you are the words left unsaid on my dry lips the whisper of something i wanted but could not have

Let me be vital. / I want to burn myself out. #39 Poetry - 11/6/16.

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."

"Sometimes people are beautiful, Not in looks, Not in what they say, Just in what they are"

Aria has always laid low in school with her tight-knit group of friends. When she meets Nash at a party, he's rude, he's blunt, and he's got more baggage than he can carry. Aria immediately dislikes him. But the line between hate and love is very thin, and a continuous game of Never Have I Ever may change everything.

A short work inspired by the artwork you see as the cover, by Chad Gowey. The understudy tells us how she feels about being just that, the understudy, hidden backstage where she watches both performers and audience from afar.

"Give me ten days, and I can give you ten reasons not to die." Evan paused. "And if I can't change your mind by then, you can go jump off that cliff."

You know that girl you called fat? She's been starving herself for God knows how long. You know that chick you called emo? She's been battling depression for years. You know that gal you bullied and whenever she would cry you would say "Aww is little Missy going to go cry to her mommy and daddy?" Her parents died a couple years ago and she's still grieving their death. The tiniest thing can hurt a person beyond words, but it can also shed light to a dark tunnel. This is Missy Vega's story about loss, hurt, betrayal and hope.

Ever felt like drowning. Ever felt you don't belong. Ever felt unworthy. Well Casey certainly has. Here's her story.