Dodger

Thanks once again CG for the excellent review. I always look forward to reading your reviews because you are alsways so close and obviously very good at reading into characters and plots or maybe it's just too predictable. Glad you're liking it.

Thanks Parker. I think that Mrs Oakey is in a difficult position here because even though Robbie has as good as come out to her, he has denied that there's anything going on with Tom. She still has no proof and nobody has come forward to report this. She's certain that she's right about them but it's not enough at the moment for her to be able to pull Robbie out. She would meet stiff opposition from Toms parents and run the risk of outing Robbie if she did. She was hoping for more info from Robbie than he was prepared to give. Her big mistake was when she mentioned her son which Robbie jumped on and was able to use as a way of keeping the conversation away from Tom. I think!

Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for somebody to say something about this. I was a bit scepical myself as to whether this would work or not, so I'm glad for the input. The good news is there are no more chapters that take place in the past and plenty of things happening in the future.

If anyone really needed a slice of luck it's Stefan. He's a good guy and deserves a lot better. It's difficult to see how he's going to be able to get out of the situation he's in without going to the authorities for help. Maybe he'll meet someone who can see him for who he really is, and will want to help him. This kid needs some TLC. I just wish he had been able to stand up for himself against the principle, and at least tell him what really happened in the locker room. The principle believed what he had heard, because Stefan didn't give him a reason not to. I can understand though how years of severe physical, and mental abuse can completely destroy someone and leave them unable to defend themself. A very good subject to write about and very well written. I'm gagging for some luck to come Stefan's way, please.

It felt as if I had been off school for ages, but because of the Christmas break, I only missed a couple of weeks. Now that my move to Canada had been postponed, Tom’s parents were keen for me go back. Tom told me that everyone at the school knew about my mom. Mr Jenkins had mentioned it at the last assembly before the holidays, when he gave instructions to friends of mine who wanted to attend the church service. I was sure that I was going to get a lot of attention when I walked back into schoo

Before moving to Canada, I had spent a lot of time trying to imagine what a Canadian school would be like. Not once had I ever imagined that it would be anything like Stephenson. It was difficult not to be impressed by the facilities. Admittedly, the photographs used on the school website were taken on a summer’s day before the school had even opened, which made it look bigger and brighter than it was on an overcast day in January with seven hundred plus students milling about, but it defini

There was so much that I wanted to do with him before I had to leave. I had plans. I was going to make it a month to remember. When it came time for me to leave, they were going to have to prise us apart. In just a few incredible hours, I had fallen hopelessly in love with Tom’s penis. I was already familiar with it; I had had it in my sights for a long time. However, that little bit of skin that I used to look at dangling between his legs bared no resemblance to the hot pole of muscle that

I was already awake and thinking about the day ahead before Daniel’s alarm sounded at six-fifteen. I heard him stirring then the light came on. “Robbie, it’s time to get up man.” “Yeah, I’m awake.” I stretched my arms and waited for my eyes to adjust to the light. I had been dreading this day, long before I even arrived in Canada. I got out of bed, stood up and then sat straight back down again trying to wake myself up and concentrate on what I was sure would turn out to be one of mo

“You're going to have to live with them for the next three years at least,” Tom said. “So it’s probably a good idea to get to know them a bit first?” I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to get to know them, let alone live with them for three years, but I understood the logic in what he was saying. After breaking the news about my mom, I was soon comfortable enough in the company of my new guardians to start asking a few questions. Don had initially breached the subject soon after they arrived

Sunday started early for me. It was just after six when I made my way out of Daniel’s room unable to sleep. The house was dark, quiet and unusually cold. I had already pulled on a pair of socks, a t-shirt and sweater to add to my patterned pyjama bottoms. I wasn’t about to win any fashion contests but I was warm and respectable. I could have switched on the TV or the lights or both, but instead I chose to sit in the dark and look out of the window at the snow falling in the garden. I was st

This is true, but there is an interesting footnote to this. The eventual date of the coronation, June 2 1953 was chosen on the advice of meteorologists who after much deliberation and research decided that this was the day when it was least likely to rain. The BBC were to televise the whole event to be shown around the world and the government and planners were desperate for nice weather. If they had chosen the day before or the day after they would have got sunshine but on June 2nd it rained for the entire day. 50 years later on the day of her golden jubilee the weather was even worse with thunderstorms and heavy rain as she took a boat trip down the river. Other than those two years June 2nd in the UK is usually a good bet for sunshine. She must be wondering why it always rains on her parade. Maybe someone up there dosent like her.

There are so many. I went to school on both sides of the Atlantic and there were a lot of words or phrases that I used regulary in the UK that were mis-understood in the US / Canada. The two that always got me in the most trouble in school were "Rubber" When an Englishman asks if he can use your "rubber" he is asking if he can borrow your eraser not a condom. The worst of all though is "Fag." Which as everybody knows means cigarette in the UK and nothing else. It is not insulting, or derogatory in any way. Most people who smoke use this word all the time. "I'm going to buy a packet of fags." "Can I nick fag from you." "I'm going outside for a fag" etc. I know how it's used in America but I was so used to using this word in the UK that it would often creep back into my conversations and generally at the worst possible moments. I suppose It got me noticed.

Oscar Wilde keeps popping up and of course he was a master of quotations. Here are two that I really like. "I can resist anything except temptation." "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." Maybe not inspirational but very memorable.

It was the second week of December and while outside it was cold, and miserable, in the confines of Tom’s single divan it was cramped, warm, and sweaty. I woke up in much the same position that I had fallen asleep in the night before; wedged between the wall and my best friend. I was now seriously beginning to question Tom’s claims that he was heterosexual. Once again, he was all over me, stuck to me like a leach. I was on my side facing the wall with him behind; his arm hanging over my sho

ColumbusGuy, I am sorry that this chapter has brought back memories of your own losses. It was a difficult chapter for me to write because it was based a lot on my own experience and I just tried to be honest as I could. Sadly it is something that most of us will have to go through in our lives and it must hurt the same no matter what age someone is. Thankfully the story gets a lot brighter and Robbie is able to get on with his life. Like you point out though these bad times can never be totally laid to rest and nobody really ever gets over it we just learn to live with it. Happier times ahead for us all I hope.

Thanks for the review and your encouragement. This story has a long way to go yet and a few surprises coming up. Glad you're liking it.

Thanks for the review. Change does stink you're right. Uncertainty about the future is what scares Robbie the most. I think that most people are happiest when they are in a routine.

I don't claim to be a writer but I have written a story that I'm posting at the moment on GA. I started writing this about 18 months ago and I only completed it recently. Even towards the end I found myself having to edit and re-work earlier chapters and characters so that everything made sense. It's a lot easier to do this when nothing's been posted. I think that quite often an author starts off with a good idea, a lot of enthusiasm and every intention of posting regular chapters, only to get bogged down and restricted by the fact that they've already posted the beginning of the story. In order to finish their story they may find it necessary to change whole chapters or introduce new characters for the evolving work to make any sense. Posting a story as you are writing it may seem like a good idea but it has to be the most difficult way of writing a complete work and I think that there are only a few authors that are capable of pulling it off to a high standard. I know that I'm not good enough to do that so I won't even attempt it. I don't want to be put myself under that kind of pressure. Obviously it's important if you can to try and finish a work that you've started whatever it is that you're doing. From a readers point of view there is nothing more frustrating than being hooked on a really good story and then ...

I woke up on top of the duvet in just a pair of boxer briefs, lifting my head to glance around an unfamiliar room. Daniel was gone; his bed unmade, and his clothes scattered around the floor. I could vaguely remember waking when he left. I glanced at the clock. It was gone ten! 'Three o'clock in the afternoon, English time'. My body clock was in total disarray. I had been awake several times in the night. The bed was too comfortable and it was way too quiet. I was so used to the noise of

Great chapter again skinnydragon. I love David's personality and the way that he always refers to his mom as Tommy's mom. I guess that it's going to take something special or a lot of time to wrestle Twoeys mind from Mike.

Thank you Defiamce19. These reviews mean a lot to me. Yeah Robbie got hit quite bad didn't he. He's tougher than he thinks though and there's good times ahead for him.

Thank you so much Skinnydragon. This was quite a dark chapter but soon we will start catch glimpses of Robbie's true personality.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who has been facing this dilemma. Yeah I've had the same problem and reached the same conclusion. I don't think that your story will lose any of its appeal by ommiting graphic sex and I it's a good call Skinnydragon.

That day had started so well, thanks to Tom. Sleeping with him was the most experience of my young life. It didn’t matter that we hadn't done anything naughty; we were together in a bed designed for one. I hardly slept a wink, but it was the best feeling ever. I had spent the best part of my adolescence lusting after Tom’s rather pale, skinny, body and the rules always seemed to be you can look but you can’t touch. Therefore, notwithstanding the occasional hug, the odd wrestle, and a few acc

Hats off to you mate. I don't suppose that this is an easy thing to do and I think that you're gutsy to even attempt it. I have to say though, that you have done a remarkable job so far and I must congratulate you because I think that you have got this pretty much spot on. I dont think that even Comsie himself could have done it better. I love it.