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Chapter 6– The Familiar Stranger
Last Updated:
2025-04-30 09:15:40
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Blooming Backwards Chapter One- A night to remember
The twinkling white lights strung above our heads cast a soft, dreamy glow over the banquet hall. “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” by the Backstreet Boys hums through the speakers, and for a second, it feels like prom—except it’s not. It’s the Senior Choir Banquet, and I’m still dateless, still awkward, still trying to blend into the folding chair I’ve claimed as mine all night.I hate school dances.I’ve never been asked to one. Not Homecoming. Not Winter Formal. Not Sadie Hawkins. But this—this kinda counts, right?Still, here I am—18, 5’11”, 250 lbs of awkward tomboy, trying to disappear into a banquet chair while all the popular girls twirl around the floor in their strappy heels and glitter gloss.“Could this be any more boring?” Chastity whines beside me, fanning herself with a crumpled program. She’s not even in choir, but she came as my guest because, as she says, someone has to keep me from becoming an actual recluse.I roll my eyes. “You’ve been dancing all night, Chaz.”“Exac
Last Updated : 2025-04-19Blooming Backwards Chapter 2: The Lake House
We arrive at the lake house—or more like a mansion. The place practically glows against the night sky, perched at the edge of the water like something out of a movie. It’s the kind of place where the rooms seem to go on forever, where every surface gleams and the furniture looks too expensive to touch. Like most kids at our school, Johnny Castile comes from money. The kind that doesn’t blink at renting out lakefront property just to throw a party.My family does okay, but since the divorce, things have been complicated. My dad’s got a new wife, new kids, and just enough guilt to make sure I never go without—so long as I don’t ask for too much. There’s always a price. He helps me, but it’s always with conditions. And Anna, his wife? She acts like she’s doing me a favor by letting me stay under her roof. Her latest kick is putting me on some kind of diet. I stash snacks in my duffel bag like contraband just to get through the weekends there.Inside, the music hits like a punch to the ch
Last Updated : 2025-04-30Blooming Backwards Chapter 3-Liquid Courage & Lost Signals
“Maybe this was a mistake,” I mumble to myself, the rim of my plastic cup brushing my lips. The drink burns as it goes down—definitely not beer, but strong enough to punch through my nerves. I’m not much of a drinker, so I know I’m already halfway to tipsy, maybe more.Just as I finish the last bitter sip, Kevin appears out of nowhere with another.“Seriously?” I ask, arching a brow.“You’re welcome,” he winks, handing it over like it’s a life preserver. Maybe it is.I’m deep into my third drink when the buzz really kicks in. My head feels like it’s floating in a fishbowl—distorted, heavy, and slow. Everything is louder, brighter, hazier. Still no sign of Johnny. I step out onto the deck and glance toward the lake, half-expecting to catch him skinny-dipping with the other party animals.Not that I’m dying to see naked classmates thrashing around in murky water—but yeah, okay. Maybe I do want to see him.Maybe Kevin and Chaz were right. Maybe Johnny did invite me for a reason. Maybe al
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The lavender walls of Room 3 were freshly painted, but you could still smell the Sharpie graffiti under the surface.Minnie stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching two of her teens argue over a basketball game that had somehow become a screaming match about whose mom made better mac and cheese.“Enough,” she said, not raising her voice. Her tone had that quiet power—like the calm before a storm. The boys froze.“You’ve got two options. Shake hands and hit the gym… or clean bathrooms for a week.”They shook hands so fast she had to bite back a grin.The day was almost done, and the group home was finally settling down. Minnie tucked her purple hair into a loose bun and tugged down her hoodie. She was still curvy—and still fabulous. Tattoos danced along her forearms in soft black lines, a constellation of pain and power, growth and grit. Her silver nose ring shimmered under the flickering hallway lights.“Boss lady,” called out Dez, one of the newer staff, “you heading out?”“Meeti
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The little bell above La Vida Dulce jingled as Minnie stepped inside, wrapped in the familiar scent of cinnamon, espresso, and sugar-drenched fruit. Selena played low from an old boombox on the counter, and a girl in butterfly clips and acrylics waved from behind it.“¡Minnie! ¿Tu usual?”“You know it,” Minnie said, pulling her hoodie tighter around her and smiling despite her nerves.The barista handed over a steaming cup—abuelita chocolate latte with extra cinnamon—and passed her a small brown paper bag. “Biónico with mango, papaya, strawberries, and extra crema. I added granola. You look like you got big meeting energy.”“You get me,” Minnie grinned, dropping a five in the tip jar marked for Bad Bunny tickets.Outside, the sun was too bright, her nerves too jumpy. She sat for a second in her car, gripping the warm drink, her fingers tapping the cardboard sleeve. Big meeting. Big donor. Big opportunity. The kind of day that could shift everything.She pulled into the parking lot of
Last Updated : 2025-04-30
Latest chapter
Blooming Backwards Chapter 6– The Familiar Stranger
Ryan wrapped up the last of his presentation with practiced ease. “So, yeah. That’s where I’m at. Wrestling helped me figure out what I wanna be, instead of just what I’m mad at.”Silence followed—brief but thick.Johnny Castile leaned back in the visitor chair, arms folded, his sharp gaze steady on Ryan. Then, with a nod, he finally said, “You’re honest. That counts. Discipline matters. And not letting anger run you? That’s real power.”Ryan grinned, trying not to show how proud he was. “Thanks, man. Appreciate that.”Johnny stood, smoothing the sleeves of his tailored suit. The silver watch on his wrist caught the overhead lights, a quiet flash of wealth and time. “You’ve got a good coach.”Ryan nodded, jerking his thumb toward Minnie. “She’s tough. Doesn’t let me slack.”Johnny turned to her again, something unreadable flickering across his face. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “I can see that.”Minnie offered a calm smile. “We appreciate your time. There’s more on our expansion plan in th
Blooming Backwards Chapter 5 – Misfits Healing Misfits
The little bell above La Vida Dulce jingled as Minnie stepped inside, wrapped in the familiar scent of cinnamon, espresso, and sugar-drenched fruit. Selena played low from an old boombox on the counter, and a girl in butterfly clips and acrylics waved from behind it.“¡Minnie! ¿Tu usual?”“You know it,” Minnie said, pulling her hoodie tighter around her and smiling despite her nerves.The barista handed over a steaming cup—abuelita chocolate latte with extra cinnamon—and passed her a small brown paper bag. “Biónico with mango, papaya, strawberries, and extra crema. I added granola. You look like you got big meeting energy.”“You get me,” Minnie grinned, dropping a five in the tip jar marked for Bad Bunny tickets.Outside, the sun was too bright, her nerves too jumpy. She sat for a second in her car, gripping the warm drink, her fingers tapping the cardboard sleeve. Big meeting. Big donor. Big opportunity. The kind of day that could shift everything.She pulled into the parking lot of
Blooming Backwards Chapter 4- Fifteen Years Later
The lavender walls of Room 3 were freshly painted, but you could still smell the Sharpie graffiti under the surface.Minnie stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching two of her teens argue over a basketball game that had somehow become a screaming match about whose mom made better mac and cheese.“Enough,” she said, not raising her voice. Her tone had that quiet power—like the calm before a storm. The boys froze.“You’ve got two options. Shake hands and hit the gym… or clean bathrooms for a week.”They shook hands so fast she had to bite back a grin.The day was almost done, and the group home was finally settling down. Minnie tucked her purple hair into a loose bun and tugged down her hoodie. She was still curvy—and still fabulous. Tattoos danced along her forearms in soft black lines, a constellation of pain and power, growth and grit. Her silver nose ring shimmered under the flickering hallway lights.“Boss lady,” called out Dez, one of the newer staff, “you heading out?”“Meeti
Blooming Backwards Chapter 3-Liquid Courage & Lost Signals
“Maybe this was a mistake,” I mumble to myself, the rim of my plastic cup brushing my lips. The drink burns as it goes down—definitely not beer, but strong enough to punch through my nerves. I’m not much of a drinker, so I know I’m already halfway to tipsy, maybe more.Just as I finish the last bitter sip, Kevin appears out of nowhere with another.“Seriously?” I ask, arching a brow.“You’re welcome,” he winks, handing it over like it’s a life preserver. Maybe it is.I’m deep into my third drink when the buzz really kicks in. My head feels like it’s floating in a fishbowl—distorted, heavy, and slow. Everything is louder, brighter, hazier. Still no sign of Johnny. I step out onto the deck and glance toward the lake, half-expecting to catch him skinny-dipping with the other party animals.Not that I’m dying to see naked classmates thrashing around in murky water—but yeah, okay. Maybe I do want to see him.Maybe Kevin and Chaz were right. Maybe Johnny did invite me for a reason. Maybe al
Blooming Backwards Chapter 2: The Lake House
We arrive at the lake house—or more like a mansion. The place practically glows against the night sky, perched at the edge of the water like something out of a movie. It’s the kind of place where the rooms seem to go on forever, where every surface gleams and the furniture looks too expensive to touch. Like most kids at our school, Johnny Castile comes from money. The kind that doesn’t blink at renting out lakefront property just to throw a party.My family does okay, but since the divorce, things have been complicated. My dad’s got a new wife, new kids, and just enough guilt to make sure I never go without—so long as I don’t ask for too much. There’s always a price. He helps me, but it’s always with conditions. And Anna, his wife? She acts like she’s doing me a favor by letting me stay under her roof. Her latest kick is putting me on some kind of diet. I stash snacks in my duffel bag like contraband just to get through the weekends there.Inside, the music hits like a punch to the ch
Blooming Backwards Chapter One- A night to remember
The twinkling white lights strung above our heads cast a soft, dreamy glow over the banquet hall. “I’ll Never Break Your Heart” by the Backstreet Boys hums through the speakers, and for a second, it feels like prom—except it’s not. It’s the Senior Choir Banquet, and I’m still dateless, still awkward, still trying to blend into the folding chair I’ve claimed as mine all night.I hate school dances.I’ve never been asked to one. Not Homecoming. Not Winter Formal. Not Sadie Hawkins. But this—this kinda counts, right?Still, here I am—18, 5’11”, 250 lbs of awkward tomboy, trying to disappear into a banquet chair while all the popular girls twirl around the floor in their strappy heels and glitter gloss.“Could this be any more boring?” Chastity whines beside me, fanning herself with a crumpled program. She’s not even in choir, but she came as my guest because, as she says, someone has to keep me from becoming an actual recluse.I roll my eyes. “You’ve been dancing all night, Chaz.”“Exac
