This story centers around a boy who is originally named Matthew, but then changes his name to Hayden to protect his anonymity. Hayden is from a rural town in Pennsylvania, and begins his story by running away from home. His stepfather is abusive and his mother a despondent drug addict, and after years of being subjected to all forms of abuse, he finally grows the courage to try and find better for himself. After his stepfather hurts Hayden more severely than ever, he decides that trying to find his own way is better than staying in a town that has ignored his pleas for help many times before, and takes a random bus to a random state to start over. His journey leads him to a hotel owned by a woman named Rachel Cromwell, who is in the process of converting the old, crumbling building into a resource center for queer youth and other abuse victims. Her wife, Emily, is a doctor who runs a low-cost care clinic that is meant to coincide with the resource center. The two have a child each from separate marriages; Garrett is Emily’s son, who is in school to become a doctor for the clinic as well, and Paige is Rachel’s daughter, who is in school to help with the business side of the center. Hayden, through this small family, becomes enamored by the first dose of affection he’s received in years, and fairly quickly, the five become a closely bonded unit. He is a ‘special case’ to the Cromwell’s in more ways than one, and not only does he learn a lot from them, but the impact he makes on each family member’s lives is far beyond what any of them could ever imagine. They all have something to learn from Hayden as much as he learns from them, and a major part of his journey is helping them succeed on their own in return. Hayden’s story is a road of self-acceptance, healing open wounds, and connecting with people who truly see who he is, and not who he has to pretend to be to survive. There is reclamation of one’s safety, sexuality, independence, and overall want to continue living life. Romance, friendship, and family that is not blood but becomes much more than that help Hayden discover what life is like when you are surrounded by truly caring individuals, and though tumultuous, his journey to freedom and happiness is obtainable for the first time in his life. *This is an LGBTQ+ novel*