It's hard to believe that a boy who didn't believe in love and a boy who didn't believe he could love himself would have much to learn from each other. But it would turn out that way, of course; with everything to gain and even more to lose. As it turned out, both Liam and Jamie needed to learn not to trust the dim lights and neon nights. This is a backwards love story.

"One of my favorite tropes is someone who believes they're hard to love and someone who loves them like it's breathing." TW: Mentions of suicide and abuse Forest Gray is what everyone would describe as a golden boy; perfect grades, the star of the football team, and a damn good friend. He is rich and good looking; he has it all. Except the one thing he's wanted his whole life, his parents love and acceptance. They are never home, yet they hold a protective barrier around him no matter what. They even own the school he goes to. Forest is to do and be who they say, and he's never been one to disobey or displease anyone, except for when he falls in love with the one boy who's able to break his parents spell. Atlas Hart is different from most people, because most people don't skip school and disappear for days or even weeks at a time. But most people don't have his intense emotions and outbursts of anger, or a broken family, or looked at as the outcast of the school. When Forest meets Atlas, he can't believe he's never noticed someone so perfect for him, and Atlas just can't believe someone like Forest is even talking to him. They fall helplessly in love, creating a bump in the plan Forest's parents laid out for his life before he was even born. Follows the struggles of falling in love with someone you're not supposed to and coming to terms with it while facing obstacles like family and friendship complications in which the characters have to overcome.

"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.

Everything in Jules Hatcher's life is going well: he has a girlfriend, a job and pretty decent grades. That is until he (literally) stumbles into Hunter Adams, the bad boy and player that everyone knows. Soon Hunter has managed to turn Jules' entire world upside down- and make him discover a side of himself, that Jules never knew of. And it all started with that damn hoodie. Trigger warning: this story includes depictions of homophobia and mentions of suicide.

If you fool everyone into believing a lie, it makes their reality. If everyone believes something, how could one possibly tell it isn't real? Nicklas Bellows wasn't popular, even though he was the school's sport team's goal keeper - he just didn't want to have to do with those imbeciles. Besides, there was a lot of other things to do. Improving, dwelling in thoughts, pretending to be someone he wasn't. There really was a lot occupying his mind - his future with his favorite sport, science stuff, the boy he had met at the gym when training. . . Zane was eighteen. And yes, the boy surely gave Nick a lot to think about, and with this interest in figuring out all the stuff the older boy gave him to contemplate on, he suddenly found himself making another friend. And this friendship slowly started to change everything. His whole reality - starting from his opinion about people to his perception of himself. And, at one point, the way he felt for Zane. But nobody knew about their friendship. Nobody knew about anything, too personal was a line easily crossed, a line he preferred to be respected. Some things were simply better off as secrets.

Percy Flynn is the school's golden boy that everyone loves, he has a girlfriend, friends he loves and the one he hates. Spencer Tracey just happens to be among the ones he hates, after a falling out that included his brother, Percy swore never to have anything to do with Spencer anymore. Unfortunately, the heart wants what it wants and when Percy finds himself in a situation where he has to help Spencer, his compassion takes over and he goes against everything he swore not to do again, all in the name of Spencer. Has Spencer really changed though? Does he deserve Percy this time? Is Spencer the problem or the solution? © CriticallyIntense 2018 Highest Ranking- 1st in Short Story

Confused, chaotic and closeted. If you ask Milo Jiang to describe himself in three words, those are the words he would choose. Mostly because his vocabulary is extremely limited. With a life full of routine, Milo spends his time studying for tests, failing them, and studying for them all over again. Until Xen Rathore, his father's business partner's son - sorry, his obnoxious son - offers to tutor him. Only then does Milo realise that his life is a story, and not just three words. - started: august 12th, 2020. completed: october 21st, 2020.