Jaro_423

Wow! Poor Sacha! But he's alive! Yes! He survived! I'm crying with Lacey in relief! God that was such a touching chapter. Even the closing lines with James. Though there's still the whole story of how they got out. Is that coming in another chapter? Something to do with his dad finding him? Again? Or was that just a flash back to the original finding, which seems like it was so long ago? I get a little confused reading a chapter at a time with long breaks in between. I wonder if I should put this aside and come back to it when you have finished it. Then I will make better sense of it, reading it through like a normal book instead of in installments. I'm not good with this installment thing.

Josh really did have fun going out with the crowd and with his brother. That was such a nice chapter, getting to know them all a bit better and seeing the interaction between them. Sarah seems to be quite the "faghag" in the nicest possible way here. Josh spending time like that with her could be a dead give away, though he did make some excuse about asking her about Jacob (though even that was quite gay!) Surely Sarah must know. Girls pick these things up pretty quickly. And Cody seems to be fitting in with them so easily. Is this because Ethan is actually gay? No doubt. I'm glad Josh is jealous and determined not to lose Ethan to Cody though it could spell some trouble for the gay guys up ahead. Philip is really setting up Josh now, so that he can manipulate him. What is surprising is that Josh's homophobic father employed someone like Philip. Though it is often said that the louder the homophobe shouts just indicates the more he is a gay in the closet. Could it be? Of course, it won't change anything for Josh really, but it could give the story another surprising and shocking twist.

I think the blow up between them was appropriate. Josh was thoroughly put out and he reacted very convincingly about this information. I'm not sure it could have been any different. He would have reacted badly had Jacob told him earlier and so perhaps it was best to have waited until it was unavoidable. It's good that Josh has realized that Jacob isn't to blame for this and that they have made up. Jacob is appreciating just how much love Josh is in need of too and that is so considerate. He seems more sensitive to Josh's needs than Josh is to his needs, but maybe that's cos Josh's needs are greater. Loving the way this story is going. Yes, and even the bad stuff that is to come can be dealt with better for Josh knowing he now has Jacob and Ethan, and Sarah, and maybe Cody, and maybe Jacob's family. I think he will find there's more help than he thought possible when things go sour for him with his "family" (if we can call it that).

Things are heating up for Josh. I think it is a good idea of Ethan's to go through with the weekend but try to keep out of Jacob's folks' and brothers' way and spend the time with Ethan, then go back to normality for a while and try to figure out where and how to move forward on this. I really like Ethan. Hell, I hope he does turn out to be gay. Poor Josh will be devastated if he's straight. And if he's gay and interested in Josh (as he seems to be) it will be such a plus for both of them. But maybe that's the sweetness of the ending to the story which I don't want to end just yet anyway. So enjoying it. You are doing a great job.

Another great chapter taking things a step further. Ethan is so nice. I really like him. So good that Josh is loving Jacob's life and gaining so much from it. Cody might be a threat but in the end I think he will be a friend. He understands the gay issue so other issues are likely to be understood by him too. He knows, I would think, how to keep a secret, and he can see that this is a big secret too. Loving the story. Keep it rolling!

Definitely getting more complex, but that's good, is it not. It makes the story more realistic and believable. Life is generally complicated for most of us. Not too many that can enjoy the simple life. Haha! But, yes, this swap is really going far beyond what was originally planned and is going to surely come to a bad end sometime soon. Have those History tests still not been graded? Tardy teacher! (I can say that because I am a teacher too. haha!) Philip is really going to cause a problem. Seems he is gay and suspects that Josh is too. I hope he's not thinking he can create some sort of issue that is going to help him in some way. The whole set up there is nasty and full of unspoken things, and the homophobic father is a nightmare. Normally people like that are hiding something and they are also hard and cruel. I think I must take a break now and come back to the story tomorrow. I am really enjoying it. Thanks for sharing it.

Josh seems eager to make a friend of Cody. One can understand why, but at the same time it will really complicate things for Jacob and perhaps for himself. And we are still not sure where Ethan stands in all this, so that is another unknown factor causing further complications. Wow! Maybe they should just get back in their own corners before everything blows apart! A fascinating story which you are telling so well. Thank you.

Loved the ending. Ethan is sure a tease and may well be gay! Josh is having a really good time and it's helping him so much to realize he has it in him to change the way he looks at things and learn from Jacob. I love it. He is going to find it very hard to go back to being Josh. Maybe something dramatic is going to happen to change all that. I hope so for his sake. Loving the story. Thanks for writing.

Very interesting. I suppose Philip could just be reacting to Josh and responding in kind. Funny how often that actually happens. Smile at someone and they usually can't resist smiling back, but scowl at them and they'll probably scowl back at you. So maybe all along Philip isn't really such a bad stick and it's taken Jacob to reveal this. I like that. As to Parker. Well, he's had it coming to him for a long time. I don't think Jacob overdid it other than it wasn't what Josh would have done of course. But he knew that and was trying to change the dynamic here for Josh. If he's read Parker correctly it will be ok, but he's not sure and Parker might well rally his mates and have a gang attack. That will be too awful if they have swapped back and now on his first day back Josh get's beaten up by a gang or something. Anyway, no good anticipating what you've done with the story. Read on McDuff! Let's find out!

I loved how Jacob is learning what Josh's life is like and how he is actually gaining from it as it is showing him how he can be a better student. It's lovely too to see how he is always thinking about helping Josh and wondering what he can do to improve things for him. Not sure I want to be in his shoes at dinner with Josh's parents though! No wonder he was feeling a bit scared. That also showed him how Josh must feel! Very good and insightful. I am so enjoying your story. Well done!

I really enjoyed that and it worked pretty well. Looking forward to see how it develops as we go. I guess he could always plead ill in the middle of French! Haha! He would not have to act too much as he would be feeling pretty ill anyway! Lol. You doing a great job. Loving your story.

It was still a great chapter and a very necessary build up to their swap. It was full of excitement about what they are doing and was a fascinating read. I enjoyed it and am quite hyped up for the next chapter now.

That was a good chapter and really full of compassion and bonding for them. I think Ethan's joking about their dicks is very gay. We haven't had that revealed yet, but the suspicion is planted! It's been a double shock for poor Jacob - to find he has a twin and then find out his twin is gay. Quite a lot to have to deal with. Interestingly he is better equipped to deal with these things having had a loving, supportive upbringing. I am so looking forward to their swapping. It could be hilarious or disastrous. It will sure be a way of them finding out how the other half lives! And Jacob's dealing with Parker could be fun!

A very interesting and intriguing story and you are doing such a good job on your characters making them credible and believable. One can understand Josh's parents keeping his adoption secret but not Jacob's parents. I wonder why they have hidden it? Of course, there was a time when it was considered shameful to be adopted, as though that was something one had somehow done wrong! So silly really. I think I should write a story based on my relatives where an Aunt of my mothers adopted a girl and then later she and the adopted daughter married brothers! How confused and weird is that! So your son in law is also your brother in law, and your step dad is your brother in law! Talk about crazy mixed-up family! Lol!

Must say though the word for his eye colour was very noticeable (not even a word I was familiar with) but your explanation of Josh being a reader could well explain it. It's the sort of thing a teenager interested in words would do - latch on to a word that had a special significance to him. Yes, many possibilities with the twin question especially since they were dumped on the steps of the fire station rather than handled through an adoption agency, though that might also have happened subsequently. Very intriguing. Can't wait to see what Jacob's discovered. What is interesting is that their birth names given by their mother were kept, so her request was taken seriously by whoever saw that they were taken care of. Ethan is great and a blessing to them both I can see.

I think this is developing nicely, seeing Josh make the effort to go across town to find a pool to pursue something that brings him so much pleasure. His yearning to be part of the crowd is so typical and so painful. (I remember my own teens being so much like this, and that was a while ago. Lol!) You seem to be implying that the meeting with Parker might not have the disastrous consequences we are anticipating. That would be good. And you plant the first view of his twin about which he knows nothing, but I see it is the topic of a future chapter in the contents list. A sneaky little pre-view! I am enjoying your story. Thank you for writing.

A good chapter setting the scene for Josh now in his unhappy life which is about to get more unhappy or maybe change for the better and get happy. I always prefer the latter, but the former makes good reading too. Can't believe English is not your language! Wow! You really do a great job and it is so nice to read your work, because it reads well without flaws. Loving the story so far and keen to read on.

Wow! That was a heart-breaking start that definitely captures attention and immagination. I am looking forward to reading on.

Wow! Thanks so much, Sammy B! That is so encouraging, I could kiss you. Lol!

Wow! Thanks so much, Sammy B! That is so encouraging, I could kiss you. Lol!

Wow! Thanks so much, Sammy B! That is so encouraging, I could kiss you. Lol!

Oh so brilliantly tense. I was on edge the whole chapter trying to get James to get ready in case Ryland came back before expected and the tension continued right to the end. But now will James find a phone, will he get the thug tied up before he comes round, will Sasha survive this. OMG so many things. Hope you post the next chapter quickly, Nephy. Otherwise I'm going to be a basket case with worry. Lol!

I, like Brad, was a little shy of wanting to "like" the chapter but I had to do it because you write so powerfully and convincingly, so I'm appreciating your talent but not liking the content at all. However, you did mention that this was pivotal to some later understanding and I'm sure I will appreciate its significance later if only to make Ryland more hateful and evil than ever, and to feel absolute sympathy and fear for Sasha and now James. Even for James. No matter how much of a shit he had been he's been cruelly woken to reality now and will never ever be the same again, and one can't help feeling sorry for how he has been changed, though glad that he will be changed for the better by witnessing the worst and having himself to participate in it. I always enjoy your incredibly powerful stories. Thank you.

A very powerful and moving story, though it was difficult to start it knowing what it's content dealt with. However, these unpleasant facts of life need to be faced and you made the reader face them without unduly traumatizing him. Very nicely balanced. I loved the way you broke up Ron's recollections with the comments from the ER team working on him. It was a great way to break up the story into chunks that could be digested little by little. The childhood memories were awful - shut in a dark basement after being hit and shouted at! Poor little man! And then the loss of his dog that had become such a comfort to him. I so identified with that because I love dogs and have one lying half on my feet as I write this. So the loss of it was all the more poignant to me. Thank you.

Play the evening light Fast falls the night.