Romero, struggling to push through the day to day life of his world: court bills, money, family, money, the past, money, his own mind, and more money. Carmen has been pushing to become a lawyer her whole life; wanting to be taken seriously in a field dominated by men is not easy though, and if putting up a front to be taken seriously is what it takes, then so be it. A certain struggle comes with feeling as though you have to act a certain way versus who you really are. Except a sensitive heart of gold can't be hidden behind a brick wall forever. Two people, walking across the same tight trope on opposite ends, trying not to fall. One going against the law and one trying to be the law. One born with a silver spoon and one suffering from the abrasions of life. Both trying to survive in worlds not made for them. Except everything in this world overlaps; bridges connecting different lives and stories. It's just a matter of realizing you're not too different from the person on the other side of that bridge. Highest ranks: #1 in poorboy #1 in latino #1 in feminism #1 in rich girl #1 in law #1 in fictional characters #2 in girlxboy #3 in teen romance #1 in first love #10 in cute #10 in academia #7 in Top 10 in U.S. ('24)

❝ Things are only as beautiful as you make them, Charlie. Including murder. ❞ It's the opening night of Burton Abbey's production of Romeo and Juliet and all is going smoothly - that is until the climactic death scene. Romeo takes a big gulp of the poison to be with his lover, except it really is poison and Elijah, who plays Romeo, is now dead. Charlie Monet, in charge of props, is the first suspect but soon the suspicion around her turns to worry as it seems she's the next target. Khaleel Rahim, an aspiring writer, is dying for a mystery to solve at his new school. When he sees Charlie sneaking around at night he thinks he's finally found something worth writing about. After discovering Charlie's ability to see visions of the past, Khaleel decides that they're the perfect pair to solve the mystery. With threatening notes, a quiet library and poison disguised as props; somebody in the school is blurring the lines between theatre and reality and the fast friends are about to discover that there's more to boarding school than just silly rumours. [2022 Watty's Shortlist]