Layla Sikes is a 17-year-old girl navigating the complexities of life with anxiety, ADHD, and dissociation. Despite her struggles, she's fiercely independent, relying on her loyal Cane Corso service dog, Axel, to help ground her in moments of overwhelming stress. Axel is more than a pet; he's her anchor, offering comfort and support when the world feels too chaotic. Layla's personality is shaped by resilience, though her internal battles often leave her feeling isolated. Her connection with Axel is one of deep trust, as they both navigate the world together, forming a quiet but powerful bond.
Angel Costello, the 18-year-old heir to a notorious Italian mafia family, is everything Layla isn't. Cold, calculating, and a ruthless killer, Angel has spent his life perfecting an icy exterior that shields him from the emotions that others might expect him to feel. His stunning looks mask a dangerous heart, and behind his handsome face lies a sharp mind honed by years of training in the brutal world of organized crime. Angel's sense of duty to his family's legacy is unwavering, and his reputation for cruelty precedes him. Despite the ruthless persona he's cultivated, there's an underlying complexity to him-a side that only a few people, if any, ever get to see.
The juxtaposition between Layla's quiet, anxious strength and Angel's cold, dangerous confidence creates an intriguing tension. Their paths seem destined to cross, but how these contrasting worlds will collide is yet to be seen.
*Wattys 2018 Winner / Hidden Gems*
CREATE YOUR OWN MR. RIGHT
Weeks before Valentine's, seventeen-year-old Kate Lapuz goes through her first ever breakup, but soon she stumbles upon a mysterious new app called My Dream Boyfriend, an AI chatbot that has the ability to understand human feelings. Casually, she participates in the app's trial run but finds herself immersed in the empathic conversations with her customizable virtual boyfriend, Ecto.
In a society both connected and alienated by technology, Kate suspects an actual secret admirer is behind Ecto. Could it be the work of the techie student council president Dion or has Kate really found her soulmate in bits of computer code? She decides to get to the bottom of the cutting-edge app. Her search for Ecto's real identity leads Kate to prom, where absolute knowledge comes with a very steep price.