16-year-old, Nico Bennett is prone to anxiety attacks on a daily basis, despite seeing a therapist and trying medications, they aren’t lessening in frequency or intensity. His parents are getting sick of him running out of class when the spotlight of a simple question is thrown at him. Nico’s friend Ryan Falcon, nineteen (popular, and a college football star), practically from another world, has some secrets. He’s in love with Nico and has been since they met when Nico was fourteen and he, sixteen. Nico has had a crush on Ryan ever since they met when he had a panic attack in class one day. They don’t know about each other’s feelings despite Ryan being a source of comfort for Nico when he panics. Nico’s parents don’t like Ryan, they think he’s a bad influence simply because he’s older. What will happen when Ryan confesses and steps out of the closet? Nico has big dreams of being a writer/singer, well Ryan wants to be an actor. What will happen when Nico decides to leave the house he grew up in because he can’t stand his parents’ and sisters’ judgments? What will happen when Ryan sends a demo of Nico’s music to a studio? What will happen when Ryan reveals other secrets he’s hiding​ from Nico?

The Sea and Its Mysteries

All parents have children and have expectations. It’s honestly stupid. You can’t expect anything with another person. They have their own minds, wants, needs. These expectations turn into requirements sometimes, you need these things to be my child or stay my child. You need to be useful, healthy, straight, normal, the list could go on and I would fail at most points in their eyes. I could ask for help like you’re supposed to and they’d laugh, tell me to grow up and get over it. Maybe the reason I can’t is because as a child I was never given the help I needed to progress or feel comfortable. I know I can’t change some things about myself and I told them about these things, trusting they’d accept or help and that, of course, to anyone would be terrifying and was more so to me because of the treatment I’d received from them before. 


17. Requirements