**Chapter 1: The Unlikely Crush**

Finney Blake trudged through the crowded hallway of his high school, his eyes fixed on the floor to avoid eye contact with his classmates. He was a shy and timid 16-year-old boy who had grown accustomed to being invisible. But little did he know, he was not invisible to everyone. Ariah Byone, a 16-year-old creole girl with caramel skin and hazel eyes, watched Finney from afar. She had a huge crush on him, but he seemed oblivious to her presence. Ariah's long, curly honey brown hair with magenta highlights cascaded down her back as she walked through the hallway, her feline-esque features and curvy physique drawing admiring glances from some of her classmates. Ariah lived with her mom, Celeste, the town's medicine woman, who practiced hoodoo. Some of the townsfolk were scared of her, and this led to Ariah not having many friends. But Ariah didn't mind; she was an introverted and intellectual girl who preferred to keep to herself. She spent most of her free time reading, listening to music, and practicing her clairvoyance. As Ariah walked through the hallway, she noticed Finney being bullied by a group of kids. She felt a pang of sympathy for him and made a mental note to talk to him someday. But for now, she was content with watching him from afar. Ariah's daily life was a mix of school, hanging out with her mom and sister, and exploring her spirituality. She loved wearing Bohemian eclectic clothing, with wedge heels, halter tops, and lots of gold jewelry and belts. Her bangles and pretty gold hoop earrings made her feel confident and beautiful. At home, Finney's life was not much better. His father was an abusive alcoholic who frequently took out his anger on Finney and his sister, Gwen. Finney walked on eggshells at home and school, never advocating for himself or possessing any sort of confidence to stand up to his adversaries. As the school day came to a close, Finney and Ariah went their separate ways, unaware that their lives were about to become intertwined in ways they never could have imagined. Ariah headed home, where her mom was waiting with a warm smile and a gentle warning about the dangers of the world. Finney, on the other hand, walked home with a sense of dread, knowing that his father's anger was always simmering just below the surface. Despite their differences, Finney and Ariah were both outsiders in their own way. But little did they know, their lives were about to intersect in a way that would change them forever. Ariah couldn't help but feel drawn to Finney, and she hoped that someday, he would notice her too.