Timothy M.

Randy got asked on a date ! By a guy ! I love it when you end a chapter with something funny like that. But all in all it was a somewhat glum affair, even if David wasn't totally rejected by Liz.

That whole basketball game and the aftermath was brilliantly done, I was sitting at the edge of my seat. I think Randy and David's dad handled it well. And Brendan and his dad are real heros.

Yeah, I'm with Suvitar here, calling the police was a must. But Randy may spontaneously combust if things don't get better soon. At leasy David has some hope about Liz. But why didn't he tell Adam about what Frida did ?

Sometimes I don't understand school authorities and parents. What the fuck was wrong with Adam and David's reaction? What sort of signal does it send to the other students if the two people who object to homophobic teachers using hate speech are suspended? Forget about subtleties like swearing and so, it's still plain wrong in my eyes. And even if the school wanted to, the parents should refuse to accept it. The other children are going home and telling their parents that two students were suspended because they objected to a gay hating teacher. I'd file a complaint at once !

Well, you have to love David as a protective brother, and the whole scene with the bigoted teacher was beautiful. I have the feeling the principal will enjoy giving Mr. Martin the boot. I bet the older girl in the bus was the one Randy had sex with. And he promised not to use her name as proof he's not gay.

Hmm seems like somebody finds it more fun to harass Randy than Adam, wonder why? Is this connected to Mr Trent ? Now I can't wait to see his mom's reaction. I have the feeling she won't be amused, lol.

I know it's not nice, but I couldn't help laughing at Randy's predicament. Yeah, David was an idiot the way he said it, but it's sort of funny to have his predictions come back and bite them both in the ass. LOL And Adam is the one who is in denial now, but I guess he needs to feel happy.

OK I guess I'm back to thinking of David as straight. He's finally getting his thinking straightened out too. And it's good to see that he doesn't repeat his mistakes the second time around. Hopefully he'll earn Adam's forgiveness at some point.

After all the effort David made to sort out his problem with Adam and find a way to deal with it, I don't think finding Adam and Scott kissing will do any good. Hell, Scott reacted pretty badly too, so this is a big surprise. Or maybe now, depending on how you think about closet cases being the most homophobic, sometimes.

Damn, now I'm depressed - or at least very sad. I'm worried for Aidan and Adam and even for David, who persists in being stupid and saying the wrong things. But I guess he suddenly got a lesson in humility and human decency.

I can see why David feels things are falling apart around him. For once I feel sorry for him - maybe the fact that Adam had a go at him helped - and David's concern for Aidan. I liked that he was sensible enough to take the matter to his dad. I think David's parents are making the wrong decision in not forcing him to talk, but I guess it's hard, since they would have to sit down and listen to a lot of weird stuff in order to find out what's going on in David's head. And so far he's done pretty well in behaving sort of normally apart from his outbursts.

David in Denial - that could be the title for most of these chapters. Every time he tries to think about what's happening, he twists things around in his mind to make it Adam's fault. How long can he keep it up? One of the interesting things about this story is how we get to know or suspect what other people think and say about David's behavior through him, ie the way he sees them. We agree with their perception while at the same time being shown how David feels and how he refuses to deal with it.

Oh David, you just had to fuck up everything once more, didn't you. You didn't learn anything from what Liz said, that all of the problems are caused by other people not being able to accept Adam and not by your friend. Your parents are going to be so disappointed. This was a dramatic chapter with both good and bad things. But I loved Colin the cop arresting Mr Trent. I hope he's locked up for a couple of days and that he gets a sentence. Were there hate crime laws in Australia at the time ? Oh and I suddenly noticed the story takes place in Lilydale. Does B1 and B1 go to the same school as Neil and Liam ?

While I can certainly sympathize with Liz for losing patience with David's bigoted and misguided views, maybe breaking up with him wasn't the best move. Although I realize she didn't actually break up with him, but rather told him to think about matters and not talk to her until he saw the error of his ways. But it's natural for David to feel she's broken up with him, especially since she probably will, when he persists. His strong reaction was a surprise though, and he seems to have pitched headlng into a depression. Not a good sign - and my earlier suspicion about him repressing gay urges suddenly jumped up again. But I think he could react like this just from feeling rejected, since he obviosly has issues about that. Eg how he worried about Randy facing rejection if people thought he was gay. (or is that David projecting his own fears. hmm now I'm all confused)

Hmm, seems as if David is doing his best to make amends, but he still doesn't get it. And the whole 'maybe he's turned Randy gay' thing is so crazy it would be funny if it wasn't so sad. I'm impressed at your ability to make David believable. We know he is a nice guy basically, but without his parents knowing he's been corrupted by the homophobic ideas of older guys at school. Another good reason for the education system to include real facts in the sex edu lessons - except lots of people still refuse those facts.

Whoa, talk about different reactions! David's outburst is shocking, not only to us and poor Adam, but obviously to his parents and brother as well. And the most ironic thing is that he's angry that Adam isn't who he thought he was and has been hiding a secret. Now I'm pretty sure that Randy could say the same thing about his brother, and being totally shocked that David turns out to be a bigoted homophobe. Is David just misguided or is he hiding something from himself too??? Both scenarios will be interesting. Oh and I wonder how his girlfriend will react?

Fuck, I hate stories like this. No wait, that's not true. I hate the fact that there ARE stories like this, but I applaud the way they show us how awful such parents are and how much their kids need our help and support. I hope Adam has found a new home.

Hmm, I bet Scott/Dave/Kevin didn't tell Ethan that he would absorb Jake after one year. In that case, Ethan probably wouldn't have agreed. But Jake might if he knew he would be with Ethan forever, even if only as a memory. Ethan should probably not recover, just have a year of surprising good health, before he 'dies'. Jake can do a closed casket cremation. That way there is no suspicion. But an even better sequel would be Ethan joining forces with all the other absorbed memories and taking control over the bodysnatcher. Subduing him or killing his 'mind' so Ethan can keep living with Jake.

Brr that was scary. I'm glad I read it in daylight (though November in Denmark almost doesn't qualify for the term 'light'). Hmm, so Scott was the guy Dave was before he became Dave, is that right? Very clever.

Am I right in thinking that Roman was the guy who offered the contract? Or are there two guys competing for Martin?

In my review to the most recent chapter (24) I should have said I love it when JP, Will and Wade are a team and point out how wrong other members of the family are. In this case it's buying shares in companies which promote and profit from war, but it doesn't matter what the cause is. They make an awesome team: JP provides the unassailable academic reasons, Wade the stoic morality and sense of right and wrong, and Will does the high-handed explosive bitch-slapping with a righteous passion. Wonderful

I love it when JP and Will team up. Interesting how Zach got JJ's point of view immediately - and Will's reaction was cute.

Oh, right. Thanks. Over here you have to be eighteen, so it's always weird for me to read about high school kids driving a car. I end up thinking of them as adults - or eighteen at least. And then I get confused that they can't drink beer or go to a bar, lol.

LOLthat was an unexpected but fun suggestion, and not one I'd considered so far. hmmm I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Nothing is as frightening as letting go of long held beliefs and fears and constraints. To move beyond the walls in your mind and dare to go into the sun and the fresh air. In a way I think it's like Miles died and was reborn from the ashes. But he knows he won't make it alone, he needs Jay (is it an accident that his name rhymes with ray as in ray of sunshine?). Now that Jay has read the journal, there can be no more hiding. And I loved the fact that Jay wrote in the journal. Miles can open it whenever the brick layer of fear appears and chase him away with the knowledge of Jay's love. Such a beautiful chapter, and I think you did the right thing in leaving the restraints of the prompts. I'm looking forward to more.