redwood

Whew, what an intense chapter, Dodger! I could feel Robbie's fear when he was sitting at the diner with Fran, trying to summon the words to come out. You really had me worrying that he would chicken out. Fran's reaction surprised me. The shock and the anger, I expected, but not her denial and frantic attempt to suck Robbie straight. And the scene with Nathan that night was heartbreaking. Poor Nathan, he's built up this fantasy about Robbie and it's not standing up to reality. It was quite revealing to hear his perspective and his disappointment. The boy is classy and has standards. All he's asking is to not share Robbie with a girl. What is stopping Robbie from saying that it's over with Fran? Grrr. Shape up, Robbie!

I love this chapter, Dodger, it might be your best so far. The back and forth between Nathan and Robbie, with Daniel as the slow-on-the-uptake bystander, is delicious. But the best part is what Robbie says about becoming "hard-nosed and cynical" after his mom died and not believing in happy endings. As someone who lost a parent in childhood, I couldn't have said that better myself. That experience burned me and I came to believe that happy endings are only for other luckier people, if they exist at all outside of Disney movies. It's not easy to lose a parent and then have to deal with being gay on top of it; you start to feel like the world has ganged up on you. Kudos to Robbie for being willing to suspend disbelief and take advantage of this amazing opportunity with Nathan.

Nathan is such a hoot, he really has a way with words. Lines that had me busting out laughing: "I have this effect on girls." "You wouldn’t wanna know what I do to you in my dreams, Daniel." Shit is gonna hit the fan when Robbie comes out to Fran. In retrospect, she'll have seen the signs. But she's ignored them and the breakup should come as a nasty surprise. I'm nervous just thinking about it!

Ahhhh finally. So happy for Robbie. Can't wait for more "combustion" with Nathan!

I agree, this chapter was painful to read. Alex is a total d-bag for taking advantage of Robbie when he wasn't in a state to consent to sex. At least Robbie has enough self-respect to realize that he deserves better. I hope Robbie follows through on his commitment to drop this guy.

Halfway through the story, that's awesome. I'm buckled in for the ride. I wonder if Fran will figure out Robbie soon. He keeps dropping unintentional hints that he likes guys. Surprised she hasn't confronted him yet.

Not the most savory chapter, Dodger, but you did give us fair warning. Now that Robbie can "perform" for Fran, I'm wondering what if anything will impede his attempt to go straight. You've spun a real mystery here!

It's painful to see Robbie come so close to being with Nathan but get cold feet in the end. He's clearly not ready to come out or be found out by anyone, not for a few chapters at least. This confused me at first because it seemed like a retreat to the closet from his time with Tom in England, and Daniel and Sue show every indication of being supportive. But I now understand that, to Robbie, having sex in secret with his best friend is a far cry from a relationship with a gay boy who's out to the entire school. Maybe the Fran and Alex episodes are a good thing, so Robbie knows himself better before he's ready to date Nathan. But first things first, how will Robbie "perform" for Fran? Should be very revealing.

Poor Robbie, what a miserable evening! But you could see it coming when he decided to leave the heavy jacket at home. Should be some interesting fallout with his family and Fran.

Love this chapter. You built the suspense and paced it really well... reminds me of the riddle game between Bilbo and Gollum in The Hobbit, but a little spicier. Three guesseses! The dialogue and Robbie's inner thoughts are so realistic. I busted out laughing several times at his reactions, especially fumbling the phone and all the involuntary cursing. Anyways, how many hot guys are there in Robbie's class? Lol, they keep coming out of the woodwork. I hope Robbie enjoys playing the field. But bring Nathan back soon, please?

Dodger, I used to lurk on this site, but I signed up to say that I love this story for a lot of reasons. Your description of the Canadian winter is enchanting and makes me long for snow. Your characters are really relatable, especially Robbie, Tom and Daniel. I like the sibling dynamic between the popular, loud-mouthed Nicola and quiet Daniel. And Nathan! He is completely adorable, but I understand Robbie's fear of pursuing him. Few are out and proud at 15, and it makes sense that Robbie is scared of sticking his neck out after losing his mom and having to start anew in Canada. I imagine that being capable of liking both girls and boys makes things even more confusing. Still, here's hoping that Nathan comes back soon.