Secrets Are My Sanity

By Isabelle Arocho

After being bullied all through high school, Nick Sheldon is looking forward to college life. It’s going well until an unforeseeable complication is tossed his way in the form of Shane Gregory.

Nick has been trying to hold a secret in all his life but the longer he’s around Shane, the sooner the façade starts to crumble.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Isabelle Arocho
• Release date: Jul 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301614745

Isabelle Arocho

Hello everyone, as a self-published author I like to talk to you in my own words so here we go, here's my story:I used to avoid everything pertaining to reading and writing in school because it was never my strong suit. But then something happened when I was fourteen years old, and I found I had a deep passion for telling stories. As far back as I can remember, I would always create stories in my head and call them my made up movies. These are the movies I make into books today.I shied away from telling anyone about my passion for telling stories and kept it to myself for a long time. I learned from reading book after book how to write a proper novel and found the confidence to share my work, first on online communities and now with the world.In 2012 I have decided to take the leap into self-publishing. I write and edit all my work myself, no excuses, but if you see any mistakes I apologize.A little bit more about me...My name is Isabelle Arocho, I’m of Hispanic descent. I grew up in Perth Amboy NJ and now live somewhere in the sticks of FL. I am a woman, sister, daughter. I have a passion for rock music, tons of TV shows, and of course reading when I’m not trying to create my own masterpiece.I write all types of genres including mystery, fantasy, suspense, romance, paranormal, and cop procedurals. I'm always striving to get better and I hope you enjoy my work enough to stick with me on this journey. I have hundreds of characters in my head always in a scene crawling to get free onto paper. I'm grateful for writing because without it I'd just be a crazy nut who talks to herself.I have a few books out now in both Ebook and paperback format. I’m working on several different of ideas to be released soon in all those genres I mentioned above. Visit my personal website, isabellearocho.com, for more information.PS: Don't forget to review and let me know what you thought about the book you read. I love hearing from you and it helps to know what you think.

Book preview

SECRETS ARE MY SANITY

By

Isabelle Arocho

isabellearocho.com

Copyright 2013 Isabelle Arocho

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free eBook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form with proper credit to the author.

Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s mind and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organization, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

OTHER NOVELS BY ISABELLE AROCHO

Set in Celestin City:

Sinfully Departed (Zoe Langston #1)

Blood Sins (Zoe Langston #2)

Sin of Hope (Zoe Langston #3)

Deceptions (Evie Cortez #1)

Anticipations (Evie Cortez #2)

Death Says Hello (Holly Garrett #1)

Let Me Breathe Again (Ethan Reid Book #1)

Other:

Sanity Siphoned

Games We Play

Chapter 1

Nick was happy to say he was enjoying his college days so far. Ok, it’s only been a week but so far it was nothing like the private hell he suffered through during high school. Sure people still looked at him weird, it was the hair, tattoos and piercings, they grabbed attention surely, but they didn’t pick on him for it. No, that privilege went to his parents. They were actually his aunt and uncle but legally they were his parents after his biological mother died of an overdose on drugs, leaving him at their mercy most of his life.

Today, Nick was walking down a long hall to his next class, one he didn’t share with his best friend Julienne. The girl was a godsend, the only person he could truly go to when he was in trouble. There was only one thing he hid from her, one thing he couldn’t even admit in the confines of his brain.

His next class was Architecture 101 and shockingly enough, there was a familiar face in the small group of people; Shane Gregory. They knew each other because Shane’s younger brother, Michael, and Julienne have been dating over the last year and a half. Nick had seen him the older Gregory at different gatherings but they never actually talked to each other.

Nick tried to avoid Shane. Not because the he ever did anything to him, no, it was the stupid butterflies in his stomach. Shane Gregory was fucking beautiful.

Nick remembered the first time they officially meet. When Julienne introduced them, he knew there was no denying he felt something toward Shane and it scared him. It was forbidden and something he was desperately trying to forget for months now.

He turned his green eyes away before Shane realized he was being watched. He took his seat near the front and tried to calm his heart rate. The class wouldn’t start for a few minutes, students were still coming in.

Hey.

Nick tensed and hoped this wasn’t happening. He turned to the left and sure enough, this was happening.

I don’t know you were interested in being an architect. Shane said, a dazzling smile across his face.

Nick’s heart raced like a jackhammer on crack, he felt like passing out. He didn’t want Shane talking to him, he wanted the beautiful boy to be a shadow in the background, someone he could forget existed. We’ve never talked or anything. Nick forced his mouth to move and to keep his head up. As he looked at Shane, he noticed that his blue eyes were lighter than Michael’s.

True but we can talk now. I don’t know anyone else and we sort of know each other. Shane shrugged awkwardly.

Nick didn’t know what to do, his hands grew sweaty next, how did he make Shane go away?

Thankfully the teacher stepped inside and asked everyone to quiet down. Shane turned forward and focused on the class.

The teacher; Mr. Tyler, explained he was going to show the class a slideshow to discuss several different building structures. As the lights were turned off and the projector started, Nick found himself glancing at Shane.

Shane was enthralled in the different pictures and must love it to be taking these classes. Nick had never seen anyone share the passion for it that he held. Since he was about twelve he’d stay up drawing different designs that popped into his head. Maybe he and Shane could be friends….no, Nick shook his head and refused to entertain that idea.

The slideshow ended, the lights went back on and reality was forced to set back in as Nick kept his eyes forward.

Ok class, Mr. Tyler began with a deep gruff voice of a smoker. I hope you are all comfortable in yours seats because they are yours for the rest of the semester. In this class there’ll be a lot of projects and I’m putting you into groups. It’d take far too long if you attempted these projects alone. I’m looking at four rows of desks, starting from the right look toward your left and say hello to your partner.

With each word Nick’s heart filled with dread, he was in the first row to the right, to his left was Shane and to his right there was nothing but a wall.

I guess we’ll have an opportunity to talk now. Shane commented, being as smart as he was, realizing they were now partners.

Nick kept his eyes forward, he was terrified. How the hell was he supposed to be around Shane all this time? Great. He mumbled. Normally he talked a lot and no one could get him to shut up but here, scared, he was speechless.

Shane was smart, too smart for his own good. Is it my hair or something, you look like you’d rather have someone else. His smile was nervous as he attempted to mask his curiosity with humor.

Nick was being unfair and he knew it, he turned and looked at Shane in the eye. I’m just used to working alone. I never had a partner before. He tried to explain, cringing inwardly as those words could apply to so many aspects of his life. He was always alone even when he wasn’t. He moved his eyes to Shane’s hair, he let the dark brown locks grow since the first time they met. It looked soft and fell into perfect place as it swept across his forehead, why the hell would he think someone wouldn’t like that?

Ok then, I’ll try not to take your frown personally.

Mr. Tyler started to speak again and explained their first project, one that would be due the same date next month. They’d have to work together to come up with one design idea and make a model out of it, it’d have to contain one building and surrounding features, every little detail had to be completed from windows to grass on the ground. There was no way one person could do that in even three months and the partnerships started to make sense.

The project would take dedication and they’d have to start right away. My place or yours? Shane asked.

Yours definitely, I like your parents more than I like mine. Nick confessed. He felt like him old self for a second as those words flew out of his mouth with no thought. He warned himself to be careful about talking without thinking around Shane. There was no telling what trouble that’d cause.

Yeah my mom’s mentioned that, how when she’s at the Tellers you make everyone laugh and she’s amused with your obsession with your hair.

Nick wanted to laugh. I’m not obsessed, just protective. My parents made me shave it all off last summer and I’m still upset about it. he explained as they walked together out of the class room.

With your eyes the green suits you. Shane complimented as he motioned to the green faux mohawk on Nick’s head.

Thanks. His voice dropped and he found all his words running away again.

"Well, I’ll