*COMPLETED* (Y.O.L.O stands for: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE) *** Carter Jones, the school nerd, and Killian Henderson, the reputated troublemaker, somehow end up getting detention together. "How about we make a bet?" Offered Killian, his pistachio-green eyes drilling into mine as a playful smile lingered on his lips. "A bet?" I gulped, intimidated by how close he was sitting next to me. He nodded and raised four fingers, the ones with the letters "Y.O.L.O" tattooed on them, wriggling them in front of me with his ever-so-confident grin. "Four dares, Jones, just you and me." And that's how it all started. *** Rankings: #fiction #featured #queer #gay #depression #bl #youngadult #featured #comedy #bisexual #manxman #teen fiction #boyxboy #bxb #LGBT #romance Cover designed by Holly Thurston

Alam mong kalaban pero nagawa mo paring mahalin. Alam mong hindi pwede pero mas lalo ka paring nagpupumilit. Alam mong mali pero ginagawa mong tama. Totoong masarap ang mga bawal. Pero masarap parin ba pag magkasakitan na? Masarap parin ba pag pinaiyak ka na? Hanggang kailan mo kayang ipaglaban ang pag ibig na hindi mo mabitiwan? Hanggang kailan mo kayang ipaglaban ang pag ibig na bawal?

Bata pa lang ay namulat na si Sunny na tatlong bagay lang ang kailangan niya sa buhay: bahay, pera, at pamilya. Namuhay siyang mahirap sa loob ng labing siyam na taon at ngayong bente na siya ay hindi iyon nagbago. Ang tanging nag bago lang siguro sa kanya ngayon ay ang pagkawala ng kanyang katuwang sa buhay: ang kanyang ina. Hindi pa nakakabangon sa sakit ay pinili niyang magpakatatag at mabuhay para sa sarili at para sa mga pangarap. Life is hard but it's easy to be strong. Iyon ang panlaban niya, ang pagiging matatag at pursigido. She was invincible because of that, but will she still feel invincible with a beast around? Lalo na pag napaibig na siya nito? Mahina ba talaga ang mga babae pag dating sa pag ibig? Because she was sure as hell beginning to lose all her strength. Ano nga ba ang gagawin Sunny kung ang magiging hadlang sa kanyang maabot ang lahat ng gusto ay ang siyang magpapaibig rin sa kanya ng husto? Worst. May magagawa talaga kaya siya?

Elevators. Airplanes. Palaman ng Sandwich. Yung feeling na papunta ka pa lang at excited ka pa lang sa pupuntahan mo. Yung feeling na palapit pa lang yung birthday mo. Yung feeling na palapit pa ang isa pang espesyal na araw. Yung feeling na ilang oras na lang ay pasko na. Yung feeling na tatlong araw na lang simula na ulit ng pasukan. Yung feeling na nasa gitna ka pa lang at di ka pa nakakarating. Yung feeling na malapit na pero hindi pa. Yun ang laging gusto ko. Yung nasa gitna pa lang. Yung nasa gitna ka ng dalawang bagay. Gitna ng isang building. Gitna ng langit at lupa. Gitna ng dalawang matatabang tinapay. Gitna ng byahe papuntang disneyland. Mas gusto ko yung feeling tuwing nagbabyahe kesa doon sa nakarating ka na. Mas gusto ko yung feeling na may inaantay ka kesa doon sa nandyan na. I always like the things in between. "You only like things in between, Coreen. You only like the chase... You only want me chasing after you. You don't want to decide... Pero pakiusap naman, magdesisyon ka na, kasi tao rin naman ako, nasasaktan. And you? I don't think nararamdaman mo yung sakit na nararamdaman ko... You are just too heartless."

It was wrong to be near her. No. He shouldn't be near her. Nilalabanan ni Brandon ang kanyang sarili dahil useless ang attraction na nararamdaman niya. For him, it was all just a game. For him it's pretend-love every night and the show is over every morning. Kaya illegal ang makaramdam ng constant attraction para sa isang babaeng hindi niya naman gaanong kilala. But when Aurora Veronica wore that freaking corporate uniform, the walls he tried to build so hard came crashing down. Come on, Brandon, who are you kidding? The girl looked innocent but she's damn hot with those killer heels. It probably won't hurt that much. After all, it's just a game. It's just a game. Yes, it's just a game. Just one night. One night. It only takes one night to believe all the lies.