Dodger

Thanks for reading @chris191070

Billy certainly needed that chat with his dad, but he could have done without him walking in. Maybe he will be more careful in future and make sure the door is closed. Loved the bit about the video, this was especially cool of his dad not to make a big issue out of it or say something in front of the boy's mom.

You've hit the nail on the head with the name. It's Jimmy, but Tristian thinks James to be more suitable for this occasion. I admit to being unaware of clause 28 until reading your comment, and I was shocked when I looked it up. It seems almost unthinkable nowadays, yet this wasn't that long ago. I wonder how many lives were impacted by this legislation, but I guess this is a topic best saved for the Pit.

Thanks, @Okiegrad. Chapter 2 next weekend.

Haha. I like this comment. The 1965 Bentley Continental was, of course, just a diversion. Maggie was the real clue. I forgot she had children. Perhaps they should have followed her into politics, although it's unlikely either would have made it to Prime Minister like their old lady. That kind of thing never happens.

Thanks, @drpaladin I think James has handled it quite well so far. Tristian has his reasons for keeping it a secret, but he should have given James the option of not going. If I were James, I don't think I would have been too happy. I expect most people should be able to guess the year within the first three or four chapters. I know the clue in this chapter narrowed it down significantly.

I felt sorry for his dad too. I was expecting him to do a lot worse and in the end it was an accident. Billy certainly let rip on his dad too, but I hope he's okay.

I'm also thinking about the phone calls. I think it's funny the way Brett manages to talk Billy into everything. They're well suited.

I feel sorry for Grandma. It must be awful to hear but be unable to speak. I got the impression she wanted to tell Billy to stop blaming himself for what happened to her. I like Brett and the way he interacts with Billy is funny. He's very comfortable around Billy's family.

The big manor houses on Hampstead Lane were impressive. Built on large lots of lush green grass with tree-lined driveways, wide enough for three cars. They were the type of properties owned by wealthy businessmen, bankers and gentry but a sailor? “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” “No, it’s the truth.” “Your dad’s a sailor?” “Not anymore, but he used to be.” “I don’t believe you.” “You can ask him when you see him.” “What type of boat does he sail in?” My boyfriend sto

Breaching the English class barrier isn’t easy, as Tristian discovers when he invites his new boyfriend to his illustrious father’s fiftieth birthday party, with disastrous consequences.

I like Billy but not too sure about his dad. Falling asleep holding a cigarette is not good but I suspect there's to come.

I don't know how I stumbled upon this story but I'm glad I did. I like the way you write and this was a cool first chapter.

I doubt if anyone intentionally tries to destroy all that's good in their life, but sometimes Robbie can give this impression. Thanks for reading and commenting.

The moment Adam sneaked Zack upstairs and lied to his mom, I knew he would once again allow his friend to talk him out of helping him. It's frustrating. This is how the abusers manage to get away with it for so long. Adam is naive though, as are the rest of Zack's friends. They need to report this, talk to their parents about it, and get the authorities involved before it's too late. Zack is in a dangerous place, he's given up and isn't capable or willing to defend himself. The next step is suicide and his friends are helping him do it. An adult would be able to recognize the signs and call the police, no matter what Zack says. Too many kids are lost this way. His friends have consistently let him down by keeping his secret. If they're not careful, they will have the rest of their lives to regret it. I don't agree with Zack's assessment of his mother either. This has been going on right under her nose for years. I cannot believe she doesn't know. She must realize her husband has serious issues. She should have been watching watching her son like a hawk for any sign of abuse. She's ignored bruises and covered for her evil spouse when she should have upped and left taking Zack with her. The poor kid has been let down by everyone. Great chapter to a thoroughly disturbing, but compelling story.

Well, it's no secret that Robbie has always been attracted to Rory and he no longer even bothers to hide it. Rory begrudgingly plays along with his games and before Rebecca, even his close friends and parents were convinced he was gay. Rory could be bi-sexual, of course, and I'm not going to rule anything out, but he's had plenty of opportunities to experiment if he had the desire.

Drat!!!! How many guesses do I get?

Robbie although disturbingly volatile at times has been trying to please Conner any way he can. He feels the need to compete with Conner's ex-boyfriend even though he lives too far away to be a problem. It's more a fear of rejection than a fear of losing Conner but he probably doesn't understand it. Thanks @Arran

Robbie will definitely continue with Jo or vice versa, he's not quite out of the woods yet as this chapter proves.

Okay, I was definitely expecting this. It's a difficult subject which I have tried to diplomatically skirt around for most of the story. Most of the works on this site particularly teen stories, tend to have little or no regard for safe sex. The word condom is never used in most of them. It's only fiction, I know, and not a true reflection of today's youth. It has its light-hearted moments, but I wanted this story to be reasonably realistic when it comes to sex, which in Robbie's case has been a collection of mostly bungled, sometimes frustrating, and occasionally even scary or painful experiences. The fact that he has generally used condoms up until this point, I believe is a much fairer reflection of teens in his era. They are much more responsible than some authors want people to believe. This is something that annoys me, so it's no surprise that I definitely do not condone unprotected sex, no matter what age or gender. It would be out of character, however, to expect Robbie not to try this when the opportunity arises and when he thinks it will be to his advantage. He has had numerous partners in a relatively short space of time, but he also has reason to believe he's safe. Considering his partners, their ages and experience at the time, it's almost certain this is the case, but Jo probably won't see it that way. Robbie tends to learn the hard way, and sometimes deserves what he gets, but on this occasion, I think the readers will be happy to spare him as long as he is able to recognize his mistakes. Above all, he's a survivor. The statement 'fed on a diet of religious bigotry etc' was aimed at Robbie's adopted parents and not Conner's. I have re-read this and I can see how it's easy to get confused, perhaps I should have made it clearer and will probably edit that line. Conner's parents, are probably the complete opposite to red-necked bigots, which is one of the reasons Robbie fears the worst. He knows from experience that Don will want to dig dirt on Conner and his parents, and has the resources to do so. Sorry if I rambled, Steve, but as you already know, I appreciate you asking these questions. It's what I expected.

I think Jo will have plenty to say to Robbie, but Conner has taken his mind off what happened with Alex and that has to be good.

An inferiority complex and an overwhelming fear of rejection makes Robbie who he is. He hides his insecurities by jumping on other people's shortcomings and drawing sympathy. A lot of people will see it as double standards, maybe even as self-destructive, but Robbie is convinced he's in the right. Both boys have feelings for their ex-boyfriends, but the worst Robbie has done is flirt with Nathan. I don't think that's cheating, but what Conner did, on numerous occasions, almost certainly is, and it doesn't exactly help with Robbie's insecurities. A stupid incident with Stephanie kind of weakens his argument, but it was good that he confessed rather than try to cover it up. Unsurprisingly, considering their backgrounds, Conner is much better equipped to deal with all this than Robbie. He's a lot more balanced because he's been brought up in a family where problems are discussed rather than swept under the carpet.

Not what I thought it meant but a perfect description for an old enemy of mine and local bully. Much more polite than the words I used to use to describe him.

Arguing during their first night together can't be a good sign, even if Robbie was being a bit of a prat.

I don't think Robbie has ever really believed it was going to work with Conner, yet everyone else does. Maybe he's not willing to get too attached to him, knowing how easy it would be for Don to ruin it. After all the problems he's faced at home, I'm not sure if he's really looking for a regular boyfriend and at times Conner looks like a poor match.