xleroc

There's something else going on here. I think Ms. Chandler is going to do some more digging. I fear she will discover the Carlsberg connection. If Judge Harrison's "discreet" inquiries don't get a result soon, Ms. Chandler's overt ones will, which could lead to real trouble for Andy... there's still a lot to resolve before this is done.

In some past chapter, I recall Andy lamenting that he wasn't "smart, athletic or good looking". Well, with straight-As, he's got to know he's smart. Beating Kaz and running 14 miles is pretty athletic, and we already know how Zander feels about his looks. Andy is becoming ... one of the "beautiful people". Calling Monica "mom" was a pretty big step for him, too. I'm sure she's all choked up about that. Now we just have to see what comes out of Carlsberg and East Akron...

Humor\Subway Commute\Barista Romance\Grad School\Rockabilly Musician

I am so totally confused. Did I miss something? Am I going to have to go back a few chapters, because I had read all of the prior ones months ago... I didn't understand the whole moving school thing and the blood; I thought he knew they were going to DC? Are his parents coming home because they had some kind of security system that alerted them to Phillip's snooping? But all of that's okay, because you're updating this story, which I 100% want to support and encourage! So thank you for that and I look forward to reading the next chapter.

We know Uncle Ray did *something* to Andy. Chapter 2 gives us as much detail as Andy's been willing to share: "I don’t want to think anymore about Uncle Ray – it just hurts to remember." and then "Uncle Ray came to stay at the house for a whole month after Mom went away. He’d come to stay, he said. Said he was there to comfort Dad and his poor, motherless child. I was miserable then, and I don’t want to think about those weeks. Uncle Ray still haunts my nightmares. Then, like Mom, he disappeared one day. No explanation from Dad, nothing. Just gone. I didn’t see Uncle Ray again until he visited for a couple of nights last year. He looked like he’d had a tough time between visits. He’d kept his ruggedness, but he seemed a lot older somehow. Said he was between jobs or something. Still the same creepy eyes, still looking at me like a tasty piece of meat. I blocked my door with him in the house. You just can’t trust a good-looking man with a nice smile." I figured the story about Ray would come out one way or the other. I would guess that he molested Andy for that entire month, and his Dad let him. More than anything else, I think, that betrayal and pain is what gives Andy his nightmares. Like I said in my last review, I think there will be a couple of happy chapters before the Carlsberg / East Akron stuff hits the fan... maybe one more chapter.

Another happy chapter. I'm starting my day with a smile. I wondered when Andy's "I'm responsible for 100% of the chores in the house" mentality would reassert himself. Thank you.

I'm a little concerned that Andy hasn't mentioned Uncle Ray to anyone. Yes, I know it's in his journal, but without explicitly calling it out, I'm afraid it's going to bite him in the ass later on. Also, Nahrung, in his Chapter 44 review, asked who set off the smoke bomb, but that was answered in Chapter 6. When Andy (then Stefan) was called to the principal's office, he spotted James Ackerman putting "something" into what he thought was his locker, but he blew it off, not wanting to confront him. Later, in the same chapter, while eating at the McDonald's, he overhears one kid saying to another "They said there was some sophomore kid who went off his nut and killed his father. He set off the bombs and was going to start shooting, but there was a cop in the building who stopped him." So, Andy's probably wanted (at least as a material witness) for both his father's murder and the act of "terrorism" at the school. On top of that, he may be wanted in East Akron for what Ambrose called "a whole string of local burglaries from New Salem to Akron and on south that my colleagues around here have questions about". If Andy doesn't come clean to Mr. Stevenson about all of this, it's going to make his job as ad litem much harder. That said, I think Andy's reticence is completely believable - he's told people the bare minimum they need to be satisfied that they know his story. Blocking out everything related to Uncle Ray makes sense too. For me, even though the main reveal has happened, there's still plenty of dramatic tension left in this story. I get the feeling that the next couple of "happy" chapters will be the calm before the storm. At least this time, Andy will have some people out there to support him when it comes.

Oh, please say that we'll get a dozen more chapters at least to resolve all of the mysteries. I don't think I could take a quick wrap up now... somehow I don't think we've seen the last of Ambrose Whitley. Great chapter. Got me all teary-eyed.

And so part three of this story begins. I can't wait to see how the mystery unravels. Will we learn how Andy's dad really died? What have the Carlsberg police and Ambrose Whitley been doing about the mystery boy for the past five months? Will Ackerman get what's coming to him? And finally, who does lawyer Garret Stevenson know who can take some action on a Sunday morning that would prevent or defer the need to call CPS? Stay tuned...

Ohhh... I'm all teary-eyed. Finally, the dam broke. Here's where all of the good karma that Andy's been storing up finally comes back to him. Hopefully, Zander's parents won't scare Andy too much when they find Zander in Andy's bed tomorrow morning. What a great chapter to be going into Christmas for; now I won't have to worry about Andy; he's in good hands. Thank you, Parker.

Thanks for continuing to write. I was sad when this story stopped after so many great chapters!

OK, so this chapter made a few things clear: 1) Zander hasn't come out to Kaz, Terry or anyone else besides his parents. 2) Kaz and Terry are pretty certain that Zander is gay and has the hots for Andy. After this chapter, I'm with the other reviewers of Chapter 40 that Kaz and Terry were referring to Zander and Andy with the "they're cute together" and "he was more relaxed than I've seen him in months" comments. With Andy's enigmatic comments about who his "type" would be, I think Terry is bound and determined to see A and Z together. If Andy gets straight As again, and wins the writing competition, I wonder if his secrets will come out? Will someone want to talk to the parent of this "star student"? I guess we'll see. Thanks for writing!

I feel like the last two chapters have been "calm before the storm" where he's just coasting through. There's still a part 3 to this journal entry, though, since it was written on 1/2.

So Andy's actually going to a party! That's a big deal. How much longer can he keep his secrets? I feel like there's got to be a break there soon. Also, apart from Roger Green Hat, he's managed to keep his past at bay. I wonder how much longer that will be the case. Keep it coming!

So great to read this chapter. If Zander had read any more of Andy's journal, I think he would have realized the truth. I still think that will be the foot that pries open the door to Andy's secrets. I can envision the conversation between them when Andy admits that it's his diary and not a "story". We know it's going to happen because it was teased in Chapter 1. New questions raised: How will Andy eat until vacation is over, now that he only has 35 cents on him after buying presents? How will Andy hook up with Zander, Kaz and Terry before vacation is over, if no one knows where he lives? Will he just run into them by chance? How will everyone react when they realize it was Andy that bought them those Christmas presents? My prediction: the trio will chip in and buy Andy a cell phone so they can keep in touch. Anyway, it's sooo good to see that Andy finally realizes that he really does have friends who want him around. He's never had that before and he has no idea (yet) how transformative it's going to be. Thank you for writing this great story.

Aha! I totally called this episode, including the bit with the phone. Of course, now there's one more hanging chad out there... let's recap: 1) Andy's report card went to the lawyer Stevenson's office... and likely his next one will too. If he's doing as well as it sounds like he is, then he might get an invite for the National Honor Society or a reminder to register for his SATs... 2) Andy has now called his Dad's old phone; I wonder if the cops are still keeping tabs on it. Also, Zander's dad can look at the call log and see that the call never went through. Andy wouldn't know that, never having owned a phone... 3) Roger Green Hat is still out there looking for him, probably for revenge. 4) Ambrose Whitley is probably still out there looking for him, following up on leads. It wouldn't surprise me if he figured out that the only way "Eric" could have known was if he was in the barn - discovering the laundry detergent and the set of clothes would be too great of a mystery not to follow up on. 5) Hard to think that the Carlsberg police would just give up on a teen that they think murdered his Dad and planned a school shooting. Fortunately they don't have a picture to show around... but... So what's in store in Chapter 38? Andy is going to want to shovel out Mrs. Marjorie and the Abbots. He's also not going to want to "bother" Zander's family on Christmas, so this is going to be a tug of war. Since he really has nowhere to go for two weeks, I don't think it's possible for him to keep all of his secrets? Who will he confess to? Will Zander sneak a peek at Andy's journal when Andy's out shoveling? Will Zander's parents demand more than a shrug when it becomes clear Andy has nowhere to go... can't wait to read the next couple of chapters. I feel like a climax is coming... This story is like crack... keep it coming

I was pretty sure this chapter would start with Zander's narration to provide a counterpoint for Andy's telling in the last chapter, but I didn't expect Zander, Kaz and Terry to go 4 *weeks* without forcing the issue with him. I mean, from their perspective, Andy's drunk dad made a scene in public and then dragged him back home. That doesn't seem to justify 4 weeks of "letting him be"; it's embarrassing, to be sure, but Andy's reaction should seem pretty extreme. I'm guessing when it started snowing that Andy figured he'd go shovel Mrs. Marjorie and the Abbott's out, but the wind forced the doors closed at school and he couldn't get back in. With no other options, Andy trudged out to the barn, barely making it before collapsing in the hay. So here are my predictions for Chapter 37: With the snow and wind so bad, there's no way to get Andy to a hospital or to get paramedics to Zander's place. Zander's Mom has to have some basic first aid knowledge from taking care of animals all that time. So I'm guessing that the chapter opens retrospectively with Andy describing his day up to when he passed out in the hay, then recounts waking up in the guest bed at Zander's place. I'm guessing the SHTF moment is when Zander's Mom and Dad press Andy for his Dad's cell phone number so they can let him know Andy is okay. Let's see if I'm anywhere close to right...

Andy still thinks his friendship with Zander, Terry and Kaz is conditional on working with Zander in Art class. I wonder when Zander is going to come out to them?

Such a tease. How many more chapters before Stefan... I mean Eric... I mean Andy and Lunch Boy actually have a conversation?

So you talk about him going to swim camp every year, but then later you say that he doesn't really know how to swim... which is it?

So how did your fellow missionaries react to your change of heart? For me the knowledge came earlier. At 10, I figured I wanted to be a priest, so the summer between 5th and 6th grade I read the Bible cover-to-cover. It didn't make me an atheist, but it did make me not a Roman Catholic...

This will be an interesting window into this culture. What will happen between Luke and Gary?!?

I'm glad you were able to get this out. Life is for the living; although you may be lonely from time to time, you're never truly alone.

I love the odd mixture of standard teen-coming-out drama, gender education and supernatural influence... this is one of the most unique stories I've read here. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Holy hell; this chapter took the intensity way up... and now I have to wait until Friday... boo hoo!