'I had guilt that ate me out from the inside and made me want to throw up. Guilt that started as a young child and continued to fester until I was doomed to break. I knew that one day I would shatter like glass. I just wasn't sure if anyone would be able to put the pieces of me back together.' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ashley Summers is the Bloomingfield Highs resident goodgirl/nerd, complete with absolutely no friends and a book for company. However guys could be throwing themselves at her because she is really one of the hottest girls at school, but her bookish tendencies and social low keep them away. And the fact that every guy who talks to her gets ignored. What she doesn't expect from the new year was the bad boy, Adrian Forsyth, persistently taking her attention away from her introverted life. Wait, she does know why. It was that stupid Chemistry class. She feels her carefully constructed life start to break as Adrian digs around her past, intent on finding out exactly what made her shut off from the world and herself for all of those years. Ashley has some deep secrets that she wants to stay hidden but piece by piece they make their way to the light. The question is what will happen when they all become revealed? It seems that while Adrian is searching for answers to the puzzle that is Ashley Summers he finds more than just her secrets. He could also find the key to her heart, a place where no person has truly seen before. Which is to say that Ashley Summers is in for some interesting events before the year is over. ---------------------------------------------------

THANK YOU, Wattpad, for the HQ Love Watty Award! Concept: A mysterious young woman flees from her troubled past only to discover it is impossible to escape THE SECRET that haunts her. *PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally inspired by the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy". * * * * * "I would never, Steven," she promised, turning away from him in an attempt to protect herself. "I know you wouldn't," he screamed. Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her to look at him. "Because I would kill you." His words hung heavy in the air. Sarah's heart sank into her stomach. No matter how many times she'd heard the menacing phrase, she could never get used to it. It had the same affect on her as the first time he'd thrown the ugly words in her face. The familiar sting of bile rose in her throat, and she knew she would deplete the contents of her stomach once she was locked in the safety of their master bath. 'If I make it through this time,' she agonized. Her biggest fear was that one day he would really lose his temper with her. Who knew what would happen then? *This story is an unedited first draft. Top Ranks: Action #1, Mystery and Thriller #1 *This story contains scenes of abuse and may be disturbing to some readers. While the characters are fictional, domestic violence is a serious issue that many people across the world face. If you or someone you know is the victim of abuse, please seek help immediately. Notice: This document is not authorized for upload or use with artificial intelligence systems or platforms. Any attempt to upload, analyze, or process this content using AI technology is strictly prohibited.