I stood with my back to her, shielding her, and my murderous eyes stared down at the poor excuse of a man, promising unimaginable pain if he dared to move or even flinch. The enormity of control it took me to suppress the impulse to eradicate the piece of scum, who dared to even think about laying a hand on a woman, was inconceivable. My whole body was trembling with rage. The guy was intimidated by the fury in my eyes and stumbled back to his intoxicated friends who were too dazed to understand the situation. I was disappointed and relieved at the same time that the chaos didn't end in a fist fight. When I turned around to console her, she was gone. And as I looked around, I saw her back just leaving the bar through the entrance. I hurried out to follow her. She walked ahead of me aimlessly and disoriented like a wounded animal that had just escaped the claws of death. My heart ached for her. I found a kindred soul in her. She evidently had been wounded in the past. Just like me. But in an even worse way than I had been hurt, and it angered me, that someone had dared to harm her. *** Eden Marie Simmons is still recovering after escaping an abusive relationship when she meets Keane, the broody and enigmatic neighbor who is shrouded in mystery. Both are still being haunted by their past and are not ready for a new commitment, but when fate repeatedly puts them in each other's paths, they can't deny their attraction for each other. Life challenges them both with secrets, lies, and broken trusts, and confronts them with their pasts. They both must learn to be brave enough to love again. *** Story is previously called "Paradise Lies"

{Highest Ranking: #2 in Short Story} One collision. Two strangers. One unorthodox way to pay off her debt. Three weeks of late night conversations. One Date.

~*Neverland is home to lost boys like me And lost boys like me are free*~ ═════════════════════════════════════ In which a boy named Peter helps a girl learn to love herself. HIGHEST RANKING: #24 in Short Story (03-14-18) Amazing cover by @John_Schorwinson ©Lightning_Stryker 2016

For Chaise Gilbert, resident genius of her previous school, adjusting in the town of Abington was proving difficult. Adding to that were strange incidents which had picked up again around her. As hard as she wanted them to be simple illusions, she knew trouble was following her. Aaron Colson, dripping in money, practically owned the school and with it, the entire student body. Life was as boring as ever when the new girl crossed path with him. Unwilling and unprepared for the swarm of danger that came after him, he found himself chasing it back to his true home. Thrown together as an act of fate or not, they struggle to get past their egos and prejudices as survival becomes the most dangerous game of all.

|"Sometimes the heart knows things the mind could never explain." -Ranjeet| We are teenagers. We have gone through hell and back. Listen to the stories we have to tell. Spoiler alert: we get broken in the end. But our stories come from our heart. Listen to our heartbeat. Elizabeth and Andrew were good friends up until high school. They drifted away, and rarely spoke to each other. During the last few months of high school, Elizabeth and her four friends get caught in drama. This includes crushes, breakups, makeups, bullies, and much more. Elizabeth has to keep them together and ignore her longing crush on a plain and heartbroken guy. But maybe something could distract her from all that. Maybe that distraction's name is Blake. Warning: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! This story contains many plot holes, cliche moments, and just things that don't make any sense. (And editing would be a nightmare. I can't do it myself. I've officially given up on this story.) #569 in Teen Fiction on April 9, 2016 |Added to @weareteenqueens "High School Highlights" reading list!| |Entered in the #W.SAwards for 2016 "Most Favorited Book!"| #Wattys2016 #WriteForYou #MyYouth #weareteenqueens