Crea Reitan

Egon Wolf is on a hockey scholarship but failing at everything else. Knowing he's going to lose his ride if he doesn't get his academic act together, he seeks out a tutor....

It's a new start—brand new school in a completely different state. For the first time, I now have the freedom to be unapologetically me. But as my luck would have it, I have shit taste in men. The first man to pay me a compliment has so many red flags, that I think I'm in a storm.

I've made my life a complete facade. It works for me. I'm successful and have a career I wouldn't trade for anything. One night threatens all of my carefully constructed walls.

Even a gay athlete has an appearance to uphold. There are a handful out in every sport and while every trashy magazine wants to get the scoop on what the gays are up to, looking for a scandal and a way to ruin us, every one of us is constantly on our best behavior.

My mom died when I was ten, taking my happy family life with her. Since my dad's only useful enough to drain a bottle, I've learned to live with nothing except the love and generosity of my best friends.

Love can sneak up on you at the most inconvenient time. I've sacrificed everything to build Rainbow Dorset University into the beacon of safety and excellence that it's become.

I clean up the streets of Anaheim from the hate one man left behind. On the surface, I work with the local authorities, but in secret, I kill those who hurt others. During a planned interception, we arrive on the scene too late, and a man's scream fills the streets.

I've been secretly married for eight years. Why is it a secret? Because having an open marriage splashed all over headlines isn't a good look. We'd constantly be under the spotlight, our lives and relationships judged.

Life has taught me not to get attached to anyone because they'll only let you down, but I can't stop myself from falling in love with my roommate and frat brother the moment we meet. Nothing can possibly go wrong when I agree to be his fake boyfriend for the holidays, right?

This wasn't supposed to happen to me. I'm supposed to be at the top of my career. Untouchable. Worshiped. Finally proving to all the jerks in my life that I made it. I'm at the top. Then a video that shouldn't exist leaks and everything comes crashing down.

One weekend can change everything.

After a series of relationships where I've been made to feel inadequate because of my asexuality, I've made the sole focus of my life my coaching career. I love hockey—the chill of the ice, the fast-paced, high-stress game. I love the fans and the atmosphere. The energy.

When my on/off girlfriend of fifteen years and I finally called it quits for good, I decided that I'm ready for a new beginning. I didn't expect that new beginning to be a dude.

I've wanted one thing for as long as I can remember—someone to love, a family, and a happily ever after. I finally found it with the least likely person across the street. Our life together has been dipped in espresso and given a massive jolt forward, but we couldn't be happier.

Mama said monsters will kill you. My Mama taught me everything she knew right up until the day that monsters killed her and my family, while leaving me and my young cousins alive. The beasts will kill you on sight. Monsters will do far worse.

One mistake can ruin your life. I learned that at fifteen when my hormones got the best of me and I was landed with an unwanted pregnancy. My parents decided to punish me and forced me out of the sport I love to raise my child and provide for my newly forced-upon-us-both marriage.

I'll paint this moment immortal. Months of texting silly innuendos led to the hottest moment of my young life. Instead of dealing with the moment like an adult, I ghost him for nine days. Just when I think I'm ready to face him, he's on his way out to hook up. I lose my shit.

My marriage of circumstance is proving to be the recipe for happily ever after.

I've spent a short lifetime learning that what people say they want is rarely what they actually want. What I hope for is a relationship where both of us feel comfortable together. I think I've finally found what I'm looking for in a mail-order bride. Then he shows up.

I've crushed on the wrong person for years, all because he showed me kindness in a time when I greatly needed it. But my coach isn't interested in me, and that's a hard pill to swallow.