Katie Wilmot already has enough problems. Patrick Feely has plenty of his own. Between family expectations, secrets, and the weight they're both carrying, neither of them is looking for another complication. Especially not each other. Especially not when Katie is already with someone else. His best friend. And Patrick already has a line he swore he'd never cross. And that was the problem from the start.

Vivienne Monroe may live in a beautiful house now, but she knows what it's like to feel unwanted. Adopted at nine after surviving a childhood of neglect, she's learned to keep her past buried beneath perfect smiles and quiet grace. No one at her elite school knows where she really came from - and Vivienne plans to keep it that way. Joey Lynch never had the chance to hide his scars. With an abusive father and a mother too scared to leave, Joey carries the weight of his five siblings on his shoulders. His escape? Drugs, alcohol, and fleeting hookups - anything to feel something other than anger. When Vivienne and Joey's worlds collide, their connection is undeniable. She sees the pain behind his sharp edges, and he finds comfort in her soft presence. But Joey doesn't know the truth - that Vivienne isn't the rich girl he thinks she is. And Vivienne is terrified that if he finds out, he'll see her the way she's spent years trying to forget. Two broken hearts. One chance at love. But some secrets are too heavy to stay hidden forever. ----- joey lynch x fem!oc ©liawrit3ss

She is under water, but he will pull her out. Whatever it takes. Tadgh Lynch doesn't do distractions. He's guarded, sharp, and has more baggage than he lets on. But starting at Tommen College, nothing's supposed to shake him-not even her. Jaylana Pierce is quiet, bruised, and hiding something no one else sees. Secrets are second nature to her. Survival depends on them. Tadgh knows he should stay away. But the more he sees through her walls, the harder that becomes. And saving her might just cost him everything.

𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇,, 𝐅𝐢𝐚𝐝𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧 doesn't want much- she's learnt not to expect it. Her dad's moved out and was replaced by her mam's new boyfriend. The youngest daughter sticks to herself at home, not muttering more than a 'hello' unless visitors are over. Then, they have to play happy families. It's an endless cycle of smiles and long sleeves. Everybody in her life has failed her. 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐡𝐝 𝐋𝐲𝐧𝐜𝐡 is free. He's safe. With a warm bed, home-cooked meals and a nosy family checking if he's okay. Yet, part of him was still stuck in that house. Where the fire of arguments and fists always lingered. Insomnia had taken over his nights, leaving him to run on spite and energy drinks. Snappy and unapologetically himself, and the fights in school to prove it. 𝐎𝐑,, 𝐀 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐲 brought them together. Fiadh was on edge her whole first day at Tommen. She was used to being terrorised in school, so all she could do was wait for it to arrive. But, it didn't. All that appeared was the boy who sat next to her in Maths. He pulled her out the toilet queue and introduced her to his friends. Noticed the chocolate bar she was rustling in her pocket and asked if they could share it. From that day on, he picked up a hammer and broke down her walls. Revealing the bubbly, scared girl underneath. Will Tadhg be able to face his trauma in order to save her, or fall victim to her rehearsed lies?

Niamh Lynch was 14 when her life took an unexpected turn. Sent to work on Patrick Feely's family farm, she saw it as a way to escape the chaos at home-a household overshadowed by her father's temper and her mother's silence. Patrick, then 16, was a quiet, reserved boy who barely acknowledged her at first. She didn't mind. Silence, she thought, was better than shouting. As time passed, the farm became her refuge. Patrick, though distant, began to show subtle kindness-fixing her tools without a word, waiting to walk her home after long days. She felt safe for the first time in years. By the time she turned 16 and he 18, their bond had deepened. Niamh fell first, captivated by his quiet strength and the way he saw her-not as the broken girl she tried to hide but as someone worth knowing. Patrick, who'd always kept his walls high, eventually fell harder. He admired her resilience, her ability to laugh despite the weight she carried. Together, they found solace in each other-a love that gave them both the strength to heal and hope for something better.

"The addiction didn't love her, I did." A.J. Lynch has it all-talent, confidence, and a name that carries weight at Tommen College. Christina Holland? She's the girl he's meant to hate. Christina's reputation comes before her-and A.J. knows exactly who her father is. He should hate her. But the more he sees her, the harder that gets.

Jim Hopper's niece, Delilah Hopper, moved to Hawkins after her parents died in a fire. Delilah was sent to live with Hopper after the accident and she had trouble adjusting. She was childhood friends with the Byers. Until Nancy Wheeler brought her to a bonfire where she met the king of Hawkins High, Steve Harrington. The night Will Byers went missing was the night Delilah's life changed. She always thought about everyone other than herself. After Steve noticed Delilah's disinterest in him, he suddenly grew interested in her, changing the stubborn, emotionless girl. Delilah has to balance her life in Hawkins with the new interest of Steve Harrington and the Demogorgon monster roaming Hawkins. -------- Disclaimer* I do not own any of the Stranger Things cast. I only own Delilah Hopper and the other characters I have made up!