Two years have passed since Riley first burst into the music industry with the hidden identity of, The Masked Singer. With two albums under her belt and a third one on the way, Riley supposedly has her pathway marked out. No tours are planned, no interviews, but two weeks of freedom before the whirlwind of recording process starts for her third album. Riley returns to the colourful city of New York to plan her outfit for the music awards. But when she bumps into Nathan, the world has given her a second chance to set the record straight and clear up the Masked Truth. But what happens when she's pitted at a crossroad for her life. Alex or Nathan? Sienna or Riley? The truth will set her free, but will the jump keep her from flying?

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."

Elizabeth Blackburn is the perfect young girl...for an action movie. Don't let her pointy spectacles and mismatched socks fool you. This scholarship student will strangle you to death if it means keeping her place at Star Lake Private High. It's a mystery as to why the popular Vincent Richardson ends up publicly confessing to her. It's an even greater mystery as to why he continues to chase her after she rejects him. But one thing's for sure: there's no way either of them are caving in first. 10 Reasons not to Fall in Love: a hilarious and entertaining adventure which proves that there really is no such thing as "rational" when it comes to romance.

A collection of notes, a public library, two teenagers, and zero spoken communication.