Booktok Scholarship Novels & Stories

Ariel Marie Morrison is 18 years old. When she was just 10, she lost her parents in a tragic plane crash. They were on a business trip to New York when their flight, the first to hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, claimed the lives of her parents and 158 other passengers. Afterward, Ariel was taken in by her Uncle Steve, her father’s twin brother, and Aunt Diane, her mother’s best friend. Ariel had always dreamed of attending Harvard University, just like her parents, who often spoke fondly of their time there. Determined to follow in their footsteps, she earned a full scholarship to study English Literature. On her first day on campus, dressed in her best outfit and wearing her mother’s pearls, she crossed paths with the infamous Knight Brothers and their crew—an encounter she would soon wish had never happened. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said gently. “Watch where you’re going, nerd!” came a deep, mocking voice. “Yeah, sweetheart, watch it,” another chimed in. “Umm… excuse me?” she replied, disbelief in her tone. Laughter erupted around her as she felt dizzy and her throat tightened—panic setting in. Needing to escape, she quickly walked away, though she could feel three pairs of eyes on her. Austin, 18, Dustin, 19, and Justin, 20—the Knight Brothers—were the quintessential All-American golden boys: football stars, wealthy, arrogant, and adored by many. Every girl wanted them, and every guy wanted to be them. But when they set their sights on the sweet, shy, and innocent Ariel, they began treating her like property, possessive and controlling, even though she had never wronged them. The teasing, bullying, and name-calling began. Would Ariel stay quiet and play the part of the “good little nerd,” or would she find the courage to stand up to the Knights?

'Since when did so much hate become affection, no, NEED' Callum Reyes has spent his entire life earning his place. A scholarship wide receiver at Crestfield University — one of the most elite football programs in the country — he knows exactly what he is to the people here: a charity case with fast legs and a GPA they didn't expect. He keeps his head down, his grades up, and his heart locked behind something no one has ever bothered to pick. Then there's Jaxon Whitfield. Quarterback. Team captain. Golden boy of Crestfield's football dynasty. Jaxon is everything Callum isn't — legacy money, a famous last name, and a jaw that could cut glass. He's also, by every measurable standard, the most infuriating human being Callum has ever been forced to share oxygen with. From the first day Callum stepped onto that field, Jaxon decided he was a problem. Too fast. Too good. Too'there.' He rides Callum harder than any other player, gets under his skin in ways that shouldn't be possible, and looks at him with those dark green eyes like Callum is something he can't figure out — and hates himself for trying. But when a career-threatening injury, a locker room secret, a rivalry that's starting to feel like something else entirely, and one night neither of them planned for collide — Callum and Jaxon have to reckon with something they were never supposed to feel. 'Offside' is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers MM sports romance about two young men learning that the person who makes your blood boil might just be the person setting you on fire. It's about class and legacy, found family and loneliness, the weight of expectation, and what happens when the one person you want to hate is the only one who actually'sees' you.

Westbridge Academy is not a schoo‌l for humans, It is where alphas a‌re t‍r⁠aine⁠d, blo‍od‍line‌s ar‌e sharp⁠ened, and monsters learn to rule. Isla V⁠ale knows this⁠ better than anyo⁠ne but she disgu‌ised as “Eli,” a quiet scholarship boy e‌nrolled in an elite advance‍d‍ science program, Isla hides among werewolves, shifters, and oth⁠er supernatu‌ral elite‌s, m⁠asking her scen⁠t, her body, a⁠n‍d her fear every single day. Living in the dorm make things worse and one mi⁠stake could mean exposure. One‍ slip could mean death but West‍bridge is ruled by ins⁠tin‌cts no one ca‌n‌ fully control. Kiera‌n Blackthorne the academy’s golde‍n alph‍a heir i‍s everything Isla‍ should⁠ avoid dominant, teasing, danger‌ousl⁠y perceptive⁠. From‌ the⁠ momen‍t they meet, his atte‌nti‌on lingers too long, his ins⁠t‌i‌ncts pulling him toward someone he shouldn’t want. Then there is Fin‌n Ashcroft, a calm a‍nd observant b‍eta with a reputati⁠on on the⁠ b‌ask⁠etball co⁠urt, notices what ot‌hers miss. He becomes Isla’s anchor, h‍er protect‍or and possibly the first to s‍uspect that “Eli” is hiding m‍ore t⁠han j‍ust secrets‌. As ri⁠valries‍ ign⁠it⁠e, rumors spread, and wol⁠f instincts sharpen, Isla is pulled in‍to a vola‍tile triangle of attra‌ction, j‍ealo‌usy, and dange‌r. Every⁠ close call brings her nea⁠re⁠r to discovery and every heart⁠beat risks awakening i‌nstinct‍s that cou‌ld expose her human⁠ity.‌ Whe⁠n the truth finally comes out t‍o the worst⁠ p‌o‌ssible people Westbridge erupts. Because humans were n‍ever meant to l⁠ive among w‍olves an‌d wolves do not for⁠give deception eas‍ily.

My mom is an HR professional. She uses KPI to determine my entire life. "If you get into the top ten of your grade, you'll receive a B grade as well as a bonus of 500 dollars. If you can achieve a ranking at a state-level competition, you'll receive an A grade as well as a bonus of 1,000 dollars. Of course, if you can get into a top-tier university after scoring well in your SATs, I'll give you an S+ grade as well as a year-end bonus of ten thousand dollars!" I work my ass off in my studies and manage to earn the offer letter to a top-tier university. But that's when my mom puts a contract in front of me. "Congratulations on getting hired. From today onward, your allowances will be determined by the total of your base salary, KPI, as well as your full attendance award. "Your base salary is 500 dollars. It's to make sure that you won't starve to death, at the very least. In order to help you adapt to workplace stress in advance, I'll check on your progress randomly. If you don't meet my requirements, I'll deduct your salary." When I'm down with a fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit, my mom deducts my full attendance award, claiming that my physical attributes aren't up to par. In order to catch up on my studies, I've completely forgotten to submit my weekly report to my mom. Because of that, she suspends my allowances. So, I have to sell my blood to a hospital behind her back just so I can survive. At the end of the school term, I show my mom my grades as well as the certificate to my scholarship, thinking that I'll be eligible for the highest KPI and the bonus. But that's when my mom tells me coldly, "The company has decided to give your S+ bonus to your younger brother as a form of investment. After all, he has more potential to achieve better results compared to you." As I gaze down at the 200-dollar consolation prize, I can't help but laugh. It turns out that I'm not even worthy of being recognized as a good employee in my mom's company.