What are we without flesh and blood? Are we nothing but a beating heart in a ribcage, a marching soul inevitably leading to our demise? Or are we here as a test of loyalty to our God, a God we do not know but must trust? And without this trust, we will be punished indefinitely for questioning his divinity. And what is a sheep without his shepherd? Without God, are we nothing but sheep led astray? How will we be guided to the light without a shepherd on earth? Should we trust our shepherd to tell us the truth? Or will we be covered in the blood of the lamb? A shepherd with blood on his hands could infect his flock with poison. And with this poison, he has control. And to Luke, this poison is all he knows. His seventeen years of life have been devoted to nothing else but God. He wakes up, goes to school or church, and sleeps; rinse and repeat. There is no place or time for anything else in his life, such as television, going out with friends, or discovering new hobbies. His father, Pastor Ivy, ensures this. His life purpose will be to serve the Lord and nothing else. A purpose that Luke believes is the right way. What else would there be to life? He hadn't questioned this until he met Gabriel, a man who was the complete opposite of him. A man who was strong in his sense of self. A man who didn't bow to anyone or anything and stood firm in his beliefs in The Church of Satan. A man who Luke feared. But also a man who felt like home to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly, grabbing Kai's arm and preventing him from running away again. "N-nothing." Kai whispered looking down at his shoes. Nicolas lifted Kai's chin and looked into his black eyes with a soft look. "I know something is wrong. Tell me." He coaxed moving his hand from Kai's chin to cup his cheek instead. "I don't like it when you laugh and smile with Rex" Kai mumbled. "I want you to only smile at me." _____________________________________________ Kai and Nicolas were best friends. They've always been best friends. Everyone around them craved to have a friendship as beautiful as theirs. Nothing could change it. Until something could. Something as simple as feelings.

[LGBT+, Teen Fiction, Humor, Romance] There are only three things that Mycah Rhodes and Arden Fuller agree on. 1. Their mutual hatred for one another. 2. Their dislike for the fact that their parents are friends. 3. Their shared wish that they weren't stuck together for the summer. Cue a summer filled with friends, fighting and feelings.. what could possibly go wrong? [Part 1 published: 1st March 2018]

Isaac Harley is Eton's devilish delinquent, and Josiah Beckett's the pretentious prefect. At least, that's what the two have always presumed of each other, their true selves buried under a facade and hidden like a sin. Neither one would've ever guessed that all it took was one fateful night, one of hazy minds and absolute misery, for their masks to slip off. For them to strip each other completely bare--naked in body but more exposed in places unseen. Neither one intended for this night to happen--raw, wanton, burning hot. Neither one was prepared to touch the untouchable. 05.05.19 - 11.17.19

Boys don't cry. But Bennet cries. Is he not a boy then? ________ Book #2 in the "SHORT AND SWEET" series. All books are standalone. If you are reading this story on any other platform than Wattpad you are very likely to be at risk from a malware attack. If you wish to read this story in its original, safe, form, please go to @-cynicaloptimism- on Wattpad. Thank you