Dodger

After Monday’s disturbing encounter with Jake and Tuesday’s embarrassing episode at Nathan’s house, I was relieved to see the following day pass without incident. As frustrating as it was, the new—no sitting together at lunch—policy that I had agreed with Nathan, was proving to be a good decision. I knew that it wasn’t going to stop the likes of Jake from broadcasting his homophobic hatred about me, but at least if we weren’t seen together, there was very little evidence to support his claims. J

Yeah, I think that Robbie should have opted for the even tighter cycling shorts. That would have really created a bit of interest at home. He probably has been a little hard on himself over this little incident. It's not as embarrassing as he thinks, and he shouldn't consider it as a failure. If all goes to plan on Friday and they manage to take their relationship to the next level, then Perhaps the nerves will settle a little between them and Robbie will be able to save it for when it really matters. Thank you Tim for yet another fine review. I don't know how you find the time to do so much on this site. I greatly appreciate the sometimes hard-hitting, often humorous, but always friendly comments and advice that you've provided throughout the past year. I hope that you have a wonderful holiday period.

I suppose he should, I certainly would. Thanks again droughtquake for taking the time to review. Your regular comments and opinions throughout the year have provided a good insight, some useful ideas, and a few helpful pointers towards the occasional mistake. Your loyalty is much appreciated.

Thank you for your encouraging words. I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and hope that you stick with it until the end. Without giving too much away, the end is still quite a way off, probably sometime next summer. The next chapter however, will be posted Xmas day and is all about Friday night!

“Hey gorgeous, you look sexy today, come in.” “Err…. Hi Karen,” I said as I walked in and slipped off my sneakers. She put her arm on my shoulder and then shouted towards the stairs. “NATHAN, SOMEONE’S HERE TO SEE YOU, AND HE’S LOOKING PRETTY CUTE.” “No need to shout, I’m right here,” he said, walking from the opposite direction. “Hey you.” His face lit up the moment he saw me and he beamed a welcoming smile as he reached out to take my hand. It still felt odd to do that in company, and I had

I'm pretty sure that everyone on here would agree that Jake is quite an unsavory character, and unfortunately there are too many of his type still at large. I think that we've all come across the likes of him in real life. They're everywhere, and as Robbie is finding out Canada is no exception. Whether or not he will find an unlikely ally in Alex, or even more problems, remains to be seen. Thanks for the review Tim.

Robbie certainly seems to be a magnet for trouble, but he doesn't make it easy for himself either.

“If I ever try to get on a bike again; I want you to shoot me,” I said, staring at the ceiling as Daniel studied himself in the mirror. He was already dressed and ready for school, although, in the summer, it required a lot less effort, and fewer layers. “Where did you go yesterday?” he asked. “I went for a ride around town and got lost.” “How can you get lost in Cobourg?” he said and laughed. “I could get lost in…in…wherever.” It was too early to think of anything funny to say, and my legs

I've read about him and seen the documentaries and films about the early days of space travel. The Mercury missions, the moon landings, great stuff. I'd love to have grown up in that era to witness it first hand. I grew up with the space shuttle; not quite the same. RIP John Glenn.

It wouldn't be difficult for Fran to work out who Robbie's interested in, but I doubt if she really cares that much now that she has a new boyfriend. Thanks for the review nighthawke.

Thanks for your review droughtquake and as so often, I think that you've hit the nail pretty much on the head as far as the drama group is concerned. Robbie is also good at drama, and an obsessive worrier, who believes that he's more important than he actually is. It's a big school and in grade ten and still relatively new, he's a small fish!

On Friday, when I entered the school building, I was expecting the worst. I had spent the morning regretting my decision to announce my love for Nathan in front of his drama class the night before, and for the first time, I was actually dreading going to school. Daniel had asked me on the bus if I was unwell, and I was even considering going straight to the office to feign some kind of sickness in the hope of being sent home. I was mulling over this plan when I was hi-jacked at my locker by the

Anything's possible. It's Robbie's choice, so maybe he should choose someplace where the likes of Jake are unlikely to hang out. He won't be able to avoid him/them forever though and once the drama club gossip machine kicks into action the game may be up for him.

Thanks skinnydragon. Daniel seems to be the guy who everyone is waiting on and he does hold the key. We'll find out soon.

Well I suppose he does have a bit of free time on his hands now, maybe he would make a good actor? As for the bullies, it was unlikely that the incident in the corridor was a one off. Thanks for the review.

I found a spider in the kitchen this morning. I didn't have the heart to kill it, so I tried to pick it up on a piece of paper, but it was quick and ran over my hand. I managed to throw it outside, but soon afterwards my hand started to swell up and throb like hell. Although I didn't feel it at the time, I guess the little pest must have bitten me. My hand's still swollen hours later. It was only a small spider, but it definitely has a nasty bite.

I tried to convince myself that the incident in the school corridor wasn’t worth worrying about, but each time I pushed it out of my head, it would creep back in again, bringing me down, like a dark cloud on a summer’s day. It played havoc with my sleep pattern, and I spent hours that night staring at the ceiling, considering the possibilities. As much as I wanted to believe it, I knew that it was unlikely that this would turn out to be an isolated incident or a case of mistaken identity. The b

Nicola is still irritated by what she sees as favoritism towards Robbie. She knows that he's hiding something and she's determined to find out what it is. Don and Sue are failing both of them at the moment.

Yes Tim, I think that Robbie should be putting forward a better defense to Don and Sue, rather than try to tackle Nicola head on. Both parents could have stopped a lot of the tension by pausing their busy lives and taking the time to find out the reasons behind the friction, instead of glossing over everything and hoping for the best.

Thanks Parker. Yes, the argument has been on the cards for ages. Nicola has some issues with Robbie and she's not the type to suffer in silence, so conflict was inevitable. Robbie doesn't understand what he's doing wrong and fights fire with fire. Nicola's reaction in the corridor at school is an indication that she does actually care about him, even if he is a thorn in her side.

Thank you Israfil for your interesting review. I think that you've got a lot right here and clearly despite Don and Sue's attempts to reign Robbie in, he is still able to get away a lot more than his adopted siblings. This obviously provokes Nicola who believes that Robbie is playing the sympathy card and of course he is. However, despite what Robbie may think, she doesn't hate him and as we have seen, she is even prepared to defend him.

I could feel my mood changing the moment that I stepped out of the cab and onto the driveway of the house that I was still struggling to think of as home. After our talk with Nathan’s parents, I had been treated well to the point of being spoilt, and I rather enjoyed playing the role of boyfriend. His mom and dad seemed to like me, and his sister had definitely taken a shine to me; smothering me in the same way that she did Nathan, which oddly enough, I quite liked. I knew however that when I re

Thank you nighthawke, for your continued support. I don't think that Robbie will get such an easy ride from his family, when the time comes.

Thank you for reading this far paul b. The next chapter is ready to be posted now!

Nathan's parents are understanding, but sleep-overs definitely will not be allowed any time soon.