The Dream Chaser

Among her freinds, if she could still refer to them as such, it was a laughing matter. They always teased her about it but while they thought 💭 themselves humours and clever , she thought 💭 of them as vulgar. Had she wanted to, she could adapt a similar manner of jesting, 1 pointing out their absurd and often disgusting habits. She didn't though .

She couldn't understand why they were fussing so much about it. She likes to sleep 😴 yes . But sleep is essential for humans, is it not ? they slept too and she knew for a fact that some of them snored awfully loudly.

However, truth be told, she didn't sleep 😴 she had too. She foolishly tried to explain them to how she liked to dream; not daydream like romantic fools, no. that she detested. She considered it a stupid waste of time. why dream with eyes 👀 wide open 📖 when you can get the intimate experience with them shut? you could have an entire world 🌎 in your dream.

The Benefits of Reading English Books

"The more that you read, the more that you'll know. The more that you know, the more

places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss.

As any English-speaking child can tell you, there is no denying Dr. Seuss. If you love to read,

but you're a little afraid of reading a full-on novel in English, don't worry. We're going to help

you get there, step by step.

With every book you read, the more you'll improve your English reading skills.

To get started, there are some excellent novels written in English that are not too difficult to

understand. Anyway, it's good to set yourself a language challenge now and again. How else

are you going to improve in English?

Reading is rewarding.

Being able to read a novel in another language and understand it is a huge achievement.

You'll feel accomplished the moment you read that final page, close the book, and reflect on

the experience. You might find yourself at the last page faster than you thought—once you

begin reading these books, you won't be able to put them down.

Reading is an exercise in language learning.

Reading English novels will help improve your vocabulary, general understanding and in

some cases it may even give you more knowledge into different countries and their cultures.

You also get to move at your own pace. While listening to podcasts and radio, you have to

keep up with whoever is speaking. Sure, watching movies to learn English can be a lot of fun,

but doesn't it get tiring to have to read subtitles or pause and rewind? While reading a book,

you can read as slowly or as quickly as you desire. If you didn't understand something, simply

look at the paragraph again!

Reading opens the mind.

Reading educates. It opens you up to new experiences and perspectives. What better way is

there to understand someone's way of thinking? You may learn new information about

language, culture, society, and history that you never knew before.

1. Charlotte's Web – E.B. White

This is a lovely novel that all age groups can understand. Aimed at native English speaking

children, there are many adults who still say this famous book is their favorite. This is part of

the national curriculum in many schools around the world, so it's quite possible this book

will also come up in conversation. You can almost guarantee that the majority of native

English speakers have read this book at least once.

Plot Summary

A baby pig is almost killed because of his status – he is the smallest pig that was born and he

is considered to be useless and of no value. The pig is saved by a little girl called Fern Arable.

She adopts the pig and takes care of it. She gives him the name Wilbur.

Fern grows sad when Wilbur grows up and has to be sent away to a farm owned by her uncle.

She has a strong relationship with Wilbur. When Wilbur goes to the farm, all the other farm

animals ignore him and he's left crying for his human friend. One day he hears a voice, but he

can't see anything. This voice promises to become friends with him.

The voice belongs to a small spider called Charlotte. Charlotte the spider knows that the

farmers are planning to kill Wilbur. She promises to make a plan to save his life. The farmers

are surprised the next day when they see the words "some pig" written in the web* Charlotte

has made. Charlotte asked for the other animals' help over the day to write messages

everywhere.

Wilbur is sad when Charlotte disappears. But in the end, her baby spiders turn out to be great

company for the pig. They continue to protect each other and the story ends well.

*webs are the sticky traps that spiders make.

2. Mieko and the Fifth Treasure – Eleanor Coerr

This book is not really so famous, but it is on the recommended book list. What's great about

"Mieko and the Fifth Treasure" is that it's short. At only 77 pages long, this will be an easy

read. Again this book is aimed at young native English speakers, so if you're learning English,

the level won't be so difficult. This book will keep you interested as you'll learn many

interesting things about Japan and its culture.

Plot Summary

This is an emotional story about Mieko. Mieko is a talented artist and calligrapher

(handwriting artist). Her hand is badly hurt during the bombings of the war. The scared little

girl is sent to live with her grandparents in the countryside where it is safer.

Mieko is worried and afraid that she's lost her 5 treasure – the "beauty in her heart." This

treasure is the key to her happiness and her beautiful art.

Mieko starts a new school. Her new classmates are mean. They constantly laugh at her and

tease her which just makes her angrier. Her grandparents eventually manage to lift her

darkness through their patience and wisdom. She also finds a good friend in Yoshi. Yoshi is

one classmate who is really kind.

Mieko also grows close to Yoshi's aunt. Her friend's aunt is strict, but kind and encourages

Mieko to pick up her paintbrushes again.

By the way, if you like learning English with resources that are fun and easy to

get into, you should check out Creativa.

Creativa provides premium, highly produced videos for learning English and business

communication skills. Creativa provides entertaining videos, useful but unexpected tips, and

goes beyond just English to teach you body language and intonation. Creativa is a new

product from the FluentU team.

Here's a sample video from Creativa's Mastering Business Video Calls in English course,

which has tips for expressing yourself effectively:

3. The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

This short novel is perfect for EFL learners. It has modern themes and typical teenage issues

that people around the world have experienced. There are very few cultural notes in this,

which means you don't need much background information. The sentences are short and

easy to understand. The vocabulary is also very easy. You should be able to read this book Ponyboy Curtis is one of the main characters. He is a part of a gang of teenagers called the

Greasers. After he leaves the movie theater one day, he's attacked by a rival (enemy) gang.

Ponyboy's friends chase the group away and he is saved.

The next evening, Ponyboy and his friends go to watch a movie again. They sit behind a few

pretty girls from the other gang. They end up sitting together with the girls. Ponyboy and

Cherry learn that they have a lot of things in common even though they are from different

gangs. The boys begin to walk the girls' home, but on the way they meet the girls' boyfriends.

The girls have to leave so a fight does not begin.

Because Ponyboy arrives late at home his brother becomes angry. This causes them to fight.

As a result Ponyboy tries to run away from home. They meet up with the rival gang again and

yet another fight begins. This time one of the enemies is killed.

Ponyboy is really scared. They hide in a church and try to hide their appearance by dyeing

(coloring) their hair. A number of different fights break out between the two gangs.

Eventually Ponyboy wakes up in the hospital.

A trial is set in the courtroom and the judge has to decide Ponyboy's fate (future). Is he guilty

or not guilty?

4. The House On Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros

The great thing about "The House On Mango Street" is that it's an interesting read. It's

written from the point of view of the writer. You can really feel what the protagonist (the

main character) feels. The sentences are really short so it's also easy to understand. There are

a few challenging words and a little bit of descriptive language, but you can usually

understand them with the context. Another great thing about this is book is that it gives you a

deep understanding of a different culture.

Plot Summary

This book follows the life of Esperanza, a Mexican girl. The novel takes place over the period

of one year. Esperanza moves into a new home on Mango Street. The house is much better

than her old one. It is the first house her parents have ever owned – all their other houses

have been rented. Esperanza is not very happy because she had been dreaming of a different

home – a bigger one. Their new house is old and small. The house is located in a busy Latino

area of Chicago. In the new home, Esperanza feels like she has no time to be alone. She

promises herself that one day she will leave and have her own home.

Throughout the novel the young girl grows up a lot. The story follows her life as she makes

friends, her body changes and she begins to have feelings for a boy. With her new friends, she

has many adventures. When she goes back to school after the vacation Esperanza is

embarrassed about her family being poor. She writes poetry secretly to make her feel better.

There is a lot of focus on other women in the community and Esperanza hopes never to be

like them. Through watching the older women and how they are stuck, she knows that she

wants to leave.

5. Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

This story takes place in the present, which means the writer writes using simple grammar.

All sentences are short and the vocabulary is relatively easy. The interesting grammar and

short paragraphs make this a quick and easy book for ESL learners. This is an award-winning

book and on the NY Times best books list, so it's worth a read. This book deals with some

heavy issues. If you're looking for something light and happy to read over the summer

vacation, you should not read this book.

Plot Summary

The main character is Clay Jensen, a quiet high school student. He comes home from school

to find a parcel at his front door. He does not know who sent it. He opens it and discovers 7

cassette tapes. These tapes are from Hannah Baker, his previous classmate. She had

emotional problems and has committed suicide (killed herself).

The tapes came with instructions. The paper stated that they should pass the tapes from one

student to another student. There are 12 people in total. In the paper, she explains to these

people that they helped her die – she gives them 13 reasons. Hannah also sends another set

of tapes to a different person. She gives them a strong warning that if they don't pass the first

set of tapes onto the next person, the whole school will know how they were a part of her

death.

We hear about her pain. She talks about her first kiss, people who lied to her and stole from

her. Everything started with gossip. The gossip then grew and became out of control. The

book follows each person's story and the reason why she felt hurt including her English

teacher who didn't take her seriously.

6. Peter Pan – J.M. Barrie

Almost everyone knows the story of "Peter Pan" which is why this is an easy read. Being

familiar with a story already helps the reader to understand the text better. This book is

aimed at children, but it continues to be enjoyed by adults around the world too.

Plot Summary

Every night Peter visits the Darling family house and listens to Mrs. Darling tell bedtime

stories. He sits on the window listening. One evening, they see Peter trying to escape. As he

tries to run away, he loses his shadow. He goes back to get his shadow. He wakes up the

daughter of the house, Wendy Darling. Wendy helps him attach his shadow to his body again.

Wendy tells him she knows a lot of bedtime stories too.

Peter invites Wendy to return to Neverland with him. He wants her to be the mother of the

Lost Boys. Wendy agrees to the mission and asks for her brothers Michael and John to join

them.

They have a magical flight as they travel to Neverland and have many adventures along the

way. Wendy is nearly killed and the boys build her a house in the trees to recover. After

Wendy is okay, she takes the role of the mother.

After all their adventures and fun, Wendy decides that her place is at home with their

mother. Wendy helps all the Lost Boys return to London. But Peter doesn't want her to go.

Instead he tries to trick her. He tells her that their mother doesn't want them anymore.

However, he understands how sad their mother must be. In the end, he decides to let them

go home.

7. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemmingway

This is a famous classic. Almost all native English speakers will have read this book at some

point in school. So, if you ever find yourself in a conversation about literature and books, this

is a good one to talk about. At some points it has a little bit of difficult vocabulary, however, it

is short and you won't have too much trouble being able to finish it.

Plot Summary

This is a story of a long fight between an old, experienced fisherman and the best fish he ever

caught. Santiago has returned to the village without any fish for 84 days. The young boy who

helps Santiago is told by his parents to join another boat. But the young boy continues to help

the fisherman at night.

On the eighty-fifth day, his luck changes and so does his life. Santiago sails his boat further

away. He drops his fishing lines. At 12 pm, a huge fish (a marlin) takes the bait (the food used

to attract fish). The man tries to pull the fish up, but the fish is too big and strong. Instead,

the fish begins to pull the boat. The old man continues to fight and hold on to the line. The

fish pulls the boat around the sea for two days.

On the third day, the fish gets tired. Santiago is able to pull the fish closer and kill it. It's the

biggest fish he has seen in his life. He begins to sail back to the village, but the blood of the

fish attracts sharks. The boat is attacked by a Mako shark, but Santiago is able to kill it. He

kills most of the sharks, but there is a problem. They have eaten the meat of the fish and now

only the skeleton (bones) is left. He returns back to his home and falls asleep.

All the people of the village are amazed at the size of the fish skeleton. The young boy agrees

to be the fishing partner of Santiago once more.

8. The Giver – Lois Lowry

"The Giver" begins in a very interesting way and catches the attention of the readers from the

beginning. It has easy-to-understand grammar. Most of the grammar is just past simple and

past perfect. All of the sentences are short and there is no confusion in the story. This is a

longer book. It's really easy though, so you'll finish it quickly.

Plot Summary

Jonas is a young boy. He lives a very safe life with a lot of order and rules. There are many

rules and everyone follows them. The citizens' lives are planned for them and they don't often

make a decision by themselves.

They try not to say anything different. One rule is that you must never say anything that will

make another person uncomfortable. Every husband and wife is matched by a special

committee. Each family has two children, one boy and one girl.

When Jonas and the rest of his group become the "Twelves" in December, they get special

jobs. Because Jonas is smart and respected, he is given an extra special job. His new job is to

become the Receiver of Memories. The Receiver of Memories is the only person in the group

who can see all of the memories in the past. He must keep these memories secret until he

trains another person to take his place. This job is really difficult. This person knows things

that others do not, and they also have to deal with all of the sadness from the past.

At first Jonas is really excited. But he soon learns some truths about the people in the

community. He comes to understand that this kind of life is unfair. He wants to allow people

to make their own choices. Jonas comes up with an interesting plan to change the

community. He decides he needs to move the community to another place. In his plan, they

will get their memories back and be able to live a good and fair life.

9. Number the Stars – Lois Lowry

This is a realistic novel. It's based on history. Unlike other historical literature, it's easy to

understand. If you already know a lot of information about World War II, this might be an

interesting book for you. It's not recommended if you don't know too much about the World

Wars. In this case, you will be focusing on trying to understand the facts too much so you will

not enjoy the book as much.

Plot Summary

This is a story of hope and courage. The year is 1943 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The area has

been taken over by Hitler's army. There are soldiers everywhere. The life of 10-year-old

Annemarie has changed a lot. There is little food and everyone is very scared. There is talk

about moving all of the Jewish people to another place. This is difficult for Annemarie

because her best friend, Ellen, is Jewish.

This is a different book about the war. It shows it was not only the Jewish people who

suffered during the war. Annemarie's family lost their eldest daughter, Lise, a few weeks

before her wedding.

Annemarie will later do what her sister, Lise, did. She will join the resistance party to fight

against the Nazis. She ends up being a heroine (a female hero) for a few reasons (which I will

not tell you because I don't want to ruin the story).

10. A Wrinkle In Time – Madeline L'engle

This book has a mix of shorter and longer sentences. The short sentences allow the readers to

relax a little bit more. They also create the scene well and let you know what is happening

through simple words. There is a lot of vocabulary to learn. It is a good book if you've already

got experience reading novels in English. Make sure you have your vocabulary notebook with

you, just in case there are any cool words that you'd like to learn. This book has MANY!

Plot Summary

Meg is 14-years-old. Everyone sees her as a troublemaker (a person who makes/causes

trouble). They think she's a bad student. Everyone in her family seems to be perfect. Her

mom is a very beautiful scientist. Her twin brothers are very athletic. And her little 5-year-old

brother, Charles Wallace Murry, is a child genius and can often read the mind of Meg.

One night Meg can't sleep. She goes downstairs to find her young brother sitting at the

kitchen table drinking milk. Later their mom joins them. A strange neighbor called Mrs.

Whatsit joins them. Mrs. Whatsit is talking a lot and says that the "tesseract" is real. We (the

readers) don't know what this means, but Mrs. Murry knows what it is. She looks like she is

going to faint (fall down from sickness or fear).

Meg and her brother meet a friend the next day. Calvin O'Keefe is a high school junior

student. Together, the three of them go to visit an old haunted house which belongs to Mrs.

Whatsit. While going there they meet Mrs. Whatsit's friend, Mrs. Who. Mrs. Who is also very

strange. Meg and Calvin begin to like each other. Charles suddenly announces that they

should focus on finding their father who is lost somewhere in the universe.

Strange things happen and the older women turn into supernatural (not from Earth) beings.

They transport the kids to the universe by the "tesseract." They stop and visit different

planets on the way. The women tell the children that the universe is being attacked by the

"Black thing" (the devil).

They find out where Meg's father is being kept. Charles tries to use his psychic (in his mind)

powers to see where their dad is. Eventually they find their dad, but not without drama.

Along the way, Meg learns to love. She uses this new love to help them escape.There are so many cool and fun books to read. It's always better to find books that are for

middle school readers in the US so the language and ideas will never be too difficult to

understand.

Reading is a wonderful way to improve your English. It's an awesome way to learn new

vocabulary. Reading opens your mind. It's a great way to learn how to guess what things

mean and at the same time enjoy English in another way.

1. I Can't Believe You're Mine

It was a glorious, colorful autumn.

We'd just left the coffee shop. When we walked by, she had giggled and pulled me inside, saying, "C'mon, let's be basic white girls and get some pumpkin spice!"

I don't like coffee. I never had. But when she handed me my cup and looked into my eyes while I tried it, it was the best thing I'd ever tasted.

My hand still tingled where she grabbed it.

As we walked through the park with our drinks, a light drizzle began to fall. She pulled out an umbrella from her bag, I pulled up my hood and hunched my shoulders.

"Don't be silly," she giggled, pulling me under the umbrella with her. I couldn't help but laugh too, her laugh is infectious.

As the sun started to shine again, she pulled me down to sit on a bench. She beamed down at me, and I could only gaze back adoringly.

"So Ava…" She began. I knew this tone of voice, it's dangerous.

"Who do you like?" She whispered, and I looked away. I wanted to say, 'you, you, a thousand times you. You're the only one I can ever think about. You're gorgeous and sweet and funny and…'

Instead, I shrugged my shoulders and looked down at my cup.

She looked at me with a cautious smile. "If I tell you mine, will you tell me yours?"

"Okay." I said.

"The person I like… …is you."

I drop my drink.

Read the entire love story

2. Don't Let Me Fall In Love With You

I know you read the description.

And you expect for me to fall in love with you.

That, or you already read this story and you just want to see me suffer again.

It's hard to see through the screen… I can't tell one reader from another, boy or girl. Not that it would matter…

(Blushes deeply) Anyway, that's not the point.

You should leave.

Why are you going to the next slide?

Stop doing that.

Are you always this stubborn?

I said st-

Don't interrupt me.

Read the full short romance story

3. I Didn't Know What I Was Missing

I got married when i was 20 to a man that by all accounts wasn't bad, but he wasn't good for me. Long story short, I was married to a loser. He didn't necessarily do anything wrong, he just didn't do anything at all. Now, I am not a "typical woman" if there even is such a thing. I love myself. Sure, there are things I want to improve, but I don't have a problem with my age, or intelligence, or what my body looks like, or my personality- those things that seem to stereotypically plague women just don't bother me for whatever reason. I have a career where I make more than enough money on my own to live comfortably. I know how to use power tools, fix my own car, and google the shit out of anything else that needs to be done. I say what I mean, and expect others to do the same, none of this passive-aggressive nonsense. But I'm stubborn as a mule, and marriages are supposed to last, so even though I was the primary breadwinner, and did most of the things around the house, and raised my kids mostly on my own, I still spent 13 years in that worthless marriage. At the end of the day, my husband felt like I didn't need him, because I am very capable. But he was wrong. I needed support. I needed a partner, a friend. Even someone who would see how hard I was working to just keep my head above water. I couldn't manage EVERYTHING on my own; and I still can't.

For some perspective at how emotionally isolated I was, I struggled with infertility for three years; I had to take tons of medications & shots that made me sick, tired, have hot flashes, body aches, and migraines for those years; not to mention the emotional drain of every month without fail seeing a single pink line on that damn stick. The emotion of going through a bulk pack of pregnancy tests, or taking photos of your cousin's child's first birthday (for the child they conceived after you started trying), is just… a lot to bear; I was very open with my struggles, because i think it helped other people too. Somehow, my husband wasn't even aware this was a thing that i was needing support in. he had no idea. and it's not because i didn't tell him or directly ask him. he just was that thick and lost. he was a five year old trapped as an adult- lacking the ability to give support in that way.

And once I had kids, he was actually more of a burden than a help. I spent most of my time walking on eggshells, trying to balance being exhausted from a high-demand job, making dinner, and praying the kids (who are all-around good kids) didn't do anything to "poke the bear" while my husband played games on his phone and mostly ignored them. I spent more time trying to keep them from upsetting him than anything else.

When i finally asked him to please leave, everything improved immediately. I could breathe again. I was free of so much dead weight. I was so, so happy to just not-have-him around. It was so much better, I never looked back, and I was ok on my own. Sure, I crawled in to bed every night, feeling ready to collapse at the end of the day. Kids are demanding, after all. But I was free. And I was happy.

But it wears on you.

Read the full short story

4. Canon in D With A Side of Tomato Soup

Paul stared at his wife across the table, noticing for the first time that her sweater was on inside out. Every morning he would lay out her clothes on the bed in a specific order, so she'd know which item to put on first. But it didn't guarantee how Elaine would put on each piece. He'd have to pay more attention before they went out.

Their usual waitress, Sarah, appeared, holding a large tray with two sweet teas on it. "How y'all doin' today?"

With Alzheimer's disease, there were good days, and then there were challenging days. It was one of the latter. Elaine was preoccupied, scrubbing a stain on the wooden table with her finger, forgetting it was a permanent fixture of their booth. They'd been lunching at this diner once a week for years. That blemish had been there since day one.

"Today's actually a very special day for us. It's our fifty-seventh wedding anniversary." His wife stopped fidgeting and looked up. "The day she took a chance on a broke, balding fellow by saying, 'I do,'" he said with a wink in her direction.

"It is?" Elaine asked.

"Yep, sweetheart, it is."

"Congratulations, you two! Ms. Sue fixed up some of her key lime pie today and I'll make sure y'all have a slice on the house before you go. Stickin' with the Cobb salad and tomato soup?"

"That's it." Paul replied.

She nodded and turned, then swung back around. "I just remembered. We ran out of tomato soup about an hour ago. Chicken noodle ok?"

Paul looked at his wife, now scrubbing away at the stain with a napkin.

"Elaine?"

"Hmmm," she said, again focused on the table.

"They're out of the tomato soup. Do you want chicken noodle? Or a sandwich instead?" She looked confused, so he pointed to the menu and showed her a few other items he thought she'd enjoy, but she was having a hard time picking something new.

Suddenly she began to cry. "I want to go home. Please can we go home?" she begged.

Read the full love story

5. The Mountain

My mother said that out of all five of her children

I was the easiest baby

I think what she meant was that I hardly cried,

Rarely fussed

And was generally asleep

Which I guess was a good thing, for her

As the fourth of five she had a lot to deal with before she could get to me

So I made it easier for her

I kept doing it as I grew up

If one of my siblings dropped their ice cream,

I'd give them mine so they'd stop making a scene

When someone had to sit in a middle seat

You can bet that's where my car seat would be strapped

In fifth grade, when Clara Gomez stole my cookie from my lunch box

I just shrugged, and ate my carrot sticks

My nickname was "montañita", little mountain

Because I was never moved, never bothered, always calm

In seventh grade, I broke my leg

But I didn't tell anyone for three days

I just gritted my teeth and hopped along

Until my father found me crying on the bathroom floor

He took me to the hospital, and bought me a cast we couldn't afford

And when the kids at school called me a cripple

Well, you can guess what I did

In high school, my little sister Sofia was getting picked on by some boys

I pretended I didn't see it happen

But that night, I switched out her too-small uniform skirt for mine

She stopped getting teased,

And I wore pants for the rest of the year

When my college Algebra professor lost my test and made me retake it, I just nodded and did it

When I got catcalled walking across campus,

I just looked down at the ground

And you

The first day you came up to me and offered to buy me coffee

I was sure you were making fun of me too

So I stayed quiet

Eventually, you flashed me that blinding smile and told me, "Guess I'll take that as a yes, then."

I think I said about three words to you that first day

But I gave you my number

And answered when you called

Read the short story

6. Cold Connection

The impact was jarring. Unexpected. Painful.

Not at all how it is in the movies. Nor the books. It was gross. Gritty. Raw.

His messenger bag had checked her hard in the stomach, no doubt several bruises itching to arise.

Her hot beverage stained his cream colored sweater, no doubt scalding on his bare hands.

Both umbrellas had been knocked into the dirty puddles, the sheets of rain unforgiving.

Despite the bone-chilling weather, ruined clothing, and bodily injuries, they couldn't escape the buzzing intensity of a connection.

Her gaze was locked on the damping hair, wondering if the hue of blond was real. His gaze was pinned to her widening eyes, curious as to how many tints of blue he could identify.

Read the rest of the story

7. My first love

This is a story about the first year of my relationship with the girl I love.

I suppose it starts back in July 2017. She was dating my best friend at the time, they were in a relationship for a few weeks and it ended on bad terms. While they were dating I had only seen her one time, I didn't really say much to her as I am a very shy and socially awkward person. I think I managed to get a few hellos out but nothing more than that.

The next time I met her was on the 31st of October. To be honest I don't really remember that night much since I was black out drunk for the majority of it. By that time things seemed to be ok between her and my friend and that's how I started talking to her more.

In late November we were all talking in group chats, online I am a lot less awkward and am able to talk to other people, so this was a great way for me to start talking to her.

As I started to become more friendly with her I started to realise that she's not how my best friend made her out to be at all.

We started to hang out more, and the more time I spent with her the closer I felt to her. There are quite a few people in our friends group, I couldn't quite explain why. But I felt like I had some sort of bond with her, like I could connect with her in a way that I couldn't with the other people. Usually I hate it when people hug me, but when she did it always felt warm and comforting.

Where our relationship progressed was on new years eve, I had one of my depressive episodes and ended up leaving all of the group chats I was in. At the time I just felt really lonely, as if I'm destined to never be happy.

She ended up private messaging me, asking what was wrong and why I was feeling like that. There's only a few people that know how much of a shit show my childhood was, I felt comfortable with talking about it with her. And she seemed to have the perfect response to everything. After a while I felt a little better about myself and I will never forget some of the things that she said to me that night.

Read the short story

8. This Girl

I thought I'd had crushes before

There was Carson, who smiled at me in bio

There was Avery, with the beautiful eyes

But this girl

God, it's like it's not even the same emotion

I really thought I liked the others, I did

I'd blush when they were nearby,

Sit up straighter,

Toss my hair,

Get nervous,

But this girl takes butterflies to a whole new level

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9. The Right Moment

Her eyes, oh her eyes. They got me every time.

They could never be classified as one color. They rebelled, taking on a different hue everyday. Every hour. Every moment. But they always sparkled with this emotion I could never place.

His smile, oh his smile. It zapped my heart every time.

His smile was something never to be taken for granted. He rarely showed it around people, but when he did, oh it was magic. The slight dimple in his cheek revealed his boyish nature.

But they always drifted from one another.

The timing never right. One was in a relationship. The other fresh out of one. Both single, but not ready to mingle. Or they would mingle, but with the wrong people. It was like this for years.

Until this.

It was snowing.

Her car was covered in the hardening white powder. She stared, hopeless. How could she get to work in this condition? A light flurry of snow falls from the sky, wetting her hood.

She sighs, holding a hand out.

A snowflake lands on her hand, almost immediately melting against her warm palm. A smile tilts her lips, her tardiness to the office momentarily taking a back seat.

He watches her, his unprotected hair catching snowflakes.

He had come here to break up with his girlfriend, who's name he'd already forgotten. He didn't know she had lived so close to her. Annalise. The one woman he could never have.

At her surprised appearance, he'd dropped his keys.

With his gaze still on her, he crouched down, fumbling in the cold snow for his car keys. But after stubbing his finger, he risks a glance down, swiping them up.

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10. I Wish To Love You Longer

*phone call *

Boy: Hey, hun!

Girl: Hey.

Boy: I missed you at school today. Why weren't you there?

Girl: Yeah, I had to go to the doctor.

Boy: Oh really? Why?

Girl: Oh, nothing. Just some annual shots, that's all.

Boy: Oh.

Girl: So what did you guys do in Math today?

Boy: You didn't miss anything that great, just a lot of notes.

Girl: Okay, good.

Boy: Yeah.

Girl: Hey, I have a question to ask.

Boy: Okay, ask away.

Girl: How much do you love me?

Boy: You know I love you more than anything in this world.

Girl: Yeah.

Boy: Why did you ask?

Girl: *silence*

Boy: Is something wrong?

Girl: No. Nothing at all. Um. How much do you care about me?

Boy: I would give you the world in a heartbeat if I could.

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11. Everything Happens For A Reason

Some people like to say "everything happens for a reason."

But I think that's bullshit.

Was there a reason the love of my life died in a car crash at 23?

I didn't think so. I told you. Bullshit.

Eric and I were the type of couple that beat all the odds.

We made it through long distance. We made it through moving cities. We made it through the death of his mom. Through all the change, our love was one constant I could rely on.

Our routine used to go like this;

I'd wake up at 6:45 in our shitty little bed in our shitty little apartment in NYC.

He'd already be up, of course. He's an early bird.

I used to hate mornings.

I could hardly drag myself out of bed to the smell of the breakfast he was making me.

Now I stumble out of bed right away. There's no use trying to stay longer in a cold, empty bed, all by myself.

I'd go to work, be home around 5:00.

Eric didn't get home until 6:00, so I'd make dinner.

Lasagna was his favorite. I always complained about how much work it was and didn't make it enough.

If he was still here I'd make lasagna every night.

After dinner, we'd watch TV, or play video games, or read our books. Always in the same room.

Sometimes we wouldn't do anything, just sit and talk for hours. Eric was always great to talk to.

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12. This was fate

This is the story that changed my life. The best way to explain it is from the begining.

I was 15. I had an anxiety attack. I was growing up and was home schooled due to some previous issues with traditional schools. My mom and my late uncle (I miss you, uncle Bob) took me to the hospital. I remember ripping my ID bracelet off more than a couple times because I didn't want to be there. I didn't know it at the time but I needed help. This is the story of the rest of my life.

I spent 11 days in a children's mental ward named P78. I met quite a few friends there and during my home schooling that helped shape my story. Little did they know at the time how much they would affect me.

I need to backtrack a little bit for this to make sense. The friends I met during home school would always talk to me about this girl they knew that nicknamed "dictionary" because she was so smart. They always tried to get us to meet but it never worked out. We were both a bit annoyed at their attempts so eventually they tried to trick us into meeting. I was brought to her house a few times but she was "never home". In reality she was antisocial and just didn't want to meet with people. They called her on the phone and had me speak with her a few times. Again, we were a bit annoyed at their attempts. Shortly after this is when I was admitted to the hospital.

A doctor at the ward recommended a school, Eleanor Gerson high school. It's a school for troubled teens. It's for kids who have mental issues that may give them trouble in normal schools. My first year went off normally. I made friends, got good grades, and was generally happy. In my second year I met her.

Flash forward to Freshman orientation of what ended up as my junior year. We were going through meeting the new kids with everyone introducing themselves and giving a bit of history of who they are. I saw her there. She had long black hair and was dressed in what at the time was the latest gear from Hot Topic. My buddy (who will not be named just like most others in this story won't be) recognized her. He had me mention a mutual friend of him and the girl to help break the ice.

A couple days later on the bus ride home from school, I asked her what she thought of her first few days. I got a cold response along the lines of "I just got here, how can I have an opinion?" She tried to push me away but it was too late, I was already smitten. A couple months later she came with me to get myself a new pair of glasses. I was feeling bold and told her flat out "you're my girlfriend now".

Over the next couple of years we had a few ups and downs but stayed together for the most part. That is until she wrote me a letter. Her own past and insecurities were getting in the way of us being a "normal" couple. She needed to break it off to clear her mind.

I was devistated, but I had to move on. I was taking college prep classes and eventually had enough credits to only be coming to school a couple days a week. We saw each other less and less.

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13. Louder Than Words

Butter

Sugar

Flour

A pinch of cinnamon

"It looks delicious baby"

I turned around to see my husband behind me

"What are you making today?"

I smiled and pointed to the recipe on the counter

"Cinnamon bread? You spoil me"

I smiled again, and he placed a kiss on my bare shoulder

"How much longer do you have on these?"

I glanced at the clock, doing the math in my head

I held up 10 fingers

"Alright, I suppose I can wait"

I cocked my head at him, raising an eyebrow

"No, no, I'll wait till you're done. Finish your bread."

I shook my head at him fondly, pouring the batter into the tin

"Hey"

I looked back at him

"You're pretty"

I rolled my eyes, sprinkling the crumb topping over the batter

As soon as I placed the tin in the oven, I felt his arms wrapping around me

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14. The Goddess of Small Things

The clock had long ago struck twelve, and Captain Damien Rathbourne, Earl of Coulter, had developed a ferocious itch in his left leg. As that leg had been amputated over a year ago, he had no choice but to suffer in discomfort. The itch, of course, was the least of his pains. Tonight, the small things festered: women fastidiously avoided his eyes; conversations politely fixed on the weather rather than his health.

Half-foxed and wholeheartedly tired, he longed to leave. And yet at this late hour, guests still arrived. The latest announcement — Countess Something-or-Other — was a disaster. Her orange hair was twisted into a careless bun from which strands were already escaping. Her gown was outmoded, and her figure leaned towards chubby. As she walked down the stairs into the ballroom, she slipped on a step, and crashed into a gentleman. A ghastly silence swept the ball; a woman tittered.

"Unbelievable," Damien muttered to himself.

Lord Darby, who stood near him, cast him a shocked look. "Countess Fraser? She's a goddess."

Damien's gaze flicked back to the Countess. She had picked herself off the floor and appeared to be apologizing, her hands gesturing animatedly. She didn't seem to be a beauty. "If you think so, you shouldn't have much competition for her."

"Are you mad? Countess Fraser could have her pick of any man."

"She's an Incomparable?" Damien was dubious.

""Course not," Darby remonstrated. "I can compare her to loads of girls. She just comes out on top, is all."

"She's an Original, then."

Darby waved his hand in denial. "No. Originals are all alike — snooty girls who think that wit and insult are synonymous."

"Well-dowered?"

"Penniless, if rumor holds true."

"Blue-blooded?"

"Before she married the now-departed Count Fraser, her people were nobodies."

"Connected to the grand dames of London society?"

"So far as I can see, the women all hate her."

"She's a goddess?" Damien frowned dubiously.

"A goddess." Darby affirmed. "Not Aphrodite, of course. But a goddess of little things gone right. You can't understand unless you meet her."

Damien shifted his weight from one crutch to the other. After Vitoria, it was as if his human interactions had been amputated along with his leg. His cohort stopped speaking to him of sport and war, and gradually withdrew from him altogether. Damien was suddenly furious with the purported goddess. He had everything but his leg, and yet could find no one. This mysterious woman had nothing and yet charmed everyone. He suddenly wanted to prove that she was like every other girl at the ball. She would be wretched. Conniving. And above all, she would be unable to meet his eyes.

"Well," he said, striving to hide his anger. "Why don't you introduce me then?"

Damien felt every eye in the ballroom carefully choose to look in another direction as he crutched his way across the ballroom. He could move at a reasonable clip; Darby barely had to slow his pace. The little things, however, irritated. Young maidens magically waved to friends across the room as they registered his direction; they dashed away lest he should corner them. Men fixed their gaze on some far away point. Damien gritted his teeth and clumped along.

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15. Staying Home

Her hair swayed in the breeze, tickling the back of her neck

She was lounging in the hammock, under the tall beach tree

I could only see her back from where I was standing, but by the curvature of her neck I guessed she was reading

It had been 175 days since I'd last seen my wife

And now I was frozen, unable to move

She looked so peaceful, so beautiful

So soft and distinctly different from the active war zone I'd just left

And she didn't know I was home

-Layla-

I spent most of my evenings in the hammock, enjoying the late August sun

Today I was reading, but sometimes I'd knit, or draw, or just watch the birds

I was trying to take my mind off the fact that it was my second wedding anniversary today, and I had no wife to spend it with

But all of a sudden I head a sound behind me, and turned my head

"Jasmine!" I cried, all but falling out of the hammock

She gave me the biggest grin I'd ever seen as she ran to steady me

I threw my arms around her, burying my face in her neck

And I started to sob with relief

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16. Too Wise To Woo Peaceably

The voices and footsteps from the stage echoed back into the wings, and the familiar nervous exhilaration prickled across Lainie's skin, raising goosebumps on her bare forearms and rousing butterflies beneath the tight lacing of her gown. She had thoroughly enjoyed her television work this past year, but she'd missed the visceral, bone-deep thrill of theatre. There was nothing quite like performing live.

She inserted the tip of her little finger beneath a ribbon and pulled hard. The Jacobean corsetry, however, she could do without. Her 1920s costumes for Knightsbridge might be hellishly unflattering on anyone with hips, but they didn't squeeze her internal organs.

A burst of laughter from the audience eased a fraction of the tension from her neck and back. When the crowd was having a good time, and was generous in showing it, the energy was infectious.

It was still surreal that she was standing here, surrounded by so much history that the walls seemed to resonate with words and nerves and ghosts.

She wasn't kidding herself. She'd been offered this festival role so the public could pay to watch her publicly insult and snog her husband, not because the director had watched her jiggling through the Charleston on telly and been struck with the vision of his ideal Beatrice, but whatever. She hadn't been about to turn down the most famous theatre in London. And Much Ado About Nothing was one of her favourite plays, so it checked off two career goals in one contract.

Although it might have been better if the production team had picked one of Shakespeare's bloody, violent tragedies for the gala run. Pressing her palm against the wooden beam next to her, Lainie leaned her cheek against her hand and listened to the faint strains of the deep cadence of Richard's voice. The butterfly wings beat harder.

He really was a brilliant actor.

Inspiring to every other performer on the stage.

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17. My First Kiss

They said that first kisses are special…

And they are for that certain special person

Yes… it is… but I lost it to someone…

To someone… who is not to "special" to me

I lost it to that certain bad boy…

To a boy named Jake… but he prefered to be called as Jax

He was an egotistic, conceited playboy slash bad boy

And if you're asking on how I lost it?

His friend playfully pushed him to me…

And after a split second… our lips touched.

They said that when you have had experienced your first kiss

You'll feel the butterflies fluttering, the sparks flashing. But I felt nothing… as if it wasn't anything special….