Krista

Thanks for reading! Jackson's mother putting things together... hmm... hmmm. I'll try to remain innocent on that front and we'll see what happens in the coming parts. I'm glad you like the connection between Luke and Jackson, sometimes I just don't see the connection as being all that special or strong... so that particular feedback is nice for me as I move ahead. So thanks!

Thanks for reading! Aww, something special? I hope to get into their relationship more very soon. So hopefully it stays that way.

Thanks for reading! I still have a bit to cover. I don't know if this part will be as big as the 20 chapter first part! But for now, I'm not going anywhere else any time soon. lol.

Hey, thanks for reading! I want to develop the swimming side of him just a little bit more before I start focusing on Luke and Jackson as a couple in more detail and allow swimming and school to become a bit of a backdrop instead of the central elements.. it will be a bit of work. Hopefully it will still be fun to read.. lol. Cindy... Cindy... Cindy... what can I say about her? She will definitely have a lot of reactions to Luke in this second part.. lol. Henry will of course have his hands full as well. Feel sorry for him, for sure. haha

Thanks for reading! Luke will grow a lot in this part. Part one was about Jackson's growth for the most part.. from surly and indifferent - to caring and thinking outside of his own self.. Some bad and good things happened with that growth. Some bad and good things will happen with Luke as he grows in this second part. I think old Jackson would have hit a glass ceiling with his swimming. Not because of Rick, but without the growth Tony wouldn't have been an option for him.. they would have just butted heads.. So maybe Tony's plans for him will get him some higher level of success if they both remain patient with one another.

Thanks for reading! I missed the surly Jackson myself. The one that nearly gave Principal Welker fits in the first few chapters. That Jackson was fun to write for a bit, but he needed to grow up. He is not infallible. Ally is still up in the air for a reason. I think it is natural for Jackson to be apprehensive with his ex-girlfriend knowing. Maybe not for the reason people think.. Luke and Jackson would have a lot to lose if telling her ended up being a bad idea, Ally has shown to be somewhat of an unreliable friend.. mind you, Jackson didn't make it easy for her either.. lol.

Heyyy thanks for reading! It would seem easier for everyone to know. I can get why Jackson and Luke don't want to tell Ally. Heather is just a hazard for her loyalty to Ally, she would tell her. Ally though, if she took it the wrong way could spill it to Cindy, both being involved in the same church. For now, Ally is just getting back into the swing of things with Jackson... sooo.. I think Luke's apprehension with not telling her right off is a good one.. no telling how she will respond to that sort of news.. lol. Although.. I already have plans for it anyhow. Cindy's controlling of Luke is pretty strong right now too. Poor guy. As for the Townsons, the back and forth has been a bit of a pain. I hope to develop the "swimming" characters a bit more to add a bit of depth to that recurring part of the story. Aiden and Matt are the ones that stand out the most because of their budding rivalry with Jackson. I want to get Charlie and Draeden more involved though. And Paul.. err whatever his name is does make an appearance soon too!

“You gotta tell them, dude,” Toby said as he tossed me the football. I turned and quickly threw it to Derek. I hated that a football felt a little bit foreign in my hands, but I had never been into the sport. I could manage a little better with basketball though. “No I don’t,” I said, shaking my head. “Shut up about it, people are going to start showing up soon.” “Jack, tell them already!” Toby hissed barely catching the ball that Derek threw. Derek seemed completely amused by the situ

The thing with past exes, you know them. Obviously you have a connection to them whether you want to admit to that or not. There is hardly ever a clean break where one or both partners are completely over the relationship, sex, what ever. So, for me - if my husband was to cheat, I'd almost rather it be with someone he doesn't have a past connection or past relationship with. I'm very, not sure how to word this, classic? In my dating, relationships, marriage... I want there to be definitive lines, but I want those lines to fall naturally and not be set by me and interpreted just by me, and adhered to just because I made them. I want the guy to be on the same natural page that I am on. Some people say, it isn't cheating until you're at the, "I love you," declaration. If you're sure enough in your own mind to say, "I love you," only then it is time to stop any side relationships and focus just on the one person. I disagree. I feel that once you establish that a relationship is there then ex-lovers, wandering eyes, dating apps, etc, have to stop. They have to stop and stay stopped. I made the mistake once of trying to hold on to two people at the same time and I broke someone's heart and I'm glad they found someone else. I just know to stay well away from him for the sake of my sanity and my relationship with my husband. Also, communication is key. If there are blurred lines between you, they need to become clear. They don't need to become clear by you getting.. "back at him" for being with an ex-lover... to get rid of the jealousy either. I do know that isn't a steady and easy bit of ground to walk on.

We do fake trees. Although the pine smell is nice, around here we just cannot buy a nice large and full Christmas tree... so to get a nice shaped one we went fake. Fake ones are also more durable around kids and animals... little grabby hands would probably shake a real tree down to bare branches before Christmas day. We do have two trees though.. since we have room in the the master bedroom for one and our master bedroom has large windows, we display one up there as well. I've not put either of them up yet though. Shameful, I know.

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

Hey, thanks for reading! Yeah, Jackson was a bit unruly at the beginning of the story.. and it got him in a world of trouble.. lol. I really like Henry as well, he's shown insight before with talks with Jackson and such. I'm glad you're liking the story.

Thanks for Reading! If my mother showed up like that.. I would have had more of a response akin to Olivia.. lol. It would have been so embarrassing for sure. Cindy isn't done either, we'll see more of what she has to offer in later parts. Jackson's parents have decided to grow with Jackson instead of trying to turn him around at every twist and turn of his senior year... and he has shown that he can take responsibility. As long as that lasts and he doesn't do something too stupid, they may keep it that way. I think Grace likes the newer and more open relationship she is having with her son right now. Definitely something that Cindy and Luke aren't having..

Thanks for reading! I love that you used Luke's nickname. lol. For the most part they do accept him as a friend. It could have definitely went the other way - maybe if Jackson changed a whole lot more than he has... I think he's found a perfect middle ground between.. fun-loving and responsibility.. if it lasts he'll be fine.

Thanks for reading! Yeah, me too. Senior year is bitter sweet by far one of the most bitter sweet things I've went through. Very nice to finally be an "adult" on a "more grown up path.." but the friends that leave and the memories that fade.. and the childhood that is replaced does make it a bit bitter.

Thanks for reading! I think small town friendships like this is something I've always loved writing about. They do endure a lot... possibly not the "gay thing.." all the time like I have depicted through a couple of stories that I've written. The friends were always supposed to be liked.. not just tied to Jackson's asshole-ish behavior.. lol. Cindy was always supposed to be a control freak though. So we got a good dosage of that this chapter. lol

Thanks for reading! I hope with binge reading the story flowed and the characters developed nicely. Sometimes I can lose a little of both writing chapter by chapter... but I'm glad you're enjoying the story and the characters! They have a whole year left for me to cover, I just have to get with it.. lol.

Thanks for reading! Yeah, the "kids" are showing maturity and understanding with certain things a lot better than the adults in this story. I hope Henry gave her what's for too.. she deserves to have a talking to for sure. lol. You will see more about Ally and Cindy in this story for sure.

Thanks for reading! I'm not sure how I will go with Cindy. My plans for Cindy to be the way she is stems on her control issues so far. There will be underlying reasons and her past coming into play. It is only fair since she pulled out the past on Jackson's Mom.. even if it was relatively insignificant. We'll wait and see where I go with her, because like you I'm still wondering how far and where she'll take things. Thanks for liking the story!

Thanks for reading! Cindy definitely did burn bridges. Was it because she felt out of control with Luke and had to do something? Or was it something else entirely? Jackson's parents have stopped trying the "Cindy" method on their son for now.. and I think Mom is seeing the benefits of that sort of new relationship with Jackson. They're talking... not bickering over friends and rules.. that he wasn't going to listen to her on anyway.. lol. I guess it isn't perfect, but so far Jackson hasn't toed the new line his parents set with him.

Hey thanks for reading! Cindy going off is.. for now.. I think what you said in your review. She is 'finally' losing Luke to adulthood and his own decisions. She was able to do that when she had more control over his friends and his entire day, being in the same school that he was. Now that she isn't a teacher at his new school and he has new friends.. I think she feels put on the back burner. Toby and Derek were never meant to be bad guys. They started out a bit snobby and rough, but so did Jackson. lol.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!