Playing with fire,

Walking on hot coals,

All that time we spent together,

I never knew your shoulder could be so cold...

Petals soft and pink

Cause you not to think

As you reach down

To steal the flower crown

But its thorns make you jolt

Before it’s in your hold

Because beauty such as that

Must be protected and adapt

So for roses to survive

They found a way to thrive

By growing thorns

It was protected from scorn...

Carmeles had always been a little town full of diamonds. But like in every expedition for the precious gem, the rough is promised while the diamond is not.

Charles Swiftman had been a promising child. He had made good grades in school and was kind to those around him. He had never given anyone any reason to believe he would be a stain on the spotless tablecloth that was Carmeles. That all changed...

“It’ll be okay, Dominik ! I promise!”

Dominik frowned. Jolene was known for her clumsiness. She could be walking on a completely flat surface and still find something to trip on. That fact made him reluctant to leave her alone for too long. She had begun pushing for independence recently. Going into the kitchen to make her own peanut butter sandwich unsupervised was one of the many things she had...