❝i'm a runner in the race you'll be watching from the sidelines.❞

The next December, they were apart. [Sequel to December]

They met in December.

"Go ahead," I said, backing up against the pink wall of the shop. "Do something other than glare at me." I waited. One, two, three seconds... and nothing. I raised my chin at him. "You're boring me, mute boy." He stepped closer. Leaned toward me as his gaze burned into mine. Then... ❀ ❀ ❀ After three months in juvenile detention, it's time for Romy Pereira to help out with her family's flower shop. And it's not all bad... until they hire Jack Michel to work beside her. He doesn't speak, communicating with glares and scowls instead of words, and seems to be more interested in literal rocks than other human beings. And with an ex-convict mother, her friends drifting away, and the flower shop falling apart, the last thing Romy wants to deal with is Jack's attitude. She'll forever praise the day he screws up big time and gets himself fired, but until that day comes, it's mostly one cold-hearted girl, her silent (but still infuriating) coworker, and a whole lot flowers. [word count: 100k] [originally written in 2014-2015; re-write completed 2020-2021] ❀ Rankings ❀ #1 in #badgirl #1 in #goodboy #1 in #flowershop #1 in #sociopath

(Chapter 1 only) In the winter of 1941-1942, Leningrad is under siege, and Karen Hamilton, a seventeen-year-old American musician, finds herself trapped and struggling to survive. Throughout the city, people are dying of starvation and frostbite, and Karen knows that if she doesn't escape immediately, she will share their fate. If she has any hope of leaving Russia and reuniting with her fiancé, Bobby, in New York, she must do the impossible: cross enemy lines and then stow away. On her harrowing journey, Karen encounters Petr, a young conscripted Russian soldier. She isn't sure she can trust him-he is equally wary of her. But as the two join forces in order to stay alive, an unexpected romance takes root. Now, as Karen gets closer to the reality of escape, she has a choice to make: Will she return to a safe life in America with Bobby, or remain in war-torn Russia with Petr? This is a sample chapter of the book that will be available October 18 from Lake Union Publishing.

[This story will become free on June 4, 2025] Jace Hamilton is Reese Burnett's sworn enemy, the culprit who made her high school life hell. But what if this taboo existence returns for the summer and brings back more than just painful memories of yesterday? Suddenly, Reese isn't too sure who or what to trust--or if she can even trust herself. *** For Reese, the day Jace Hamilton--the guy who ruined her entire high school experience--left was the happiest day of her life. No more humiliation and embarrassing moments. But what if she finds out that he's coming back? And what if it's not just the moments that are catching up with her? What if yesterday is also making its comeback? And what if... there's more to the story than what she knew? Can yesterday be rewritten--from love to hate and hate to love, making memories like those of yesterday's?

Meet Alyssa Bent, she's a nerd. But not your typical one. She likes to read, but her world doesn't totally revolve around books. She's not shy nor does she stutter when someone tries to corner her. She can stand up to anyone provided it doesn't involve attention. Attention is the only thing that scares her, and like always, there's a reason behind it. Maintaining a balance of grades and producing comebacks with sarcasm dripping from each word isn't the only talent she possesses. Enter Aaron Pelt, the most popular boy at Gradient High. Girls fawn over him. Well, who wouldn't? He's the star soccer player, after all. With the looks no less than a model, he has no problem maintaining his status on the social ladder. He maintains a cool aura around him all the time. They both go to Gradient High, a school that is divided into two social groups: the popular ones and the nerds. The popular ones are the wealthy snobs and the nerds are the ones who practically are their slaves. At Gradient High, these two groups can never get along! Like Ever! But who knew that the most popular guy and the nerd would actually be best friends? That's right! Alyssa and Aaron have been best friends since their diaper days. But at school, they are forced not to acknowledge each other's presence because if they did, Aaron's reputation might suffer and Alyssa may be subjected to something she hates the most: attention. While Aaron may not know, the reason why Alyssa hates attention might be even more than she lets him believe. A reason that might even force her to throw away her future dream. So will Aaron be able to break through the walls and push her out even when he has the pressure of popularity and the school status weighing him down? Get ready to expect the unexpected. You might want to change your definition of clichè after reading...... #1 Humour- 08.01.16 (Cover by: -infinities) *NOT EDITED SO KINDLY BEAR WITH ME!

Nerdy Dakota Evans makes the biggest mistake of her life by falling in love with her best friend, Aaron Ford. Despite coming from entirely different cliques in school, will their relationship have a chance? *** In a high school where everyone belongs to cliques, nerdy and boyish Dakota Evans' friendship with basketball jock, Aaron Ford, becomes a big issue. Aaron's highly protective of Dakota and doesn't realize that she's in love with him. With their friendship eventually going on the rocks, will Aaron finally realize his true feelings for Dakota before it's too late? [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]]