skinnydragon

Your story is piecing together beautifully mitchelll ! It's like assembling a puzzle where the parts are even from different eras, but all somehow connect. This leads us to several erroneous guesses,and lots of mystery. Everything is really a 'cliffhanger' because we know so few facts we're certain of. The next chapter always promises answers but delivers questions! Very well done! Can't wait for more!

There is flattery in friendship H.V - WS *** “So are you gonna tell me? What's going on?” “My mother's having an affair.” “No shit? Fuck! No wonder you ditched yesterday. Does your father know?” “The only people who know are me, and now you.” (Little white lie.) “How did you find out?” “I saw it.” “Heavy. Well my mouth is zipped. You know that.” “Thanks Gary. I think I'm gonna keep it quiet. As fucked up as my family is, it will only get worse for Tommy and me if it breaks up.” “Yeah

This is the second review I had to write for the chapter ...grrr! The first got lost in cyberspace somewhere ...grrrrrrr! OK let's see if I can remember my perfect wording. It was nice Zander could witness Andy's work from last summer and hear the praise from Eustace. There seems to be a slow rearrangement going on between the boys. I don't want to call it a power shift because power isn't what's going on here. Maybe vulnerability shift is more accurate. And I'm not even sure Zander is becoming more vulnerable. Maybe he was always so, but compared to the earlier Andy seemed to be more confident. As Andy has grown, in so many ways, this subtle shift is emerging. Incredibly well done Parker ...truly! Thank you for sharing Andy's journal!

Thanks for the great comments Def! You might be onto something about Steve. He was already worried from the last chapter. Introducing Toph to HIS family and then having Toph not reciprocate could have been read by him as vindication of his old worry. It's certainly possible. Toph won't easily forgive nor forget. We know that! Gary: take note!

Hey jess! Thanks for the review and comments. Everything you said about Steve is right. Toph needs to walk very carefully there. No one actually believed he was going back to Euphoria, did they? Toph may NEVER go back.

Hey Lisa! By now you know Oscar is the writer in the TALON Tea club. He has apparently made an emotional connection with Toph. And he was the only one to hug Toph when the rest of the club was trying to convince him to go home for Xmas. Plus Oscar gets more important as we work through the year. Maybe Steve DID have his own reasons for going to the club. Which would imply trouble ahead.

Thanks for the insightful comments Parker. You certainly might be on to something re: Toph and forgiveness. I'm sure it's related to having lived behind shields his entire life, but he tends to hold a grudge. Steve - doesn't look good at this point. Toph's already built a picket fence.

Thanks for the comments jay! You're right about alcohol. I'm not sure Toph ever saw Steve drunk before - at least he's never commented on it. Interesting suspicion about the motive for going to the club.

Thanks for the comments Graeme! About the kiss. Normally kisses flow like Champagne, but by anyone's rules, Toph HAD to receive the first kiss. On top of everything, Steve's kiss with the half-naked boy Toph witnessed seemed more than a Happy New Year kiss. Trouble ahead? probably.

Thanks tim! Interesting and messy - love it - and that's only his poor brain right now. The Steve thing IS worrisome.

Thanks for you comments Rosicky! Yeah, Toph got hit with a one-two punch this month. He was already complaining about the confusion in his mind. Let's see what the new year will bring!

Rex! Thanks for the great comments and ...grumbles... haha! I think Gary knows. He's tuned into Toph pretty closely. About the Euphoric dinner. Somehow I have the feeling the only time we'd see Toph there is wearing a suicide vest. Steve? we'll have to wait < grumble > sorry.

Hey spikey, I don't think it's childish. He deserves some grief! And don't think for one minute The General isn't aware of exactly which doghouse he's in. The Steve thing is troubling. Especially now we see Toph doesn't back away from holding a grudge! Ask Gary. Thanks for the great comments!

Hey Tim, you're welcome ...haha! Oscar is the writer who is part of the TALON Tea group. He and Toph made a special connection in the last chapter. Yeah, We got to see a little bit what was going on in Toph's head this chapter. Not too pretty, but he seems to be aware. Thanks for commenting!

OK Rex, I was about to become one of those hungry birds until I read tim's review. So since he already said it, I got a reprieve. Before I go further, I called the crayfish boil a 'bbq' in my ch6 review. I realize that's a great faux pas in certain parts of the States, so I apologize. Dragons aren't usually involved in bbqs or boils, so we're a little ignorant in that regard. I'm glad Rex was there to explain to Clayton he was going to be part of a couple. Let's get these two together already! hehe. Am I reading too much into Bikers/Barry/sickness? I hope so. Can't wait for what you promised next!

Thanks for the intro to Chapter 7 Rex! I almost always read the end of a previous chapter before starting a new installment and NOTHING looked familiar, plus there was no 'like' for it. All I could imagine is I must have begun reading it when I had to shut down and leave for work or something. Thanks for making me realize I'm not crazy. I'm too young to be forgetting sh*t! A nice chapter btw. Loved Ryan discovered the ramps were built for him and meeting the kids. All flowed so naturally and the crayfish bbq was grand. Oh yeah, we can't forget Ryan's realization of what Clayton means to him. OK now to chapter 7!

You painted a beautiful chapter here tim. The description of the house was the visual painting. The description of Philip was the emotional painting. Hurt, guilt, longing, patience and love are difficult recipe ingredients -- you baked this cake perfectly. Lovely chapter, anticipating more!

oxala's right jess - come back in! It's usually not too busy in here anyway, maybe you'll perk the place up

Thanks so much for this dayne!! Tommy's mother a pig? Hmmmm ...David might have sorta said that: "That's some heavy sinning for a pastor who, at least, seems to have lived up to his nickname." Yep, he seems to have given her that honor, besides Pricka that is. Now about you last suggestion. Wow, what a thought! OK. I guess I'll need to hole up and rewrite the next five chapters

Hey jess, thanks for the great, if somewhat nauseous, comments ...hehe! You're right about it being too much for our little hero's head. He's already admitted it (sorta) to himself. I think you might be right about Chuck too. Everyone seems to be selling him short. He's gay, he's smart and he likes Matty and seems to be attracted to him. Matty's gaydar appears impeccable, but who knows what he's awakening

Milos! You summed up the chapter perfectly!

Hey Parker! You weren't the only one grossed out. I almost puked as that scene ejaculated from my fingers. Unfortunately, David isn't finished poking the viper nest just yet. Matty DOES seem like a hedonist in a sex toy store! Thanks, as always, for your great comments.

I thought GA had rules about this sort of thing .... RELIEF, I just knew PPF had kidnapped David. Sometimes, not very often, it's really good to be wrong. But with that white van looming, I doubt David is really safe. Vova gave David some sage advice, even if he watered down his explanation of the nuclear option. Back when Putin was hanging out in Prague, when the KGB was still the KGB, and the red army was REALLY RED, the collective set of polices around nuclear deterrence were know as MAD - "Mutually Assured Destruction". Be very careful David, check with Vladimir often, playing with nukes is dangerous business. "Prick and Pricka"? Another demotion? Poor Twoey, 2000 texts, no naked call, no kisses ... And poor Chuck. His questions are great, but he needs to ask Twoey, not Our Patron Saint of Clueless! Chuck, put your seat belt on little bro, you may just be going for a hell of a ride. Thank YOU oxala for an entertaining review - you've certainly caught the spirit of 18 weeks! MAD kidnapping bestiality, orbiting the Patron Saint of Clueless. I guess that pretty much sums it up for Nov. 6!

Thanks for your comments Def! Sorry for tempting you to lose your lunch. That WAS something severe for David to witness - what the eff did he know either! You're right with one thing, we can't put anything past them. I don't know if I'd call Matty a pimp, but he does have a one track mind, which has nothing to do with wrestling, although...

Thanks for your kind comments and insight, AC! Your focus on two aspects of Toph at this moment in his development - lack of self-knowledge and glimpse into his recognition of the spirit of others - causes me to compare him to a young colt: full of energy and potential, but clumsily stumbling over his own long legs. Yep, that's our Toph at this moment ...haha