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Rosie, an introvert whose presence feels like serenity to Anthony. Two people with completely different natures, from two different worlds find themselves consumed by one other. Rosie finally feels seen, Anthony finally realizes what magic feels like. While they keep being pulled towards each other like magnets, they are kept apart by their own doubts and hesitations. Author: petuniash Publisher: EasyReading
Introduction
"She's a little different than people, maybe even a little slow but she is a good person and has done nothing wrong here, officer."
Rosie fiddled with her fingers, not tearing her gaze away from her hands. She didn't have the courage to look up and meet anyone's eyes.
"Maybe you shouldn't call her slow," Anthony murmured softly, speaking to his best friend in a quiet voice although he knew Rosie could still hear them talking about her. Rosie was used to hearing people talk about her, making assumptions and judgments, having opinions formed on her before even being spoken to directly.
Tamara sighed. She bit the inside of her cheek as she looked at her cousin, Rosie. "I'm sorry. It's just that I know she's a little... odd. I can assure you she means no harm nor has she done anything wrong." Tamara tried to convince the officer to drop any charges against her cousin, who had been caught 'breaking into' a library. But that wasn't the full story.
The officer narrowed his eyes, eyeing down Rosie. "She mute or something?"
Rosie kept her gaze down, trying to bite back the choking urge to start crying.
"No," Tamara gritted, her gaze on the officer turning into a glare. "I told you, she's different than most people."
"Right," the officer grumbled, not seeming convinced. "What was she doing breaking into public property?"
"She wasn't," Tamara told him calmly, knowing Rosie wouldn't be able to explain herself. "She works here."
The officer scoffed. He was having a hard time buying the story Tamara was selling him, although everything Tamara was saying was the truth.
"I'm sorry for all this trouble, officer Parks." Now, Anthony was the one to cut in. He knew that if the officer said one wrong thing about Rosie, Tamara's fuse would blow. Anthony thought it'd be best to handle this situation himself. "Rosie does work here, we can show you her work ID if you want but the fact that she has a key to the library should explain that itself."
"Why was she here after hours?" The officer kept shifting his gaze back to look at Rosie oddly.
"Cleaning up after hours before closing up and heading home," Anthony explained, glancing at Rosie from the corner of his eye. He could tell she wanted to be anywhere but here. He felt sympathy for how embarrassed she must be feeling right now.
Officer Parks paused for a long moment as he continued to peer at Rosie. He finally exhaled deeply and turned to look at Anthony and Tamara again. "My niece has some... social anxiety problems. Speech therapy can be a lot of help."
Tamara opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Anthony placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.
"Appreciate the advice, officer." Anthony offered a forced smile.
The officer only nodded curtly before turning and walking away.
"What a fucking prick," Tamara snapped, glaring at the back of the officer's head as he walked away from the three of them. "Speech therapy?"
Rosie finally looked up, not looking at her cousin or Anthony. She tilted her head, exhaling slowly as she watched the officer get into his police car. She still felt like she was going to start crying any second now.
"You okay?" Anthony's eyebrows pulled together as he looked at Rosie, wondering how she was feeling right now.
Rosie only nodded her head in response, not looking at him. She then started walking away.
Tamara shook her head, exhausted as she quickly caught up to her cousin. "You don't have to walk home, Rose. Anthony will drive us tonight."
Rosie stopped in her tracks, looking straight ahead into the dark night sky as she debated. She then shrugged her shoulders and turned to follow her cousin to Anthony's car. The car ride was mostly quiet. The radio played music, the volume low. Tamara and Anthony sat in the front, quietly speaking in tones so hushed that Rosie couldn't hear what they were saying although she wasn't paying attention anyways. She stared out the window and watched the trees blur together as they drove down the vacant streets.
Anthony looked at Rosie through the rear-view mirror, sighing softly when he saw the tired and sad look on her face. "Is she going to be okay after all that?"
Tamara shrugged, her face blank. Tonight wasn't the first time she had to explain Rosie to someone else. "I don't know. Whether or not she is okay, I can't tell either way."
Anthony nodded, sulking his shoulders. He had been best friends with Tamara for as long as he could remember. He knew Rosie was unusual and Tamara was the only person she really had. He didn't know Rosie well, nobody did, but Anthony felt sorry for her. He had known her long enough to have gathered a well-enough understanding of how Rosie was - quiet, shy, incredibly introverted.
Very shortly, Anthony had pulled up to Rosie and Tamara's apartment complex. Rosie grabbed her bag and headed out of the car before Anthony could even put the car in park. She murmured a quiet 'thank you' and was out of the car before Anthony or Tamara could say anything.
"Thanks for tonight," Tamara sighed, turning to look at her best friend. "I know it's complicated but if you hadn't cut in, I'd probably be the one getting arrested."
Anthony grinned, nudging Tamara softly. "She's lucky to have you, Tam."
Tamara smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She never would admit it, and she hated that she even thought it, but sometimes it was difficult and exhausting having to look out for Rosie. She wanted to protect her cousin but sometimes she didn't know how to.
Rosie never asked for any sort of help. In fact, she wanted the opposite. Rosie would much rather be left alone but Tamara was always too concerned for her.
Tamara muttered a quick goodbye before heading out of the car and catching up to Rosie, the two of them silently riding the elevator up to their floor.
Later that night, before Tamara was headed to bed, she stuck her head into Rosie's room. Rosie was sitting at her desk with her sketchbook out, her hands working a mile a minute as she sketched and shaded and drew.
Tamara smiled faintly. "Goodnight, Rosie."
Rosie didn't look up from her sketchbook, or stop her sketching for even a second.
"Night."
Fia Romero meets her boyfriends dorm mate, player Wes Hamilton. While Fia has been in a happy and committed three year long relationship, Wes doesn't believe in the idea of committing to someone while you should be exploring your options and having fun. Their friendship grows over what started as a silly idea for Fia to play Wes's match-maker and find him the perfect girl that he thinks is worth the commitment. What started as match-making turned into a fake dating relationship, leading to confused feelings and room-fulls of tension and passion. A little game of playing Cupid turns into something more and maybe the person who has always been the one for you was standing right under your nose the whole time. Author: petuniash Publisher: EasyReading
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Annie Halden was the exact definition of a wallflower. She lived on the sidelines, didn't like attention and worried too much. She wrote letters to herself as her way to get her thoughts out. She never told anyone or let anyone see. Leo Smith, one of the school star athletes and most popular boys, found one of her letters. He started breaking into her locker to read the letters every time there was a new one. He grew concerned about her and wanted to protect her, he wanted to know why she was so broken and who hurt her, he wanted her to know he was there for her - be her shoulder to lean on. How would this friendship work out with Annie being as shy and quiet as she is, never getting close to anyone? How would this friendship last if Annie came to find out the truth about Leo stealing and reading her personal letters? Author: petuniash Publisher: EasyReading
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Like a petal thats fallen from a dying flower, I fell for you knowing it wouldn't work out anyways. Jasmine somehow gets stuck having to become Zac Miller, the school bad-boy/golden-boy's Chemistry tutor. It didn't take long for things to get messy when Jasmine's boyfriend needs to send Zac a message to stay away from his girlfriend. A blooming attraction between bad guy Zac and the innocently sweet Jasmine, secrets from the past and a very jealous boyfriend - nothing about being Zac Miller's tutor was going to be easy for Jasmine. Author: petuniash Publisher: EasyReading
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Desperate to handle her grandmother's towering medical bills, Gianna agreed to a contract marriage with Tristan, the enigmatic man she'd once shared a one-night stand with. She assumed they'd fulfill each other's needs and dissolve the arrangement once the terms expired. Unbeknownst to Gianna, this marriage was a dream Tristan had clung to for ten relentless years. Certain she was just filling someone else's role, Gianna prepared to leave when that other woman returned. But Tristan, his eyes burning with unspoken emotion, seized her trembling hand and declared, "You’re mine. Now and always."
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
After three loveless years, Neil's betrayal deeply wounded Katelyn. She wasted no time in getting rid of that scoundrel! After the divorce, she devoted herself to career pursuits. Rising to prominence as a top designer, skilled doctor, and brilliant hacker, she became a revered icon. Neil, realizing his grave mistake, tried in vain to win her back, only to witness her magnificent wedding to another. As their vows were broadcast on the world's largest billboard, Vincent slid a ring onto Katelyn's finger and declared, "Katelyn is now my wife, a priceless treasure. Let all who covet her beware!"