Annabelle didn't believe in love. Not after a major heartbreak that leaves her uncertain in everything she does. Just when she believes that she's found happiness though, cue in the rebel gangster Nick Rivers who'll teach her a thing or two about herself.

Gentle ripples passed over her, a watery caress that contrasted with her growing unease. Blinking slowly, Eliza tried to make sense of her situation. She found herself submerged, an unexpected aquatic world unfolding around her. Panic crept in as her ankles remained bound, immobilized as if by an unseen force. An attempt to move her arms yielded no results - they were ensnared in an unyielding grip. Seaweed, sinuous and trailing, wrapped itself around her legs with an almost possessive hold. Every movement was thwarted by the constricting tendrils, her struggles mirrored by the rippling sea plants. An urgency to breathe set in, her chest tightening in a desperate plea for air. But the very element that should sustain her had become a stifling barrier. A strand of slimy seaweed clung to her lips, smothering her mouth and nose. It seemed as if the water itself had turned against her, a sinister transformation that threatened to consume her.

After surviving hellish neighborhoods and orphanages, Mia and Ari had learned to always keep their guard up. They only depended on each other, since they were the only ones there for each other at the end. When the twin sisters are suddenly thrown into a nice high school, they don't know how to fit in at first. But when Ari begins to break free from her fears and begins to leave Mia to fend for herself, Mia begins to feel even more alone than ever. Little does she know all the promises Lakeside High has to offer her as well.

She was perfect in every way and Charity was about to find out her biggest secret.

Writers have to get their characters from somewhere. Sometimes it's just not as simple as making them up.

A short story for those that are bullied, hurt, or lonely. You're not alone. Stay strong.