Protected: I Slept on the Beach

Mina never thought too hard about her parents’ requests. When her dad said, “Be home for dinner tonight—an old friend is visiting,” she didn’t question it. That was just how things worked in her house. Before he hung up, he added, more pointed this time, “And come home early enough to shower. I don’t like…

Prevalence and Overview Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects an estimated 9.8% of American children aged 13–17 (CDC, 2022f). Globally, about 5% of children and adolescents under 19 are diagnosed with ADHD (Wüstner et al., 2019). While occasional inattention or impulsive behavior is normal for children, ADHD involves more severe and persistent symptoms that disrupt school performance,…

A Fictional Story Based on one Poor Soul’s Real Life Experience Broth and Ambition Brian Hargrove never considered himself a chef—not in the traditional sense. He was a tinkerer, a self-described “culinary disruptor,” who had spent most of his twenties coding apps and pivoting startups. At 34, flush with the proceeds of an exit from…

The train hissed and groaned as it slowed to a stop, steam billowing around the windows. With a final jolt, the Hogwarts Express came to rest beneath the deepening dusk sky. All around them, the chatter of excited students rose like birdsong, echoing off the nearby cliffs. Duchess stood up, smoothing the sleeves of her…

Melody bounced in her seat, unwrapping a Pumpkin Pastie. “You have to try one—like a warm hug in pastry form!” Duchess smiled politely. Melody pushed a box of Bertie Bott’s toward her. “Every Flavor Beans—every flavor. I once got sardine and soap. Roulette for your tongue!” She pulled out a Chocolate Frog next. “They jump!…