Dodger

There is definitely a deep attraction between Robbie and Alex, but there are also other issues that need to be resolved.

Bravo! Excellent. I wonder how Don would have reacted to that.

I love this comment. @mg777 Your enthusiasm is contagious. Robbie tries his best to be responsible, and this comes across in his interactions with Amy and Sue. However, the mischief in his personality is impossible to suppress, and there's no doubt that some people bring out the worst in him. Nathan is a good example.

Rory could prove to be more valuable as a friend than a lover. Robbie needs to be careful.

It looks like the boys are going to be awake all night, but in the way they planned. Rory seems like the perfect solution, but only if he genuinely is gay and not just curious. Robbie needs to be careful. A quick roll in the hay with his best friend, only for Rory to decide afterwards that he prefers girls, is the last thing Robbie needs, and it would almost certainly signal the end of their friendship.

Despite all their talk and promises to remain faithful to each other, it's clear that neither boy trusts the other at all. They are both to blame for this fiasco. Robbie needs to find a way to control his twenty-four-seven infatuation with Rory, before accusing Simon of trying to steal his boyfriend. It would be better for both boys if they agreed to call it a day, but it's never that simple.

Their relationship, if you can call it that, looks unfixable. It probably would have been better if Robbie hadn't found his phone.

Yeah, that's a mystery. We can only assume that Don once had a more pleasant side to his character. Robbie, through no fault of his own, managed to bring out the worst in Don, for everyone to see.

Thank you, @Ianstarlight, for such an insightful comment. It's interesting to learn how this issue is addressed in other countries. The age of consent in Canada is 16, but as in Italy, teenagers younger than this but close in age are unlikely to be prosecuted. It's different, of course, if an adult is involved. Robbie, who is under virtual house arrest, has more rights than he realises, but I don't think he's in the best shape at the moment to take on Don.

Grazie, @Ianstarlight. I'm delighted to hear that you're reading this story in Italian. I often wonder how it would translate, especially when Robbie switches to Cockney slang, which doesn't make a lot of sense, even to English speakers outside of the UK. I don't speak Italian, but I know it's a beautiful language and very expressive. This comes across well in your comments, which are enjoyable to read, so there is no need for you to be more precise. Thank you for your interest in this story. Ciao.

I don't think that FANTA - IAN imagines too much. I enjoy your delightful musings.

If there was one thing guaranteed to get me back in the pool, it was the mouthwatering prospect of teaching my best friend how to swim. It was a task that would require close physical contact with minimal clothing and in an environment where I undoubtedly had a considerable advantage. Yet, none of this seemed to worry Rory. He even agreed to do it at my house and at a time when no one else was around. I was amazed at his naivety and ashamed of my willingness to exploit it for the sake of a quick

Thank you, @Ianstarlight. Your comments are a delight to read and very eloquent. I can't thank you enough, although I have to read them two or three times to fully absorb their content. I'm sorry you had to endure the same injury as Robbie, but at the same time, I'm grateful to you for sharing your experience and relieved to know that I wasn't too far off in my attempt to put it into words.

You may be right about this; perhaps Nathan does give the impression of being over-cautious or a little too mature for his age. As you point out, this seems to be a common fault in stories featuring teenagers, and it's something that I have tried to avoid. It's an easy mistake to make, and in this case, not entirely accurate, although we are relying entirely on Robbie's perspective. I imagined Nathan's character to be quite superficial. He's very image-conscious and likes to portray himself as a bit of a rebel, although his background suggests otherwise. He has benefited from a supportive family and never had to fight his own battles, so he has had it relatively easy. In many ways, he's the opposite of Robbie, and he doesn't like getting into trouble.

Thank you, @Ianstarlight. I can assure you it does get more explicit as the story progresses, although the sex isn't always perfect as you would expect with boys this age. Of course, we can only see things from Robbie's perspective, which is sometimes a little distorted.. Unfortunately, his perceived need for acceptance and an attraction to danger make him vulnerable to people who don't always have his best interests in mind.

Thank you, @Ianstarlight, for another beautiful comment and for choosing to stick with this story. I know it's not easy to read, particularly the early chapters, which are very raw and littered with poor grammar. I'm glad you have found a connection to Robbie. Some readers have criticised him for his lack of maturity and poor decision-making, but most have been sympathetic and willing to accept that he is not perfect and doesn't pretend to be.

Thank you so much, @Ianstarlight, for your wonderful comment. Your description of Robbie is beautifully written and far better than mine. Moreover, it is remarkably accurate. If I had to choose half a dozen of my favourite comments from the thousands that have been posted on this story over the years, this would, undoubtedly, be one of them.

Whatever happens, it's clear that Robbie has developed a special bond with Rory that he hasn't been able to find with Nathan. We already knew about Robbie's secret desires, but now he's starting to reveal more. For example, he was surprised by how much it hurt him to hear Rory sounding upset on the phone. Nathan is either oblivious to the situation or he doesn't care. His reaction to Robbie running out of money will be key.

This must have been Don's plan all along, and Robbie was stupid enough to fall for it. There is some hope. A summer job may make Robbie less reliant on Don, and without Nathan around, he probably won't spend as much. Daniel knows he's being used but doesn't want to rock the boat.

I doubt if Robbie ever checked his balance, although he would have known his funds were dwindling. This is precisely what Don wanted, and he'll no doubt abuse it to his advantage. Don's favourite weapon is money, and Sue will have to fight for every penny through the courts while he makes things as difficult as possible. Maybe Nathan will step up to the plate and offer to pay the next time they go out or need to take a cab somewhere. Robbie has every right to expect this; anything less will be a hammer blow to their relationship.

Don is putting a lot of pressure on Daniel to divide the family. Daniel knows this, but he's trying to keep everyone happy, which will be impossible. Whatever role Rory ends up playing in Robbie's life, he will certainly be less of a financial burden than Nathan. If Robbie's prediction comes true, their relationship will end before Nathan can pay back some of his generosity.

I just posted Chapter 172, so there is still a way to go. I will amend the message at the end of this chapter, which is obviously misleading. Thanks for making me aware of this.

He brought it on himself. It was never going to work.

Wow! Thank you. I've lost track of time with this story.

Robbie needs to be careful not to trust him.