mind on making his life better one small step at a time. ***** Haley Rosamond is happy with her simple life, content under the wing of her father. Well-protected, she has no idea of the darkness surrounding Xavier Hunt, with his all-black attire and infrequent presence in school-accompanied by his bruises and scars. That is, until Haley catches a glimpse of Xavier's reality and is made to question everything she knows about family and life in general. The truth, she realizes, couldn't be more different from everything she has heard. Supported by her father, Haley sets her mind on helping Xavier any way she can, and what begins with tutoring sessions, free food, and random acts of kindness blooms into friendship and something a little more. But when Haley's admission into her dream college and another tragedy in Xavier's life threaten to undo everything she has worked for, Haley needs to decide if she'll stick by Xavier or simply be another person in his life that disappears. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston