"Hate was such a strong word. She liked the word "dislike" more. And she disliked many things. - Over the years, Jackie had become a master of suppressing her own feelings. Muting them. Stuffing them under a trap door and sitting on it, pretending they did not exist. - Moreover, the emotion she understood the least was love. What was love? Why did love come with such consequences and heartbreak? Love was an addiction, that was Jackie's conclusion, and therefore she tried her best to keep it at an arms length." To the outside world, Jackie Morgan was just a girl, and she was just that. Her grades were just above average, she wasn't the swimming team's star athlete and she was by no means popular. Jackie was just Jackie. Soon to be eighteen, she has lived all her life well within her comfort zone. And as her birthday approaches, the edge of what she feels comfortable with draws only closer. A story of self-discovery and obstacles. And even maybe some love...

Reed is quite content living in his black and white world. And then he meets Harry. - Copyright © 2015 Viano Oniomoh All rights reserved.

"Stella was dead, and that was it. Christmas would come and go without her, like it always did." This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to a plot or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the owner/author and publisher of this book. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. This work is marked mature do to some of the content being difficult to read for younger people, and inappropriate for them to read. I do not violate any of the rules on Wattpad by publishing this. In truth, I am not even sure this is rated as mature, but better to be safe than sorry. If you are a young reader, please understand that you are reading at your own risk - I did warn you.

Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."