jkwsquirrel

Sometimes after writing Brett's dialogue I find myself inserting the f-word into my other conversations. Anyway, I agree, both boys were kind of testosterone-fueled little dirt bags in this chapter. Billy was already grumpy after how poorly he performed, then Brett poked the bear. Billy is not one to sit back when someone provokes him, and he fights dirty. Anything his dad said was going to irritate him. As for Brett, stay tuned! Things will begin to clear up in the next chapter!

I called Brett to ask if he wanted to stay overnight after bowling. I was happy when he said that he could, and that he would bring his stuff over before we went bowling that night. As soon as I hung up the phone, I felt a little bit guilty that I’d not asked Dustin if he wanted to sleep over too. But there were many days of Christmas break and there would be other nights. I was sure I could find the time to get Dustin to sleep over. At any rate, I asked Brett not to tell Dustin or Joey tha

Funny, many of Paula's arguments are ones I heard a lot growing up. Sometimes if you go to the right (wrong?) places you'll still hear them. But, from Billy's perspective, Paula and George can't do or say anything right, because he's 14 and knows everything. The story is as much about Billy's relationship with his parents as it is about his love life. Dustin is all about loyalty. That is his defining quality. (Brett's is honesty and Billy's is justice.) One of the most surprising and even devastating things about abused children is the lengths they will go to to defend the most vile actions of their abusive parents. Too often, they will turn it around and find a way to blame themselves for their parents' actions.

It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out! The next chapter is very important. Dustin is loyal to a fault, even to those who take advantage of him. Loyalty is his key characteristic. It's why Billy just assumes Dustin will always be there. It's why Dustin will defend even someone who abuses him.

I walked into my house and threw my book bag on the couch. I was happy that I would not have to study again until next year. I wondered if 2001 would be better than 2000 had been. Surely it couldn’t be any worse. I’d lost my grandmother. I’d been in huge fights with my mom and dad. I’d broken a bone in my face. My best friend’s life had turned into a train wreck. How could any year be worse than that? I turned on the television and sat on the couch. The news was more of the same.

Oh yes! We haven't seen the last of Brett's bratty side yet. Nor have we seen the last of Ms. Winston. Oh, there's a lot of good stuff on the way!

Oh yes, much more drama! But, we're going somewhere with it all. Stay tuned!

Billy just wants to be normal. He just wants his friends to get along. But friends don't always get along, and life is anything but normal when your best friend's life is falling apart.

The world seems a little different when you open your eyes on your birthday. The sky is a little brighter. The birds are a little happier. The grass is a little greener. And you are a whole year older! All in one day! You go to bed thirteen, you wake up fourteen! And then there are the birthday perks. Everyone who knows you greets you with "Happy Birthday" instead of "Get the fuck out of my way, loser." Your relatives send you birthday cards which hopefully contain little green slips of

Thanks dude! Yes, who would have thought that the hyperactive little nut was the key to unlocking Billy's heart! I'm glad you enjoyed this portion of the story.

Well, I finished up the first part of WAR, Black Summer. It was a lot of fun, and I'm glad there was some response to it. When I first wrote it, I didn't know quite what I was doing. I'd read a lot of stories on nifty and frankly most of them were trash. I was drawn to the stories that were real stories and not just spank material. I remember looking forward to reading the latest chapter of "New Kid in School" by Comicality and wanting to write something that was meaningful. I wanted to make the "Best of Nifty" list. I wanted to write the next "Working It Out." But along the way I discovered that some of the most rewarding experiences were receiving emails from teens who would tell me, "I really relate to your story because I feel like Billy..." or "This story helped me realize it's okay to be gay." I always said that I wanted to write a story about a boy who happens to be gay, not a sex story. I also discovered that "my story" becomes "our story." WAR isn't just mine anymore. Billy isn't just some kid in my head. Other people care very deeply about a boy who exists because of imagination, a keyboard, and the internet; and that's really cool. And so, if you happen to read this little note, buried in an obscure barely-read thread, I want to encourage you. If you're thinking, "I want to write the next..." or "I wish there was a story that..." Well, why not? You never know whose life your story might impact. Take the chance. And enjoy the experience of bringing something that's in your head to life. You'll never know what you can do until you try.

I woke up earlier than usual. My arms and legs were tangled together with my little cousin like we’d been wrestling all night. No wonder I had so much trouble sleeping. I gave him another push, and that’s when I felt the wetness. I jumped out of bed and looked at myself. My shorts were soaked through in the front. The bed was flooded, and my cousin had rolled into it and he was just as wet as I was. I was furious with myself. I couldn’t believe I’d done it again! Suddenly the memo

Thanks, Lisa! Billy has moments of immaturity, but he's finding out who he is and what his limits are. That's what makes writing about the teenage years so interesting to me. The whole ransacking cousins episode is based on a true story, by the way!

Thanks for the review my friend! Losing someone you love is never easy, but especially when you've convinced yourself that person is going to recover. Times like these are what friends are for.

August arrived and brought with it an even worse heat wave than June had. I was so happy that my team would be having its last game of the season! I didn’t want to have to spend any time out in the weather if I could. Brett had left to go to New York and even though he had only been away for a few days it seemed like an eternity since he’d been gone. It was so boring without him. I couldn’t wait for him to come back. I sat at my grandma’s house longingly looking out the window. I wou

Well thanks, Lisa! It's a joy to write, and I really appreciate your reviews! The story is as much about Brett's journey as it is Billy's. His relationship with his mom is quite different. Brett has a lot of resentment that we'll flesh out in future chapters. I think 80% of the swear words in the story come out of his mouth. When I write Brett's dialogue, I think of that short, immature kid who wants to sound like an adult so he swears way more than a typical kid and talks about bodily stuff with more boldness because he thinks that what a grown-up sounds like. A face like an angel with a mouth like the devil!

Hey thanks, friend! I'm very glad you like it! I hope you'll continue to enjoy it!

When the alarm clock goes off, there is a choice to be made. You can turn it off and begin your day. Or you can turn it off, roll over, and go back to sleep. The consequence of the second option is what keeps people from smashing alarm clocks every day. I was no different when my alarm went off at seven in the morning on that warm late-July morning. A month had passed since the black eye incident. And not much had really changed with our situation. Dad was working harder than ever, b

Thanks Lisa! Though the story is about Billy and his relationship with Brett, it's also the story of Billy and his relationship with his parents, particularly his dad. George isn't a perfect dad (we've already witnessed his temper) but he loves his boy. I've got to say, I love the moment when George calls him "Billy," and that's what snaps Billy out of his tirade.

Thanks for this review! I can't just let Billy have a moment of happiness without beating him up a little bit along the way! I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

I opened the door and walked into the house. Dad was there alright, asleep in his chair. I sighed. I’d gotten myself all worked up and ready to talk and he didn’t even have the decency to be awake. I felt a little bit angry with him. Once again, I didn’t exist. Dad was happy in his life and I was like an unwelcome inconvenience in his day. I sat on the couch and watched him. He hadn’t even taken his glasses off and they were slightly askew. He was still wearing the clothes he’d worn for

I think Billy's more afraid of the unknown than he is of his dad. Billy doesn't like it when his life is out of order. Billy is a paint-by-numbers, lots of structure and rules kind of boy. Brett is the opposite. Brett will deliberately paint outside the lines just because you told him not to, and then point it out to you that he did it. As much as Billy likes things neat and in order, he's drawn to the chaos of Brett Reilly like a moth to a flame. But at the same time, Brett is drawn to the structure and normalness, almost boringness of Billy's life. They each provide something that the other needs to be complete. And then there's Dustin. You've hit the nail on the head with him. He got dumped when the more interesting boy moved into the neighborhood. This happened to me with one of my bff's anytime he got a new girlfriend. We'll explore it all more deeply as we go forward!

Thanks for this review, Parker! The ball team is just one of the many dysfunctional families and organizations headed your way in this story! You'll have to keep reading to see how Billy and Brett turn out!

Teens... "I hate my parents, they're soooooo mean to me!" But someone else comes along and talks smack on them? "Don't talk about my parents, jerk!" Good point about the doctor! We'll eventually see what happens when someone doesn't take abuse seriously later in the story.

Thanks Lisa! I always want my characters to act and react naturally. Billy's dad doesn't want to be neglectful, he's just overwhelmed and stressed out. Billy is 13, so of course the whole world is against him. Everything he thought was safe was flipped upside down in the last year. It's definitely a mess!