“He was a highly dedicated, abnormally skilled, confused, and powerful boy, a trained killer who had hired himself to do a job.” Meet Stephen Rinaldi, a seventeen-year-old whose life goes into the ring – a ring not just of physical combat, but of political intrigue, personal trials, and soul-deep challenges. Only for Now is a fast-paced action-adventure for adolescents of all ages. Told by his student and friend, Lenny Greenman, Only for Now tells how one individual took a beating in every way a person might, yet stood tall in a world that tried to “kick him in another direction”. The story traverses the landscape of teenage struggles, heartache, and unyielding determination. On a distant campus far from home, amidst the chaos of his parents' divorce, bitter backstabbing betrayals, and the shattering loss of his first love, Stephen embarks on his freshman year of college, only to inadvertently challenge a rival karate/kung fu teacher, Yang, and his formidable student following. His life literally goes into the ring, a struggle outside and within, a choice between turning the other cheek and fighting back… hard. All of Rinaldi’s beliefs are put to severe testing as he becomes a teacher himself. Seven-year-old Jennifer teaches Stephen to stand against Goliath-like forces and never surrender Hope. In Only for Now, one person collides with enemies who want him gone. He faces formidable foes and literally goes “under cover”… but in the end, Stephen Rinaldi emerges as a real-to-life Hero. Penned by nineteen-year-old Stephen Melillo in the quiet corners of Corpus Christi Church, in Port Chester, New York, this story captures the raw essence of life's challenges and triumphs. Written as a personal letter to his future children and students, Stephen Melillo's novel resonates as a timeless testament of self-discovery, courage, and the unwavering pursuit of what it means to truly stand tall. Life is short, but its width is defined by the indomitable spirit of those who dare to defy the odds, meet the challenges head-on, and who choose to grow up without "giving in”.
