Julius Santo was a name that had every human's skin crawling. Most people know of him due to the lethal Mafia he leads, his silver eyes that have watched countless souls fade away, or the sinister scar that crosses his brow. But for Hazel Alexis, Julius Santo was a man of kindness. Someone who was willing to listen to her vent, converse with her, or simply be in her company. Julius was a saviour to Hazel. A hero who guarded, supported, and kept her safe. Hazel Alexis is an innocent, quite oblivious, nineteen-year-old woman. She works as a nurse in a small health clinic, aiming to earn enough money to leave her toxic household, and also spends her weekdays studying at her local college. As her new friendship with Julius evolves, she can't help but fight the overwhelming feelings that develop between them. Obtaining a crush on your best friend could never end well, could it? Every day, the simple things he does drive her deeper into the obsessional crush she has with him. But the hidden truth that remains between the two was the undeniable reality of how their end could possibly be. The mixture of his secret, her obliviousness, and the ultimate reality of it all was bound to cause chaos. What happens when Hazel discovers Julius Santo's true identity? ••• Best Ranks #4 Friendstolovers - March 2022 #1 GrumpyxSunshine - May 2022 #8 Chicklit - May 2022

Rydell is trying to get by. Suffering from panic attacks takes a tole on her life, but she's getting through it as best she can. She's a computer science major at Daxton U, and is about to be the co-creator of a video game to help kids with behavioral disabilities. She is busy, determined, and there's no time for distraction. Scott is loved by everyone, except maybe his parents. Captain of Daxton U's hockey team, and a shoe-in for the big leagues, he knows exactly what he wants, and he won't let anything get in the way of that. So when he fails Spanish and is facing the possibility of being a seat warmer for the season, he finds a solution- Rydell Rivens. trigger warnings: mentions of sexual abuse, and anxiety

"Adam is different." "I can handle different. I've dealt with different before." "Yes, but you've never dealt with Adam."