Kia was a creature of the city-a mess of broken glass, spilled wine, and the kind of chaos only money could mask. She was comfortable in the Dust, clinging to a life that was loud, expensive, and empty. She didn't need a reason to bloom; she just needed enough distractions to keep from looking at the wreckage she left behind. But even the most beautiful storms eventually run out of sky. Exiled to a world of salt and silence, she finds herself under the same roof as a man who feels like a cliffside-hard, immovable, and dangerously still. Roland isn't interested in her rebellion or her pedigree. He is the Seawater-a cold, crushing force that doesn't bend to her temper or her tears. For three months, they are a collision of elements. One is the grit of a past she can't outrun; the other is the tide that threatens to wash it all away. In the suffocating heat of their shared isolation, Kia must decide: will she stay grounded in the dust of who she used to be, or will she let the salt sting her eyes until she finally sees the truth? Because when the dust finally settles, the ocean is all that's left.

Note: Don't read this story if you hate impulsive and flawed characters. I make imperfect ones so skip if it's not your cup of tea. Save yourself from stress. - Play Series #3 In a world where power is inherited and truth is buried, Aeris grew up under the shadow of a dynasty. Her family-respected politicians in the eyes of the public, yet feared in the corners of whispered halls-taught her that loyalty was survival, and silence was duty. She was the perfect daughter, molded to carry a name that was never hers to shape. And then came Dave-the enemy. The man her family warned her to despise, the rival whose very existence was branded as a threat. She hated him, until he spoke of something that shook her to the core. Words laced with suspicion became seeds of doubt, and doubt became the fire that burned down the walls of her blind obedience. Against the current of loyalty, Aeris found herself colliding with Dave in a dangerous pact. Together, they unearthed secrets that would strip her family of its golden mask, revealing the rot festering underneath. What began as hatred turned into awakening. What began as rivalry turned into defiance. She was no longer their puppet, no longer their heir to corruption. She was no longer bound to the script her family forced into her hands. In the end, she burned the script. She became the waves they could never tame.

Mikaela has her whole life mapped out, and love isn't anywhere on the itinerary. For her, getting attached is just a fast track to losing focus, and she's worked way too hard to let a relationship mess up her plans. She built her walls high, and she intended to keep them that way. Then Adam happened. He's the kind of guy who doesn't know how to take a hint, showing up exactly where she doesn't want him to be. When a heavy downpour forces them into the same space, Shyniah realizes her "unbreakable" rules aren't as solid as she thought. Adam isn't just another distraction; he's the only person who actually sees past her tough exterior. She's spent years staying in her lane, but now she's staring at a line she's terrified to cross. She thought she was winning at life by staying alone, but one rainy day might just prove her wrong.

This novel is a collection of short stories created to introduce and explore my future characters, offering a glimpse into their lives and roles. The updates will not be regular. Thank you for reading, in advance.

1. Asher had never been his parents' first choice. Not for the course he took. Not for the life he wanted. And never for the person he actually was. But he learned to live with it-to stay in the middle, to be enough, to not ask for more than what was given. And then Lior entered his world. Serious, cold at first glance, almost unwelcoming. Someone Asher never thought he would grow close to. Someone he never expected to matter. But slowly-quietly-Lior did. He became the one Asher looked for, the one he trusted without meaning to, the one whose presence steadied him in ways he couldn't explain. Akala niya iyon na. Akala niya, safe na siya. Akala niya, kayang-kaya niya. Until the day his family saw Lior. And loved him. Loved his discipline. Loved his future in medicine. Loved the version of a son they always wanted... just not him. And just like that, something inside Asher cracked. He thought he could ignore it. He thought he could swallow the jealousy. He thought he could pretend it didn't hurt that his parents admired Lior more than they ever admired him. Pero habang tumatagal, mas lumalalim ang sakit. Mas lumalakas ang tanong. Mas bumibigat ang inggit na pilit niyang tinatago. Akala niya kaya pa. Akala niya maiintindihan niya. Pero hindi na pala. Hindi na niya kayang ngumiti habang unti-unti nang nawawala ang tiwala niya sa sarili niya. Hindi na niya kayang tingnan si Lior nang hindi aaalala ang ngiting binibigay ng pamilya niya sa lalaking mahal niya. Pilit siyang kumapit, pero dumating ang oras na kahit siya ay napagod na. Dumating ang sandaling hindi na niya alam paano magmahal nang hindi nasasaktan. Dumating ang puntong kahit mahal niya pa si Lior, siya na mismo ang humihila sa sarili palayo sa lalaking unang tumanggap sa kaniya. And for the first time, Asher chose himself... even if choosing himself meant risking the boy he loved.