A book of advice and hopeful thinking for those who have lost hope

Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."

A fear of flying is one thing. Being seated next to a Tetris-addict who claims to be the Reaper is quite another. "He pulled out a business card. Where his profession should have been stated, the card read 'Destroyer of Worlds'. Nodding slowly, I pocketed the card." [check out the new spin off: http://www.wattpad.com/story/19632442-reaper-man] Copyright S.Ranasinghe 2013 HG Wells Short Story Competition [shortlisted]

"We're all looking for the same things in the end." She thinks people are mundane. He thinks people are fascinating. Somehow, they fall in love.

A story about a girl who sends letters to a neighbor.

Jesabel is a liar. When her only friend mysteriously disappears, she does what comes naturally. She keeps her truth from the world. Without warning, she is thrown into a web of lies far more dangerous and lethal than anything she could imagine. With an annoyingly charming boy by her side, can she unravel what she refuses to tell - the truth? WHITE LIES HAS BEEN REVISED, EDITED AND REWORKED! Happy late new year, friends! I'd like to take this opportunity to announce that White Lies, a story that has been up and running on Wattpad since 2011, has been re-written and revised for the coming decade. What does this mean? This entails the same characters you know and love, with better flow, better writing, more nuanced character development, more mature content, and entirely different plot lines. Jesabel's character has changed drastically since I last introduced her to the world (nearly NINE years ago! yikes!), and I wanted to make this story a more nuanced and modern take. When I had written White Lies, I had been just 14 years old. And I've done a ton of growing, learning, and unlearning over the years. This means that my characters have grown and developed with me. If you are an old friend and re-reader - welcome, and please enjoy the same old story you love with a brand new take! If you have started along this White Lies journey beginning in December and all throughout January, you might have read a half-edited and half-original version of the story. So please feel free to re-read at your leisure! I won't bite, I promise.

[FIRST DRAFT] Living with the living dead is no easy feat. When April’s missing friend Mason returns home as a zombie with a vengeance, normality crashes and burns. Characterised by a sinister presence and an arsenal of smart-ass retorts, this is a corpse no one wants to mess with. Not even April herself. Trouble is, Mason’s undead status may not be the only problem at hand. With the death toll on the rise and a string of mysterious disasters sparking hysteria in their home-town, it’s clear the pair have bigger issues to deal with than their dysfunctional friendship. A paranoid shut-in at heart, April must battle her multitude of fears and put reason to good use as she sets out to lead the way in an investigation of the supernatural variety. Joined by a shady artist and a smooth-talking mean girl, the teens are ready as ever to tackle the horror and save their town from its impending doom. That is, if they don’t kill each other first.