travlbug

I love the interplay between Dizzy and his mom. It's crystal clear that they love each other. The return to the bridge is very romantic--the perfect place for Artie and Dizzy to affirm their new status as boyfriends.

I love this chapter, and I think that the changes you made have helped to clarify it. I disagree with JeffreyL: Gwen has a tumor, presumably a brain tumor, as it has modified her behavior--she's sick and is no longer completely responsible for her actions. Jon's plea for Topher's understanding is way different than condoning the behavior, though Topher, as the recipient of the abuse, may have a harder time turning the other cheek and may, in fact, never come to grips with it. Also, if Gwen has failed to respond to medication to control her behavior, there may come a time when she becomes so irrational that she will have to be placed in a facility for everyone's protection. Topher and his father are in a horrible situation which will only get worse with his mother's decline, and I feel deeply for their circumstances. I hope that Topher's experiences in his new school can help to balance the sorrows of his home life. Can't wait to read more!

My camps were never like this! More, please.

I am frustrated with Adam's approach to counseling: Rather than attending a few sessions to gain insight into his situation and acquire better coping skills, he decides to forego therapy unless others comment that he is "acting strangely." Why wait for a problem to get that far? I must be getting old: It would never even occur to me to write a thank-you note on a computer. That said, I think the thank-you note is a great idea but only as a therapeutic exercise. The moment it's sent, Adam risks an escalation of hostilities. I love the birthday spanking scene! Adam shows his willingness to try something new, and Troy obviously appreciates the experience--a bit more, I think, than if his grandmother administered it! 😅 The docking scene was also well done and was an eye-opener for Adam. (So, how did Troy know about docking, or was he just being creative? 😉) Sad to think that Adam had never been to a restaurant before. The more I learn about his childhood, the more I think that his parents should have been neutered without anesthesia. l'm so glad that Adam and Troy found each other: Troy has now crossed a line and--for the first time--refers to Adam as his lover. Sigh.

So Bailey tells his secret, even though he's fearful that Declan will see him as disgusting or weak. Instead, this almost unbearably poignant moment leads to the boys' first kiss, and I'm betting that their lives will never be the same. As a counterpoint to this tenderness, Bailey's mom and Daniel suddely barge into the room under the hilarious and mistaken assumption that Declan is attacking Bailey! I love that Daniel fairly quickly picks up on what's really happening and has to guide the mom downstairs while trying to explain it to her. 😊 Additionally, Declan's exuberant reaction to Bailey's confidence and kiss gives us a joyful interlude in the park--a moment of blessed relief--before he (and we) have to return to the school to face the consequences of Chris and Eric's downfall. And what are those consequences? Not much, as it turns out: "At least the majority of the team didn't seem to be terribly upset by Chris and Eric's absence." In fact, they seem to be more "relaxed." After all Bailey's worry about destroying the football team, he actually seems to have done them a favor. Glad to see that Bailey's life has finally taken a turn for the better. He's earned a little happiness. (Mom, stop that evil laughter this instant!)

An interesting juxtaposition: On the one hand, Adam breaks up with his boyfriend; and on the other, Artie's relationship is deepening. What's in a name? For Dizzy, providing his name, and then inviting Artie to meet his mother, indicates a profound level of trust. Dizzy is not simply saying that he likes Artie, he's showing it. So Lindsay is able to predict that Adam is giving one-word answers: Obviously, she's seen him get into a similar state before, and I love that she can boss him out of it! But the real hero of the story is Artie, who drags his uncle back to the Tavern to perk him up, and he even vets a new potential boyfriend for him! The love between Adam and Artie is clear, and Artie says it all at the end of the chapter: "he'll always be there for me, and I'll always be there for him." So sweet!

As expected, Bailey is angry--at least initially-- that Declan has reported his abuse. However, Coach Richards tells Bailey what a good kid Declan is and even provides a reason why Declan didn't mention his intentions--that Bailey would have tried to talk him out of it--and Bailey is appeased, as he shows with a "chagrined smile" and a flush of acknowlegement, followed by his verbal agreement. (Of course, that doesn't prevent him from calling Declan a "son-of-a-bitch" later on at the house, though his anger here is more because he was broadsided rather than because Declan reported the abuse.) Mom is very good at showing Bailey's growing panic, set in motion by his discovery that a video of his humiliation is in the school's possession. The situation escalates as he is confronted by Chris and Eric on leaving the conference room and, finally, as he has to run the gauntlet of his curious classmates to reach the exit. (Thank goodness there's no law against torturing characters!) Finally, Declan sees the razor and Bailey's cuts--he even notes how strangely linear the cuts are--and then doesn't realize what he's seeing! Granted that he's a teen, that cutting would be outside his experience and expectations, and that he's distracted by their conversation, but still! At least, the problem is no longer hidden, and at some point, the significance of his observations will explode in his brain like an atomic bomb. It's now just a matter of time....

Wow! Bailey actually grabbed Declan's arm? For Bailey to touch Declan by choice is very telling. Uh oh, Declan failed to warn Bailey of the coming storm, and he really could have if he'd wanted to. He will now have to bear the consequences of his failure. (Kudos to Dr. Lansing for telling Bailey that Declan was just trying to keep him safe, as his own father would have wanted.) Interestingly, Bailey has come clean to his counselor as to why he hates to be touched (she knows more than we do!), so I'm surprised that she hasn't made more headway in dealing with the issue. The conference between Bailey and administration is beautifully portrayed, and Bailey may be starting to trust that these folk actually have his best interests at heart. I breathed a sigh of relief when the video was finally delivered to administration. The irony is that the video was shot by Eric, with Chris's blessing, so that the pair's ultimate undoing is by their own hand.

I love that Jonathan let Tanner win and that they both win in consequence. By the way, Brenda, as a 14 year old girl, was written to perfection! Thanks for a lovely story.

I think that the subjugation of the boarding party feels "easy" because we are not being given a time context (how many hours did it take to defeat the boarding party? Kohen must be pretty well thawed out to perform the fine motion required to unbutton the Captain's jacket) and because we are told about the subjugation as a summary, with only a few details of the action (e.g., Freska Derkat's targeting of the other ship [though from a tactical viewpoint, I would have preferred seeing the enemy ship neutralized as one of the Captain's first actions, not the last]). In other words, I think that the capture of the attackers sounds easy only in retrospect; and considering the short chapter format, I think it was very well done. The Captain's weariness is also well portrayed, though his responsibilities will not allow him or his crew to "just go" for a long time to come. By the way, just how ruthless is the Brox Consortium? Ruthless enough to self destruct their own ship when the Captain sends a boarding party to claim its secrets? (I watched way too much Star Trek as a kid! 😉) Can't wait for the next installment!

The first thing that Declan should have done is report his finding of the video to administration, as there is always an emergency number available. Failing that, he should have sent a copy to one or more of his suitemates to preserve the evidence. Failing that, he should have hidden his phone until administration could retrieve it. ( In fact, I'm not sure why the Dean did not confiscate his phone while they were still in conference, to have it directly submitted to the IT department.) At this moment, I feel that the video has been made artificially vulnerable, though his suitemates can at least attest to what they saw on the video if it is somehow destroyed. The next thing that Declan should do is give Bailey fair warning: As Timothy M. states, he needs to give Bailey some time to prepare. (Not to mention, Bailey will find it hard enough to forgive Declan without hearing about the situation secondhand.) While I give Declan kudos for reporting the incident, the fallout--both public and private--will not be pretty.

While the stress of his home life is enough to make him physically ill, Bailey seems like a kid again in Declan's presence: On the track, Declan chases Bailey and tackles him, with both teens falling into a laughing heap on the ground. The contrast between Bailey at home and Bailey with Declan is stark. As others have said, Declan has finally noticed a physical manifestion of Bailey's being bullied, making him wonder what other "bruises or wounds" that his clothing could be hiding. That said, unless their relationship leads to physical intimacy, I don't see how he could find out about the cutting. (Bailey's shower room habits are such that even his teammates would be prevented from finding out.) Unless Bailey is willing to admit the problem, I fear that it will remain an ongoing issue.

Earlier in the story, Bailey was willing to say that he cheated performing pushups (against Declan) because it was "easier." He seemed to have given up. Now, however, he accepts Chris's challenge to run some plays, triumphing on the field and humiliating Chris in the process (at least, in Chris's own mind). His spirit is reemerging--more evidence that his healing has begun!

At the beginning of the chapter, Bailey's mom is seen to be doing much better--affectionate, chipper, sleeping on her bed instead of the couch, and keeping her room tidy. Daniel has replaced the alcohol, and I hope that Bailey (who is usually so empathetic) will see what Daniel is doing for her and give him a chance. I love that Declan has eyes only for Bailey at the lunch table. I also appreciate that he stands up to Chris during the same scene, showing that he will no longer tolerate Chris's putdowns. After exercising with the gymnasts, and observing several routines, the football team as a whole seems to have come away with a new respect for their fellow athletes; and now it's the gymnasts' turn to see what the football team can do. At first, I was afraid that Chris and Eric would use the opportunity to try and injure Bailey (especially with an important meet coming up), but now I'm hoping that Bailey's skill as a cornerback shows them up at their own game!

Finally, a crack in the armor! Declan's sincerity moves Bailey to take a huge risk and give out his phone number. I love that Declan is "giddy" over having Bailey's number and picture and that Bailey experiences a "lightness" on looking at their texts. Best of all, he feels no urge to inflict pain to distract himself from his loneliness. Already, Declan is helping Bailey to heal.

Though she's abusive, Bailey's mom is still one of the few things he values: No wonder he's so hostile to Daniel! Bailey thinks to himself that she is giving up on his father's memory too quickly, but I think that the truth is his fear that Daniel will somehow steal his mother away from him. We are finally caught up! Time to unhang a cliff! 😃

Bailey has just been assaulted. I think he can be forgiven for lashing out at Declan after Declan has the nerve to ask for a thank you for his meager assistance (the bullies were just about through with him anyway). It's to Declan's credit that he doesn't let Bailey scare him off but follows him home instead to assure that he gets there in one piece. On the other hand, Bailey's world view that life's a living hell has just been reaffirmed--and that includes his interactions with his mother on arriving home. While he appears to be resilient after each horrible thing which happens to him, it may be hard to tell what is true resilience and what is simply giving up--and his speech to Declan after the assault ("what would be the point?" of reporting Chris and Eric) sounds suspiciously like he's giving up. He is in desperate need of some good in his life to show him that life is still worth living.

A brief respite: Bailey appreciates Justin's help in the cafeteria; he refrains from cutting; he does well on his history test, and he achieves one of the three best grades in trig. "Maybe today was looking up after all." I could cry at what comes next.

Bailey's life has been a downward spiral, and he has even protected his father from the extent of the abuse. (His empathy is all the more amazing in view of his history.) No wonder he won't let anyone in: His experiece tells him that it won't make any difference at all. While his attendance at Heritage should have ended the abuse, Chris and Eric make sure to destroy the idea that he has found a sanctuary. (I'm really going to have to force myself to read the next few chapters, as we know that things don't improve any time soon.) I agree with JeffreyL: Bailey may be "heading in the direction of suicide" unless he finds a good reason to keep on living, and he doesn't have one yet. 😪

Bailey is too young to understand that his father would never have wanted his son to be so unhappy and closed off. Instead of celebrating his father's life, he is being consumed by his father's death; and the self-harming brings his mental state to a level where he requires professional help. However, what can be done if he declines the help and hides the problem? I, too, am afraid that he is heading for a crisis. What should be a solice for him--his gymnastics and schooling--has been poisoned by his mother's insistence that he is dishonoring his father's memory if he is less than perfect. (Why would she burden her son so cruelly?) The mother's clergyman-councilor has failed her in not having suggested that she seek professional help as well. (It's hard to believe that her depression and self medication/alcohol abuse have gone completely unnoticed.) Finally, I keep coming back to a particular quote which may be pivotal: "The one person he needed comfort from in the aftermath of his father's death rejected him." Who said that this person is his mother....

After everything that Bailey has been through, his first concern after performing the pushups is how Declan is feeling, though he says nothing after realizing that Declan is ignoring him. He commiserates (internally) with how Rodney must be feeling after being called on the carpet. He declines to leave his teammates after being excused by the coach, thereby showing his loyalty. In short, he's a good kid. Unfortunately, he is small for a 16 year old (he's been practicing gymnastics for 10 years, ever since he was six, leading to my calculation of his age), and he wears baggy clothing, hiding his build and making himself look even smaller--a reaction to his father's death or his usual style of dress? Regardless, he appears a target, and I believe that his being bullied, at least in part, has been due to his physical appearance. Kudos to his teammates for befriending him. Now, if only they could protect him, but we know that's not to be. 😪

Finally, Declan has decided to face Bailey--and we're going to have to wait an additional six chapters to find out what happens? Moooom!!!!

Declan may have done too little too late, but his better nature is starting to show through: He saves Bailey from an additional beating, and he shadows him home to make sure that he gets there safely--an anonymous act of good will performed despite the irritation of his mates, who are waiting for him. What Declan does next with the info he has on Bailey's beating will be more to the point in defining Declan's true character.

Glad to see Declan put in his place. At first, I was afraid he might not learn from the experience, but he made sure to greet everyone in the hall by name, so there's hope for him.

My heart broke a little when Bailey smiled at Declan and was dismissed by him with a "narrowed" look. Though Bailey was already running when he arrived at the track, Declan now has a sense of persecution, deciding that Bailey had followed him to the track to "rub his nose" in his defeat. Justin was ready to bury the hatchet, but Declan's mouth earned him a reaming instead. I hope that Declan comes to his senses soon; but right now, he's not a very sympathetic character.