What Lies Beneath the Skin

Matthew Lambert is a small-town boy from DuBois, Pennsylvania. His mom is a drughead who forgets the world around her exists, while his stepdad is an abusive monster that makes Matthew's life a living hell. Desperate for freedom, Matthew hops on a random bus headed for Connecticut and changes his name to Hayden, hoping to get as far from his family as possible. He washes up at a hotel ran by Rachel Cromwell, who takes in queer abuse victims under her organization named Beyond Survival. Here, Hayden discovers what life outside of his childhood home has in store for him. From the loving couple who runs the hotel, to their quirky daughter who quickly becomes his best friend, Hayden finds himself experiencing the joys of found family in numerous shades. To top it off, the Cromwell's handsome soon-to-be doctor son, Garrett, is there to bring the light back to Hayden's life in more ways than he ever thought. Will Hayden ever truly escape his stepfather's clutches? Will he overcome his past to forge a beautiful new future? Will he accept the Cromwell's love, in all forms they provide it, or will his distrust for the world ruin him? Follow Hayden's journey as he discovers what it means to be safe, to be queer, to be loved, and above all else, to be himself.