Tiger Lily When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of my wedding. I dreamed of my husband, my children, my future.When I developed a crush on the gorgeous boy who was my neighbor, he became the man in those dreams.When he took my virginity, those dreams were at the forefront of my mind, turning just another hook up - for him - into something more in my heart.Unrequited love feels like hell when you realize it's unrequited.It feels worse when you see those two pink lines on the stick telling you that your one fantasy night turned into so much more.It's unbearable when your love is forced to marry you, but never honors the vows he took.My heartbreak lasted for years.Eventually, things changed but our path to get there was never easy. Merc She was the girl I always overlooked until one stupid night, and the worst decision of my life, cost me my freedom.She was the girl who trapped me with a kid I never wanted.Slowly, as time moved on and another kid was brought about by another dumb decision on my part, I began to realize what I had been overlooking all along.She was fiercely loyal in the face of my betrayals.She loved harder than any person I knew.She was always there for me, even when I never gave her the same courtesy in return.Then, she decided enough was enough and I learned to fight for what's important instead of taking what was easy. TRIGGER WARNING: Cheating, miscarriage, loss of loved ones. THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL ROMANCE!