FREE STORY WITH EXCLUSIVE CONTENT. This is *not* a Paid Story. Eighteen-year-old hockey prodigy Elliot Wexler has three goals for senior year. One: somehow graduate with a 3.5 GPA. Two: hide his bipolar disorder from his peers. And three: make it into the NHL with no scandals. Piece of cake. What he doesn't expect is to find Lucy, a homeless girl, hiding from the winter frost in his dad's shed. Elliot's busy, complicated life doesn't permit room for error, and falling in love with a girl from a totally different world sounds like the opposite of a good idea. But Elliot can't help but be drawn to Lucy and her elusive ways--even when she seems to vanish from his life non-stop, each time leaving him with a bigger hole in his heart. But Elliot is determined to break down Lucy's barriers. And when he does, he discovers that her life is more complicated--and dangerous--than he could have imagined. With drafting season approaching, and Elliot's fragile mental health deteriorating, he's forced to face a difficult question: Is first love supposed to hurt so much? *** PLEASE DO NOT ADD THIS STORY TO GOODREADS.

Celeste is the daughter of the Citizen Principia, but when she stumbles upon a conspiracy and is kidnapped by rebels, the future of Verium rests in her hands. ***** Celeste Navarie is the sixteen-year-old daughter of the Citizen Principia, which means she lives a life of privilege in a dystopian world that allows no personal freedom. Celeste dreams of adventure and smuggles herself beyond the walls regularly, to purchase books and documents from the outside world. During her journeys, she uncovers a conspiracy: members of the palace staff are part of the rebellion, and she finds evidence her father is a murderous tyrant. Not sure who to trust, Celeste is kidnapped and has no way to escape. The future of Verium rests on Celeste's shoulders, and if she makes a mistake it will doom not just her, but everyone. [[word count: 50,000-60,000 words]]