jkwsquirrel

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

Thanks Okiegrad! It was my pleasure to share the story with you all. See you later!

I don't know if I'd call Dr. Reilly a bad psychiatrist, or even a bad person. A bad mother? Certainly! They say the plumber's toilet is often the one that overflows. Too often we focus on other people's issues and neglect our own. Dr. Reilly's parenting skills were neglectful at best and abusive at worst.

Yeah, I had to work him in there somewhere!

Thanks for your awesome support, my friend! I've truly enjoyed your passion and love for the story. Paula's journey was an interesting one, kind of the counter-point to Billy's story. So much of the focus has been on the other parents, but Paula ended up being the rock of the story. Yes, Billy's response to Sarah's insults really summed up Billy's growth in the story. Pretty much saying, "I don't have to respond to this." Dustin's scene may have been the saddest thing I've written, and that's saying a lot. No big dramatic moment, just the inevitable march of time. Dr. Reilly... Yeah, always manipulating. The future wedding - Yeah, that's all for you guys to picture. Some things are better left to the imagination! (Like Star Wars prequels...) Any way, I'm thankful! I'm glad you've enjoyed the adventure. I've appreciated your support more than you could ever know. See you later, my friend!

Thanks glennish! I've enjoyed our time together! I had to do the happy ending after putting my boys through hell for 85 chapters! They earned their happy ending, and so did everyone who came along on the journey. Thanks for the kind thoughts. Remember, it's not really goodbye. See you later!

I had to give Sarah one last scene. What a bitch! lol. The scene with Dustin was sad to write, but way too true. They're going in different directions, and things will never be like they were before for them. I like when things come full circle, and the lake in the park has been the centering point of the story. Seemed appropriate to bring it back there once more time. I'm really happy you enjoyed the story. I've enjoyed your comments very much! See you later!

Thanks Estiveo! Glad you enjoyed the journey!

Thank you! I've appreciated your excitement and energy! Glad you enjoyed the trip!

As the days passed by after graduation, I was beginning to get used to the idea that I was free. June passed by as uneventfully as it could, considering I was now sharing my room with my boyfriend and his pet snake. I had thought that moving in together would become a non-stop sex-fest, but it wasn’t. I mean, yeah, there was a lot of sex, but knowing that we could have sex any time we wanted was more appealing than actually having sex anytime we wanted! We’d had experience living together before

“It’s just a stupid title,” I said, hoping to calm Brett down yet again. It had been a week since Mr. Hartley had threatened me by threatening my best friend’s future. I had told Brett about it right away. Every time I thought he had finally calmed down about it, he brought it back up. “No, it’s more than that! You can’t let that asshole do this to you! You just can’t! Not again. I’m so sick of assholes trying to manipulate you!” “Brett, I get it, and I appreciate your suppo

I don't mean to. I'm working on it when I can. Won't be too much longer!

Thanks Lisa! I've missed your reviews! I'm glad this chapter was meaningful for you! I do think both boys will grow from their experiences, and in some ways that has happened. As for Billy's list of names, I just thought it funny that they were all rockers!

Thanks Lisa! Paula and Dr. Reilly have both come a long way from where they started! As for the end of the story? Afraid so! All good things... as they say!

I hadn't thought about any of this. Doesn't mean it didn't happen. You'd think Dustin would mention it though? Though he is pretty protective of his former johns.

Yeah, my thought was that Dustin is 18, though it's still illegal to record someone like this without their permission. Oh totally. But Billy would have to tell someone and they would have to find the evidence, and Mr. Hartley isn't that stupid.

I think Mr. Hartley is hoping that Billy will learn to play the game long after there's any way he can get back at Mr. Hartley for what he did!

Yeah, that's what I was going for! Sometimes the bad guy wins the battle, but the good guy wins the war.

This is it. Real life writes the plot sometimes!

No, I don't think Mr. Taylor knows the kind of man Mr. Hartley is. I can't judge whether it's right or wrong to hope he gets hit by a bus! lol I don't think she was afraid that Brett would hit her, I just think she realized she was in a room full of people who just saw her strike her child. Of course, she tried to blame Billy for everything as soon as Brett left. That said, I've really enjoyed the slow-revealing villainy of Dr. Reilly. I've said it before, but Brett is, on some levels, just as abused and neglected as Dustin, it's just more easily hidden behind her money.

Some times the bad guys win the battle and lose the war. Billy never needed to be valedictorian to prove how smart he was.

Dustin - Put yourself in his shoes for the last month. Where does Billy go when Brett's not around? He goes to Dustin. Now that Brett and Billy are reconciled, Dustin sees himself being demoted, as usual, all while Billy sings the praises of his glorious monogamous relationship, a relationship that the boys stayed faithful to even when they were separated. Dustin just didn't want to hear one more time how much Billy and Brett love each other, and let's face it, Billy can be a bit judgy about Dustin's sex life, even if he doesn't mean to be. So no, Billy's intent wasn't malicious, but Dustin didn't want to hear it and shut it down before it made him throw up. Mr. Hartley - Oh yes, absolutely unethical and even illegal activity. Of course he would justify his actions with his "any means necessary" philosophy. I'm glad you saw that from his point of view, he's the hero, doing what it takes to get what he wants, for the betterment of everyone. And if he has to hurt a few people along the way, so be it. But I think it's true of any community that there are those who push the boundaries for their own purposes, or for what they think is the greater good. Not everyone within the gay community in Billy's world is supportive or even nice. Mr. Hartley scoffs at playing nicely with people. He got done what Pastor Carl and John Taylor couldn't do. The homophobes in charge failed, but the gay teacher got Billy to surrender, and I think it's because he understands Billy far more than Billy wants to admit. Mr. Hartley is playing chess while the others are playing checkers. He didn't even tell Billy to keep it a secret. He didn't need to. He already won before the game even started.

Don't expect Billy to keep this one hidden, at least from Brett. He learned that lesson!

I think that was Brett's thought too, just enjoying the chaos of that scene. By the time Billy gets home, I'm sure Mr. Hartley will have made sure that video has no connection to him. He's not stupid, which is why he's so dangerous.

Thanks! The town just gets more corrupt, it really doesn't matter who is in charge. All Brett needed to do was bring popcorn to that meeting.