"Have you ever drank?"
"No," I whispered. "Does it make everyone happy like that?"
"I mean, if you're looking for happiness you won't find it in a bottle." He said quietly, watching me.
"I..." I took a deep breath, "I want to feel happy for once."
"You need weed then. Shit makes everything funny." I stared at him curiously, having no idea what weed was. But he didn't answer, just waited for my reply.
"I don't know what that is."
He pursed his lips, tilted his head, and then shook it, "I was going to say something like what planet are you from but I have a feeling you'll tell me you're from Mars, and I don't think I can handle that right now."
I gave him a weird look, he was trying to be funny but I just couldn't figure out how to laugh, even a fake laugh. "I'm from Pluto, actually." I said quietly. His eyes widened in fake horror, before belting out a loud laugh.
~~~~~~
Eighteen year old Chloe Davidson is finally free. Free from her father's alcoholic rage, abuse, and neglect. But not free from the anxiety, depression, and overwhelmingly stressful new life. She finds herself completely lacking all social skills when thrown into college, just to be faced with constant reminders of back home.
Emerson Brantley sees her on their first day, immediately recognizing her as the quiet outcast from high school. Both surprised that somehow they ended up at the same college, over eight hours away from their hometown, they also find out they are studying towards the same degree.
Emerson's hope is to break Chloe from her shell, help her fight her demons and become the person she always wanted to be: a happy one. Little does he know, her past is beyond traumatic, and it's going to take a lot more than a friend looking to help to heal her.
~~~
𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥:
"Is Happiness Just A Word?" contains mature content with themes such as self harm, suicide, depression, anxiety, and sexual references. Reader discretion is advised.
Nat returns to campus for her senior year of college.
Something's in the air - is it anxiety? Is it pot fumes drifting out of someone's dorm window? Is it Old Town Road, dancing on the breeze?
Ope, nope, it's just hope (haha) that maybe, just maybe, a certain friendship with a certain someone might turn into something more.
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YA romcom/murder mystery because why not?
Marked mature for language and mention of suicide.
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Excuse the cringey description, I don't usually write this kind of YA.