At West Crimson High, student population 500, one person's business is everyone's business. This is no exception in Brandon Shay Owens' case. The athletic, popular, top grade boy has no care in the world besides his father's acceptance of him and undeniable hatred of football. Until autumn of his junior year, of course. After kissing his best friend, everything Brandon has tried to cover up and store away for five years seems to unravel all at once. Not even his academic wit and unlimited sarcasm can silence the shadowy gossip from his West Crimson peers, especially when a childhood friend not-so-subtly desires to tell the world Brandon's business. From kissing best friends to hiding boyfriends, it seems as if life has a long-standing grudge against Brandon. And he's not the most prepared to take it on. * * * *SEXUAL CONTENT (boyxboy, boyxgirl)* *First Person* *Trigger Warning* *This story is a part of the West Crimson chain stories*

If you ask Jema what his life is like, he'll probably give you a shrug. "Fine." At sixteen, he's already emotionally drained, and often finds himself caught between giving up completely, and chasing after the dream of life getting better. But it's just a dream, after all. The school's administrators have lumped him in with the 'troubled kids', his mother thinks he's just acting out... but then his life really flips upside down. After a wild sophomore year and junior summer, confessions are made and secrets are out. But Jema feels more trapped than ever. Along comes a boy with a harder shell than Jema. The unexpected bond between them flourishes. But all good things must come to an end. "Jema" has been #490 in Teen Fiction. (boyxboy in the title because WP asked me to)