After the accident, Noah Archer built a wall around himself. But Riley Dawson is curious about him, and she's determined to meet the man behind his defenses. ***** Riley Dawson has always noticed Noah. He was the most popular guy on campus, until he lost his parents in a car accident. Now he's withdrawn and silent. Mustering up the courage to give her condolences, the two end up talking, and Riley grows determined to help Noah find himself again. Every time she coaxes a smile from him, she can feel the ice around his heart melting. But Riley knows that Noah's loss is still close to him. She's opening up her heart, but can Noah do the same? He's got so much to lose, but now, so does she. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

A collection of poetry found under lovers nails or stained against your pillow case - highest ranking - #3 poems - #9 in poetry - All rights reserved - © Ruby Smith @desp-erate 2014 Cover by @-grxnge

Valerie: Female given name derived from the Latin, valēre, to be strong. *** Valerie's not afraid of anything. Her best friend Stevie worries about everything. A flipped Jeep the Saturday before senior year might just change all that. When Valerie flips her cool Jeep Wrangler, her parents insist she drive the household's semi-retired 1996 Dodge Ram Conversion as punishment. But what is and isn't punishment is a matter of perspective. To golden girl Valerie, the van is no big deal. To self-conscious Stevie, it's social suicide. After all, high school is already hard enough for a Riverdance-fan-girl who can't even make eye contact with her biggest crush, blond band-geek Jesse. Determined to prove that the world isn't as awful as Stevie assumes it is, Valerie designs a pact. Each girl must perform five 'feats of courage' that range from the absurd to the daring to the legally-murky. This quirky game of dares may bring Stevie some confidence, but it also brings to light some big secrets, including one Valerie would rather have kept hidden. Senior year's going to be a bumpy ride. Valerie and Stevie will need a little more than a few feats of courage, a blond drummer boy, and a traveling Irish stage show.