Sometimes we're all too drenched in our own problems to realize others are drowning, too.

With the premiere of his Netflix original series, newly verified Instagram account, and his return to college to endure sophomore year with his best friend, Griffin Alvarado should be on cloud nine. However, after learning that his online summer fling was nothing but a catfish plot, he's reluctant to find happiness in anything ever again. When Griffin meets a girl in his ARTHIST II class with the face used to catfish him, he sees this as a hidden opportunity to get some closure. A chance arises to separate his feelings from the constant reminder of heartbreak everytime he looks at her face when Griffin is assigned to create a project based on romanticism art. No soul on campus appreciates art as much as Anahid Mabele. Without fail, she is always seen supporting all the concerts, exhibitions, and plays, making her well liked on campus. As someone who appreciates art, Anahid allows a cute boy in her ARTHIST II class to take her on dates for a project over romanticism without hesitation. The more time she spends with Griffin, the longer Anahid must learn to understand her budding feelings.

Lily graduates from college and her life falls apart - or at least that's how it feels. Within a day, Lily a) leaves the comfort of campus with a degree that doesn't guarantee her a job, b) breaks up with her boyfriend, Colin and c) moves back home for the foreseeable future. She's in a dead end. She's in a rut. She's not in any position to meet Diego in at the Highland Mountain House during a week-long tango vacation with her mom, but that said, when is anyone really ready to meet the love of their lives? Especially if the love of their lives isn't anything like what they'd expected? Not the strait-laced, bank-bound Colin but Diego, who lives at his family's hotel and teaches dance? Who's older and has a beard and a whole lot of baggage? But in this hour, Lily doesn't know about any of this happening yet. She's just getting in the car that will lead her to her future. Let's follow along.

As Dakota Akihara crashes, Rhea Walton falters. While one is drug away from a life in the 1%, the other finds it increasingly-unbearable to put up with the crushingly-expected and dependable monotony of slow business, bills to pay, and mouths to feed. Rhea Walton knows herself well enough. Well, enough to understand that very few in her small, small town, particularly not her father, see who she is below her mask. Dakota Akihara - now Dakota Maxfield - on the other hand, feels as though presently, his entire identity is a question mark. Wether he's being over-dramatic or not, is not the point. His father's in jail for embezzlement and insider trading, his family is striped of everything, and his mother has forced him and his sister, Aya to leave their lives in the Upper East Side. Ironically, her search of refuge ends in a place with people she hoped never to interact with again-who don't, quite frankly-know anything about her life after she left. So of course, on a full moon, Dakota Maxfield faints in front of the Walton's diner window. U P D A T E S C H E D U L E Regularly-ish H I G H E S T R A N K I N G realistic fiction | 9th projectrichkids | 6th asiansinlit | 6th diversityinlit | 6th weneeddiversebooks | 1st