While Elle was worrying about when Noah was going to make his next trip home, she forgot about college. It's catching up to her and if she can't get her priorities straight, Noah might not give her the surprise he's got planned for her. Character rights go to Beth Reekles. Completed November 6, 2018 Edited December 26, 2018

How would you feel if you were the girl that was always in the shadows? Pained, depressed,isolated. For 16 soon to be 17 ear old Aariah Santino she prefers her life to be this way. No drama, or trying to be something she's not. The only problem is, trouble always seems to stumble across her especially with Sabrina Costello the highs schools it girl. So, What happens when a mysterious guy shows up out if the blue and takes a sudden interest in Aariah Santino causing Sabrina and Ariah to constantly but heads. Will she push her boundaries or remain in the shadows ?

Carina Romanov is a 27 year old business woman. Her Russian parents, Boris and Nadia Romanov, adopted her when she was 5 from an orphanage in New York. Ever since then she has called Brighton Beach her home. She had seen and heard many things through the years but what made Carina a favorite was the fact that she was loyal and trustworthy. She never revealed any of what she'd been privy to. When her parents decided to retire she took over Romanov's, their restaurant, remodeled it and made it an even more popular spot among the locals, especially anyone in organized crime. When Carina was 10 her mother told her that she would be betrothed to someone in Russia. Dimitri Alexandrov. Their families had been connected for many years and because Carina had been in this type of life for years it was not a shock to her. For 17 years she would get letters, phone calls and sometimes packages from Dimitri but she'd never met the man. She was always told that one day he would just show up and her new life would begin...but until then she would have to settle for images that the sound of his voice would invoke, learn to trust him to keep her safe and forgive those closest to her for keeping her in the dark regarding her adoption. She would soon be in danger from things she didn't even know about, from people she didn't even know and a biological father who wanted her dead. *All characters are purely fictional.