Jeff Burton

@Njdenni Nate <3

That's usually how I handle plot lines. lmao @Philippe Thank you, I'm glad its confirmed I got this right.

Welp. That's that. Now we just wait until the first body shows up. You know, the title of this story didn't click until I saw: "He says to read Hosea 8:7," then it just clicked and I understood, good job on that one @Josh Aterovis that's some planning and theming I'm not sure I could have pulled off lol.

Oh thank god, I wasn't sure how this chapter was going to react. I had to do some major chapter realignment, because Chapter 6 ran long, Chapter 6 and 7 was originally slated to be just chapter 6, but my word count estimation for particular scenes was way, way, way off. I ended up with more content than planned and I couldn't leave any of it on the cutting room floor, I felt it was too good. So when I split it up, Chapter 6 ended up being slightly longer, but Chapter 7 ended up way short. What I ended up doing was just taking the plot outlines for Chapter 6, 7, and 8, changed the order, and extended it. That left Chapter 6 as is, filled Chapter 7 to a reasonable amount and let Chapter 7 end organically. I know that's a lot of technical mumbo jumbo, but I really was concerned about the flow, pacing and emotional impact. Right now I'm trying to fit Chapter 8 so it doesn't run long or short, so I can keep the plans for Chapters 9 through 12. Look at me, actually using a planned story layout for once instead of flinging it at the wall hoping it sticks. @Ticklishboy30 I'm very happy with your comment, it means it's working, thank you!

Chapter 8 may not be ready tomorrow I'm not finished with it. As I mentioned before Chapters 1 through 5 was finished before I had started the story, but Chapter 6 took me a while to get right, and by the time it published I was out of Chapters that where waiting. I'm gonna try to get ahead again over the weekend but that may or may not happen, I don't want to rush this one. I'm enjoying writing it too much.

The rest of the afternoon blurred into something warm and chaotic. The loft buzzed with movement, half-finished projects, music drifting in and out, and the soft scratch of pencil on paper. Luca’s friends were loud, opinionated, scattered, and somehow, it worked. The longer I sat among them, the more the noise began to feel like comfort. Like maybe belonging didn’t always require silence. I watched arguments turn into brainstorms, and critiques bloom into encouragement. Even when I wasn’t s

Yeah you see where I'm going with dad. Mom is undecided. She may or may not change when shit hits the fan. as for Luca being a life preserver, well you know. I couldn't include Gavin in this story. 😂 Also that quote you mentioned, Luca's line I totally stole that from a guy I used to know who told it to me when I was Luca's age. He was a really good guy and I kinda wish things hadn't gone to crap with us due to "friends" but thats water under the bridge. Least I can do in remembrance is replay part of a conversation that happened 23 years ago for posterity .

I was having a really crappy morning until I saw this, comment I hadn't even read it yet and I was already happy. Without giving away too much and taking the fun out of it, I will say you hit the points on both Jamie and Luca, but you know I try not to kiss and tell in the first chapter.

I'm not a time traveler lol

Well you know how I am as soon as a character starts being happy….

Whew, I did get done with Chapter 7, and managed to start 8.

You won't have to wait long I dont think lmao.

I'm just going to react like Jamie would. God. My face was burning. I shifted under the blanket, pretending to stretch so I wouldn’t do something embarrassing, like try to acknowledge it.

Luca is probably one of the most complex on the inside but simple on the outside characters I've ever written some of his stuff will come out later but yeah there's a reason for all of what he's doing. If anything he is definitely the representation of the thing that saves us from ourselves sometimes.

I really need @Summerabbacat to notice this story is here. I miss his comments and critiques. So forum notifications do your thing.

I kind of have the same situation that's why 'Life in Suspension' and 'Salvaging the Road to Redemption' hasn't been updated. I will update them eventually but I have to be in a certain emotional state to write those stories and that emotional state is not conductive to good mental health. This story though makes me feel good when I work on it and I've got a plan for this one so it's not like I'm just winging it at least. lol But I am trying to make every new chapter be as good or better than the chapter before it. It's the least I can do for the people reading it.

Chapter 6 actually ended my being ahead of chapters posted because I'm still writing chapter 7. Chapters 1 through 5 where written before I started posting, It's taken me a while to craft chapter 6 because on some elements I'm out of my depth and it required some research and soul searching. Poor Jamie has been stuck between two worlds the one his father wants and the one he wants and he can't reconcile it at all. Unfortunately for Jamie's father Luca is pretty much laying waste to that side, the whole point of the weekend was to do exactly what you noticed. Show Jamie what life could be. As for character creation, I'm really trying on this one. Getting it right has been a challenge, I've probably been through Luca's small friend group about 6 or 7 times recreating characters to represent as much as I can and there's others that still haven't been debuted. My story notes file for this one is big, and really disorganized lol. The more work I do on this the more ideas pop in my head making me think this is how a series is born. Just Maybe is a huge effort of love on my part and I'm enjoying every second of it. Just note due to the fact I'm not ahead on chapters anymore it may take a day or two going forward to post them.

The first thing I noticed was how quiet it was. Not the kind of silence that pressed in from outside, but the kind that felt lived-in. Soft around the edges. It hung in the air like the aftertaste of music, lingering even after the last note had faded. For a second, I didn’t move, just blinked up at the ceiling, my eyes still adjusting to the light filtering through the half-open blinds. Pale bands of sun stretched across Luca’s desk, brushing over the worn covers of his thrift store

Kind of makes you wonder how often Luca was standing somewhere in the background just watching while Jamie was filling his sketchbook with campus scenery eh?

You're going to absolutely love the next two chapters then.

@Ticklishboy30 thanks I really appreciate it. These guys are really starting to grow on me as well!

I'm stalled at the moment on the other two stories I have posted, hoping to resolve those issues soon, but this story is something I've been playing with for a while. I'm seriously trying not to rush this one to just breath and let it be a little more organic in it's setup. I've probably had the most fun with this chapter and the next two. I appreciate the feedback Parker, it means a lot.

I woke with a start, the kind where your whole body jolts, heart hammering, convinced something’s wrong. For a moment, panic clawed at me, fight-or-flight digging into my muscles. I stayed still, breathing hard. Why was I breathing hard? I listened carefully, my eyes darting from corner to corner, trying to find the danger my mind was convinced existed. But there was nothing. The house was quiet, exactly as it should be. The silence rang in my ears, a familiar kind of em

Where do I even begin. I have a small list of favorite stories I reread on GA on a regular basis, this was my first time reading this one. Parker did an amazing job of taking not only Andy on his journey, but the reader on one as well. It's an emotional roller coaster that will make you mad, make you cry, make you laugh, and make you think. This story is definitely on my re-read list, so make it apart of yours. You won't regret it.

@Parker Owens I owe you 66 chapter heart reacts and probably a hug or two. This has been on my list to read for a while and I just binged it. Great job on this, I loved it all the way through. Thank you for this.