"Blazing Facade"
He wears a mask of confidence, a shining disguise
A charismatic smile, that hides his burning eyes
His laughter echoes loud, but deep down he's on fire
A secret inferno, that fuels his heart's desire
His eyes gleam like embers, with a passion so bright
But in the darkness, he wrestles with endless night
His soul is a battleground, where shadows come to play
A constant struggle, to keep his shining light at bay
He shines so bold and fearless, like a star in the night
But burns with a fire, that threatens to consume his light
A delicate balance, between the shine and the pain
A fragile dance, between the light and the burning flames
His heart beats like a drum, with a rhythm so bold
But deep down, he's searching, for a way to grow old
Without the weight of secrets, without the burning fire
To shine with a light, that's not fueled by his heart's desire
As Claire aims to leave her oppressive stepfamily behind, she befriends Zion. Will he be her ticket to freedom or a distraction in achieving her dreams?
*****
Claire Olsen has had a crush on Zion Petrakis since the first time she laid eyes on him, but he never noticed, instead only having eyes on the school's it girl, Maddie Jennings. Knowing she couldn't compete with Maddie, Claire hid her feelings for Zion, satisfied with admiring him from afar. However, when a series of events led Claire closer to Zion, her feelings for him grew from infatuation to love. And despite fighting hard to keep her feelings contained by distancing herself from Zion, he was determined to show her that he's earned a spot in her life.
[[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]