Hungry Heart

By Loreley Thunder

Christian led a normal, happy life as a teenager -- he was a good student, good at sports, polite, and considerably popular. He would never dream that one day his life would be turned upside down when he’s in a car accident that kills his parents. The traumatic event not only took his family away, but also his voice and the person he had once been.

In shock, Christian doesn’t know how to deal with his new life and all the newfound anger and resentment he holds inside, and no one seems caring and empathetic enough to want to reach out a hand and help him heal. Except for one person.

Gabriel would end up being a light at the end of the tunnel, but as the two get closer, he disappears, leaving Christian alone once more.

Years later, now adults, the two reunite, but Christian thinks Gabriel doesn’t recognize him. However, even if the desire for a mutual reconnection exists and Gabriel seems to not care about his disability, Christian struggles with doubt and low self-esteem. Does Gabriel remember him? Can Christian overcome his uncertainty so they can find companionship?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Feb 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9781685503789

Book preview

Chapter 1: Christian

Christian’s light-brown eyes scanned the shelves in front of him, trying to find the book he needed for his research, as an elegant finger brushed over the various books perfectly aligned. He enjoyed the feel of the different textures on his fingertips, his heart fluttering contently every time he felt the letters on the spine.

…it’s a shame; he’s hot…

…he never smiles…

Despite having been a firsthand witness to fate’s mocking, Christian would always think bitterly about how life could change so significantly from one moment to the other. Proof of that was the incessant and frankly annoying whispering he could hear coming from a nearby table, where a group of girls his age was sitting. Looking at them was unnecessary—he knew there were eyes on him.

He couldn’t wait to finish the hell that was high school, but he would lie if he said he wouldn’t miss the quiet of its small, neatly organized library—the place where he’d been the happiest, especially in more recent months. Thankfully, he was only a few weeks away from graduating.

By now he had effectively learned how to block out the murmuring most of the time, but it was impossible to ignore it when the girls gossiping was louder than they realized.

…creepy, right?

…doesn’t talk at all…

…always by himself…

…they say he’s gay…

…and I wouldn’t mess with him if I were you…

Christian couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. After all, it had been his fault, to begin with.

Brushing away the sour thought, he took a deep breath, relieved when he spotted the book he was looking for. Reaching out, he grabbed it and tucked it under his arm before emerging from the corridor of shelves, effectively silencing the group of four girls sitting at the wooden table at the end. They stared at him with mouths agape as if he was some kind of rare animal, but he threw them the most despicable glare he could and walked by them, immensely pleased at seeing them lowering their gazes in shame.

* * * *

Little over a year previously, Christian had been the most popular boy at school ‌thanks to his looks and affinity for sports. Whenever he thought about it, he didn’t consider himself particularly athletic, nor did he think there was anything attractive about his dark-brown hair and hazel eyes, but girls seemed to like him. Being popular wasn’t something he appreciated since he preferred to keep to himself, but it certainly helped boost his confidence. His grades weren’t exceptional, but he was fine being an above-average student, since his parents weren’t strict‌.

Teachers loved him for his polite, helpful nature, girls wanted him and boys wanted to be him. He once had friends—few, because he was selective of the people he trusted—a loving family, and an unblemished soul. Smiling, laughing, and joking around kids his age had never been an issue for him because he had been a perfectly normal teenager.

However, his life had taken an unexpectedly violent turn, and try as he might, he hadn’t been able to keep up with the number of events crashing down upon him.

Hitting people for sticking their noses where they didn’t belong was just one of the many repercussions of that fateful day his parents died in a car accident. Becoming unable to speak had just been a fact that remained, as well as the constant nightmares that assaulted him every night. Christian had been in the car that day‌ and he had seen things no one should see.

The doctors had said the loss of his voice had been caused by trauma and that he would go back to normal, eventually, since there was nothing wrong with his vocal cords. Still, the more time passed