Dayne Mora

Ya know, I noticed that, too. I'd say it's one part major presentation jitters, two parts Mike forgetting shit and making him late, and three parts Preston turning his brain to mush!

Chapter 19 -- The Aphrodisiacal Properties of Intersectionality and Juxtaposition I greeted Preston with a quick kiss. His mouth wasn’t exactly designed for such short-shrift, but I was already running behind, and if I indulged in the kind of kisses his lips demanded, I’d miss our presentation altogether. And, so, small peck it was. Mike and Dr. Collins’ last minute list of all the shit that they’d forgotten to pack up in their rush to be “on time” ran through my head, but I wasn’t so dist

So, a large percentage of my students are males between 14 and 16, so I can confirm that yes, American teenage boys wear cologne. Axe is slowly going out of style, as is that Ed Hardy shite that was popular with the middle school boys I used to teach (thank god). A number of them carry their bottles of cologne in their book bags. Light Blue and Polo and Lacoste scents tend to be popular with the in crowd, and the super markets that carry cologne stock them. I've even seen some Versace and Prada at the HEB. (that's mainly why I suggested them) I don't think Luke would buy a scent for himself, but I do imagine that Ryan would do so as a gift.

Winter break... It's a good thing that the guys have such a solid circle of friends (and support in some rather unlikely places). They're going to need it.

Hm, I wonder if Kevin is intentionally shoving it all on Adam, or if he genuinely believes all the shit coming out of his mouth. Either he's gas-lighting Adam, or he's really just that screwed up in the head. In any case, he deserves better than Kevin, and I'm kinda glad that Adam was harsher than he meant to be (maybe his subconscious taking the wheel?). Screwy hookups with Patrick and Brandon aside, Adam would be better off hooking up with random men off ManFind. Seriously. I mean, sure he gets no love or affection from hookups, but one-night stands are less likely to fuck with his head (yeah, his deal with Patrick threw him, but after Dragon, they may be closer as brothers than the other guys in the frat). Of course, speaking from the Church of Been There, Done That, it's hard to separate what your dick wants and what's good for your heart and mind. But still, DTMFA!

For such an odd couple, they just work. As for that tub, holy cat have I been wanting to get Preston in front of a mirror!

It still floors me how we can see everyone else's crap, but fail to see our own. Adam totally recognizes that Eric and Erica were doomed for failure, that Eric wanted more than Erica had to offer, but completely fails to see the parallels with him and Kevin. It is interesting that both Erica and Kevin are older (and thus know the score). Of course, this could also mean that there were things everyone inside Eric and Erica's non-relationship failed to see. Is it weird that we (or at least, I) didn't automatically empathize with Eric we the way we do for Adam?

Thanks ^.^ PS - Does this mean I should totally do something weird with them?

Skinny - you spoil me, I spoil you.

I think set my bar too high on the funny Will have to bring it harder next time. I agree that love isn't just a declaration. Time might help the guys figure out that they're "there" already. Hopefully, it won't take an act of God or buttinsky friends for them to finally admit it to themselves or each other. And, winter break. That is worrisome.

Indie and Preston (and JJ, too) may need to get a taste of their own medicine for butting their noses in.

Flustered in a meeting? My work here is done! It wasn't exactly 'Rain's first time (he mentions in "Cory Has a Posse" that he'd done it before, but that it wasn't his thing), but it was their first time reversing their roles. Hm, I wonder if they'd be able to switch other kinks, too. Submissive E to dominant C? /shrug Maybe.

Funny how we're blind to our own relationships, but everyone's stuff is plain as day.

To be honest, love declarations just don't feel right for them at this time. 'Rain a total love noob, so he'll always be slow to recognize these things. And Cory has seen enough heartbreak to make him gun-shy. They may feel it, but making them say "i love you" feels hollow and meaningless.

Maybe. This is Efrain's first romance, so we kinda have to cut him some slack.

Chapter 18 – This Little Kitten Went to Market Sixteen days. My first months at VT had breezed right past me, leaving me with just sixteen days before I had to drive back home for Christmas. In eight days, I would be handing in my final term papers and attending my last lecture. Indie’s presentation to the department heads would be around that time. Preston would start working on the annual Pride conference set for the spring on top of studying for all his exams. In ten days, I would sit

Burch did something to him. Something that a much older Burch feels guilty as sin about -- guilty enough to harass, then later attempt beating and killing the victim. I wonder if the other two boys with Burch were also his victims. As a little girl, Liz cannot be held responsible for not coming forward because she DID tell an adult. She did tell that [insert mile-long list of obscenities] that PPF had touched her and the [insert second mile-long list] hit her. Liz was a little girl and had no way of knowing that that reaction was wrong and that she would get a different result with another trusted adult who ACTUALLY warranted that trust. Dad also needs to be absolved. Most sexual assaults are perpetrated by people known to the victim, yet "stranger danger" seems to be the message we still get. No one wants to think the person they know and trust could hurt them or their children. As a member of the church (he's a deacon, right?), and someone vetted by the pastor, Burch should be trustworthy. It may not even crossed their father's mind until something happened. Even still, it would still be incomprehensible to Dad that Burch would hurt David, or that PPF would put his hands on Liz, or that his own wife would allow any of this to happen. He did notice something off about both men, and did the best he could. Hindsight is 20/20. Of course, as adults we might be able to see this and understand. It's pretty understandable that David will need a lot of help to process it all enough to heal. Hopefully, Dad will fair better here.

Two words: Chapter 17 Did Eric ever apologize for that day? Did he even think about what he had done? Would apologies and remorse actually make any difference? As clueless as David is about himself, he's sometimes really good at reading people. Something about Eric seems off to him.

"Casual sex and casual affection." Both of them are pretty much convinced that their connection is just sex at this point; it may take awhile for them to pull their heads out of their asses. As for Preston taking Indie - I don't know just yet. Indie takes pleasure in giving pleasure, Preston gives by taking. As hot as it would be, I don't know if it would fit their characters. But, of course, this could be my own preconceived notions. I've been writing ExC since September, and I'm still trying to work my head around Efrain and Cory switching roles. I mean, so far the only thing I've been able to work myself up to was a finger. I will admit, it didn't occur to me that Preston's refusal to pull punches would appeal to Indie rather than scare him.

The husband has been asking me since November if I have an idea of when I might start wrapping this up (I think he wants his spouse back >.>), but there's just too many things to do in their world!

Indie's tub was based on one my grams used to have. Not as deep and impressive, and for some reason everything was covered in carpet, but mirrors for days.

Actually, 'Rain borrowed the name from Indie. We'll spend more time with the others families soon. There will be more with the Cards, and Indie's dad's crew. However, I need to work in Molly Jones (Indie's mother), and Grandpa and Grandma Finnegan. Also, Kent and Ellie would pitch a fit if we didn't spend time with the Turners. There are a few explanations (though, not excuses) for why Preston is so spoiled, which will come out as he and Indie get to know each other. However, he isn't as spoiled as Kent and Ellie believe. He is much older than his half-siblings, so he would have more privileges. His father's family dotes on him quite a bit, but they dote on Kent and Ellie just as much. As for Indie's family situation - his father's involvement in his life is mostly monetary. He paid his child support and alimony faithfully, and still pays off Indie's credit card every month (grad students get fuck all for pay). Other than that, Andre Norman, and by extension Claire, doesn't bother with his own son. Indie is really close to his mother, which makes it pretty worrying that he ditched her on Thanksgiving.

Chapter 17 – Mirror, Spice, Flow Part I – Fuck-a-thon, Redux I stood up on the couch and slipped over the back. A move that didn’t go over so well with the siblings. “Mooooooooooooooooom!” “Preston’s jumping on the furniture again!” “Aren’t you guys too old to tattle?” I taunted. Mom’s melodramatic sigh followed me as I bolted out of the room. “Why does he get to run in the house?” my little sister whined and my baby brother echoed. As I raced up the stairs, I heard my step-dad and mom

As an English teacher, I'm downright offended by Wentworth's "teaching" methods. It makes me almost as stabby as the teachers at Casey's old school (his mother included!!!!). There's a reason why so many college athletes end up doing so poorly in their academic endeavors - well-meaning coaches, teachers, and parents who neglect the "student" part of "student athlete" because they're too occupied with sports. Wentworth's role as coach and mentor is important, but he lets it get in the way of the other things those boys need from him. Yeah, English sounds like a worthless, who-gives-a-damn, class, but language arts happens to be one of those subjects that touch everything else one does in life. #soapbox The English teacher in me is happy that Casey got into another class and would not lose a year of language instruction. Also, Max could teach Wentworth a few things about empowering young people.

Cory did have a rough start with the Garzas. He's already picked up on some differences between his family and Efrain's. And, you know no ones going to let Eric or Juaquin live down that dinner, especially where there's video!