story #2 in the 'for the flawed' series. tw | abuse every night you held me. making me feel disgusting, because you were the s e c o n d to touch me. © 2014 flawed- (lowercase intended for stylistic purposes.) [Jan 16, 2015:: #2 in short story.]

all i've done defeats me //rooftops with miles// [sequel to brown haired boy] friday, may 1st: #2 in short story

Dear diary, today I saw her looking at me. Love, Phoenix. Dear diary, today I saw him looking at me. Love, Emanuel. --- Phoenix is a freshman in high school. His Dad is addicted to alocohol and his Mom would lock herself up in her room and almost drown in her tears. Phoenix keeps everything bottled up inside him - he's a grenade full of pain and guilt but one day he'll explode and cause more pain. He's not the type of guy that'd make out with every girl he meets, in fact all he does is reading and writing. But when he meets the outgoing Emanuel his life is about to take a twist. And not just a small twist.

Finn lives life from the outside looking in. He's the anti-norm; the observer standing in the corner. Owen is reckless, mainstream, and Finn's best friend. One night, Finn drowns. Owen pushed him into the lake.

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."

What happens when you go from being an ordinary city girl to the girlfriend of a superstar? After an article goes viral, revealing Sky Atkin as the girlfriend of multi-platinum singer Jake Caplin, her life changes forever. Being overwhelmed by her boyfriend's fame and a secret she has managed to hide from him so far, their relationship begins a roller coaster. Will they survive the media? Or will it be too much for Sky and her secret?