jkwsquirrel

This was a necessary chapter. The boys had to confront each other at some point. It had been festering beneath the surface for quite a while. Brett wounded Dustin, and Billy pulled off the mask. What was under the mask was pretty scary. For all of Brett's bravado and bluster, he's legitimately afraid of Dustin. When Dustin started hitting him back he crushed Brett. Brett knows Dustin is smart, and also bigger and stronger than him. Brett acted out of desperation when he used the intimate details of his relationship with Billy to hurt Dustin. We're on the cusp of maturity here. These are the actions of boys who are on their way to something deeper. It's a scary time for them.

We'll find out where Brett went in the next chapter. This was the "bump in the road" chapter. Well, more like a smoking crater, but still... I'm actually quite happy with how it worked out. Everything in this chapter was meant to be there. Dustin and Brett see things differently than Billy. Whether they were right about each other is another story. The truth may be somewhere in the middle. Brett baited Dustin along until he realized that Dustin was actually more than he could handle. Once Dustin started hitting back he destroyed Brett, leaving Brett a screaming angry mess. Dustin is a very dangerous young man who is driven by desperation, and it makes him do desperate things.

We'll find out where Brett went looking in the next chapter.

There will come a time when Brett will get what's coming to him. Things can go a number of different directions at this point. The boys may surprise you. The road to maturity and rehabilitation is often bumpy.

This was the low point. They are right on the cusp.

You've got it! If they ever get their act together they would be awesome. But being petty and jealous little assholes seems to be their default mode at this point in their lives. (At this point in their lives!) They are all right on the cusp of manhood, they just don't know how to handle it yet. They're still boys, and life is moving very fast, dragging them kicking and screaming toward maturity. How they handle it may be surprising. Brett was always a dick. From the beginning. Brett's mom is more like a roommate than a mother. Maybe we'll explore that sometime. (We're totally going to explore that sometime!)

One of the saddest things in life is that many times the child who is abused becomes the abuser. Dustin is on a dangerous road. Everything you said about Brett is true. He's a jerk at this point in his life. There's been no reason for him to change who he is because everyone has indulged him. What will happen when someone finally confronts him on his bullshit who actually cares about him?

I can't disagree with any of this! lol! Give it some time and it'll all work out.

Well, it finally happened. After a week of constant supervision by Dr. Reilly, she finally left us alone! It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and it was going to be a great day! School was finished, and Dr. Reilly told us that she had some work to do in Pittsburgh and that she hoped we didn’t mind if she left us on our own for the day. We tried to pretend that we would miss her. We really did! I felt like a brand new kid! I was starting to dig myself out of the rut my life had been

Brett vs. Dustin this coming Sunday night! Who will win? Will anyone win? What will the loser lose? It may be the most shocking chapter yet!

I think building trust is what it's all about. Posting regularly (weekly, bi-weekly) on a schedule that readers can follow really helps. Or letting readers know the author is taking a break but will be back on such-and-such date boosts both trust and anticipation of a new chapter. That requires planning on the author's part. Posting stories which follow the rules of grammar and spelling to the point that errors are rare (there will always be something) shows readers that the author cares about the work they are producing enough to take the time to present it in the best possible way. After all, if the writer doesn't care, why should the reader? Finally, I can't stress enough: Finish what you start! Nothing violates the author-reader relationship more than an incomplete story. When there is trust, there is nothing more rewarding and beautiful than the writer-reader relationship.

Thanks Rob! It will be interesting to see where it all ends up. Billy's stay at the Reilly residence will definitely be an experience that Billy will never forget. So many issues yet to explore!

Who knew that beneath the noise and chaos there was a deepness of thought and insight within Brett Reilly. Now yes, he's still an immature little brat with a wicked temper and that'll be really obvious really soon, but there's more to Brett than meets the eye.

The time is coming, sooner than you might expect, when young master Reilly will begin to focus inward. But it won't be easy, and he might just do something incredibly vicious on the way. Growing up isn't easy!

Our lil' Billy is growing up! lol Doesn't mean he won't regress. But perhaps the days of flying off the handle over every little issue are drawing to a close? Could we see a more mature Billy forming from the brokenness?

Thanks for this review! I appreciate it very much! I love the back and forth complexity that you describe of how you feel about the characters. I love that there are readers who hate and love different characters. People see them in different ways, and your favorite character may sometimes make a bone-headed decision, or a character you hate may do something to make you change your mind. Great insight into Dustin! I can't say too much because the upcoming chapters will dive into some of his issues, but I can say that he is a boy who is seeking a way to exert some sort of power over his own life and body for the first time in his life. There's bound to be some resistance. We're headed for the Brett-Dustin showdown very soon.

I think some of the things Brett said about Dustin could apply to Brett. Brett is on the cusp of figuring some things out, maybe even maturing a bit. Next few chapters will have some of that eye-opening you're hoping for.

Sometimes the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Brett surely picked up some of his mother's insight into people. Brett has always had a way of understanding people very deeply in a very intuitive way. In some ways he's the best psychologist in the family.

Dustin and I became quite skilled at the art of avoiding each the rest of the week. I wondered if he was going to stay mad at me the entire time I was staying at Brett’s house. That was fine with me. I was still angry with him for being such a jerk anyway. Most of our teachers had nothing for us to do during the week. I had managed to easily ace all of my tests, and there was really no point in being there. Seriously, I wondered why I was even in school. I already knew everything the

I think Dustin is threatening Billy BECAUSE he wants to be his best friend. Like another review said, Dustin's found someone he can take his frustration out on because he knows Billy can't fight back at the moment. Dustin is not a healthy kid. He's a starving dog who's been kicked too many times. He wouldn't know what to do with a healthy relationship if he had one. Will he ever find what he's looking for out of life?

Lisa, I'm with you! I'm totally digging the various responses. Ten reviews! That is so amazing! I'm very, very appreciative and I've enjoyed every one. I think the variety of replies has developed because everybody is emotionally invested in the characters and the story. I love the connection that we've all made through these boys. The calm before the storm... You might say that! What will happen when Brett and Dustin finally face each other?

"I'm raging and angry!! Won't somebody give me a hug? I'm so scared! But don't touch me!" Yep, pretty much sums it up! They're in the white-hot fury faze of teen-hood. It won't last, but it is fun to watch. Billy could have definitely learned some lessons from Jerry. But will he? As for Miss Winston... Well, it was 2002 in rural Pennsylvania. Things were not as crazy. It wasn't unusual for me to catch a ride with one of my teachers back in the day. Nobody thought anything of it. My how times have changed!

Thanks as always! Yes, Brett and Dustin are both alike in many ways, the biggest similarity being that they're both trying to get the same person. In the end, there can be only one. (Or something like that...)

Alas! Poor Jerry! Jerry is the cautionary tale. Any of the boys could easily be Jerry if they don't change their ways.

Do teenagers ever have any redeeming qualities? Totally kidding! I think the events which have happened and are yet to come are shaping the boys, it just takes a while. Introspection will come, sometimes from the unlikeliest of places. Dustin and Brett are obviously trying to push the other out of Billy's life. But are they doing it so that they can have Billy all alone, because they really think the other one is bad for Billy, or simply out of spite? As for there being no consequences for Billy's actions at the hospital, well, maybe. They did have him strapped to the bed overnight, and don't underestimate the power of Jen Reilly's influence. But overall, yeah, that's Billy's life for you. "You just punched a mirror, but you're walking so it's okay. Move along." Is Billy really paranoid or is life truly out to get him?