Elijah Rosen, an introverted seventeen year old with a love for football, sneaks out almost every night to get away from the problems he faces during the day. He feels like his anxiety is taking over his life, and the only place he can go to escape it is the pitch black night right outside his window where he can be alone and let his thoughts run wild. But after he finds Adam Chang sitting at the bottom of an empty pool in the early hours of the morning with puffy red eyes and bruised hands, he begins to find comfort in something other than the dark. Only, Adam has a few problems of his own. And with pressure coming from his family, his friends, his school, and his own mind, Elijah isn't sure how he'll make it through the year. ------- "I think if you weren't here, I wouldn't be okay. I'd..." I trailed off, not wanting to say the words that we both knew were true. "Hey," he said softly, "I'm just glad I'm here, then." He started to let go of me, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him like I never had anybody else before. "I'm glad you are too." (featured by FreeTheLGBT: 1/13/2022)

brooks and hale should be perfect. the sparks are there, the lingering looks and secretive smiles, the chemistry essential to any perfect romance. the only problem? neither of them are willing to drop the pretence of heterosexuality anytime soon.

{WATTY'S 2020 WINNER & EDITOR'S PICK.} Hopeless romantic and aspiring writer Mare Atwood has fallen madly in love with her childhood correspondent. There's only one catch-she doesn't know who he is. When the beaus of Star's Crossing return from boarding school to begin the courting season, Mare is determined to uncover the identity of her writer, flout her family's intentions of orchestrating an advantageous marriage, and procure the life of writing and romance she's always sought. But as in the tales she so adores, it won't be easy. Galas, masquerades, picnics, and hunts-alongside an old friend, a former teacher, and an unlikely ally, Mare delves into an investigation that leaves her torn between three clever, deceptive, and wealthy young bachelors. If Mare can confirm which is her writer and claim his hand before the courting season ends, she'll have her wish: the love of her life, a valuable marriage, and a future of writing romance. But with the eyes of Star's Crossing upon her, a business plot forcing invisible hands, and the unwillingness of her writer to come forward-Mare's future may not end in triumph, but tragedy. Set against the gilded Victorian backdrop of coastal Connecticut and lush with pre-war luxury, fans of Jane Austen, Margaret Mitchell, and Louisa May Alcott are sure to enjoy this lighthearted, lyrical novel of young love, independence, and identity. #1 Literary #1 YA Romance #1 Victorian #1 Lyrical #8 General Fiction

M E R E D I T H is a princess without a country. Her family, formerly the royal family of Borgavia, has been exiled from their home, forced to live under the rule of the Empire of Astoria. A N T O N Y is a prince who doesn't want a crown. Soon to be king of Astoria, he will inherit the empire his family built before him. Though glorious, it has become an empire built on blood. Antony has his work cut out for him to restore trust among the empire's citizens and to rebuild the parts that have fallen to disrepair in the wake of former kings' desires only for conquests. A R E B E L L I O N is rising. In the midst of the gathering tide, Meredith will swallow her pride and go to King's City for a job in the palace, all in the name of supporting her family. N O O N E in the king's palace is aware that their newest servant is more than a servant, and Meredith plans on keeping it that way. H O W E V E R, the best laid plans are often upset. *** copyright sovthampton | micah good all rights reserved; completed 2014 highest: 65 in fantasy Featured by Hidden Gems: Fantasy

the stains that blotched their shirts were different; his from spilled coffee and hers from accidental cigarette burns. however, the stains on their bodies matched so beautifully. the red hickeys ethereally nested on her collarbones blending with the purple love bites trailing up his neck. [r. lupin] [highest: #60 fanfiction, #1 remuslupin] [warning: contains tobacco use & mature references]

{𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝟮} It all started with a kiss. Or better say, everything ended with a kiss. What Jenna Potter thought was going to lead her to a beautiful love story, quickly turned into a tragedy; only a week after Sirius Black stole her first kiss, Jenna caught him at school with another girl. Now, with her trust broken and her heart shattered, Jenna promises herself never to like another boy ever again. But little does she know that the universe has other plans for her. Not long after, she finds herself slowly falling for Remus Lupin. But with Sirius's feelings for her never truly gone, and her overprotective twin brother there to interfere in it all, Jenna finds her first four years at Hogwarts drowned in chaos. *** [Marauder's Era] [OC's age: 11-15]

Poppy Evans is particularly invisible to everyone around her and it's ironic that she's extremely forgetful, since so many people forget her. Teachers forget her name, students are unaware she exists, and her family fails to remember that she's a person too. She can only hope that she won't fall into oblivion.

COMPLETED [boyxboy] Mason Maloney has lived his whole life in the shadow of his twin brother, Nathan, star quarterback of the football team. While Nathan impresses everyone in town with his athleticism, Mason spends his afternoons working at the local bakery. His rather mundane life becomes more interesting when his brother's rival quarterback, Sam Knight, gets a job along side him at the bakery. The rivalry between their two schools should keep them apart, but does it? COVER BY: @Grand_ ~166k words

❝So we've got Messrs Padfoot, Prongs, Moony and Wormtail ... and Madam Despa-three-toe. What the fuck, Exie, WHY?!❞ ❝My Animagus is a three-toed sloth! It's hilarious, put it on the fucking map, Black.❞ ▬▬▬▬ Nobody was quite sure how the Marauders came to be (although Exie Attia would like to take full credit for inviting James and Sirius into the group after an intense game of Gobstones). Whilst the boys had big dreams and would work days and nights to get it, Exie liked to think of herself as the mellow one especially because sometimes she literally couldn't keep her eyes open. Some people loved them, one person REALLY didn't but Exie Attia wouldn't change it for the world. With Fourth Year rolling around, Exie expected life to stay blissfully stagnant but that was just wishful thinking. After the shocking discovery that, despite sounding like the start of a bad joke, combining a narcoleptic with stressful Animagus training might not be the best idea, Exie finds herself excluded for the first time in, well ... ever. But even this might have been okay had a certain tantalising redhead not caught her eye... Yeah, Fourth Year might not go that well. [CREDIT TO JANICE SUNG FOR COVER ART]