Krista

Heyy! Thanks for all that reading! I'm glad that you liked Are You Christian as well! This story is a re-write from a story I started and dumped back when I started AYC, so sort of fitting for you to pick it up. So glad you're liking it so far, Jackson is a character I wanted to attempt writing for a bit. If you like these two, "Standing In Shadows," seems to be better liked than AYC was and it is completed as well... if you find yourself waiting with not much on your slate to read. Lol! Sorry about the self-promoting here.

Thanks for reading! Definitely not a shining day for Jackson, no.. But for the story to go anywhere, something 'had' to happen... or it would become very stagnant very fast. No one was going to put up with a spoiled guy getting his cake on top of his pile of gold.. lol. Humility goes a long way and he's had his tested for sure.

Heyy! Thanks for reading. People like seeing Jackson become a bit more humble. Although at the expense of his world turning a bit upside down for him too. It shows that he 'can' be a worthwhile person to get to know. Shenanigans are very much still a part of him though, he does like to have his fun. Hopefully he's likable now though, after spending the first 10 chapters with having his unlikable moments.. lol. Slow growth. About the Mail incident though - maybe it is just my family, but my mother always opened my mail when I first started getting it. She knew I was accepted to college before I did.. etc. It may also have been a wee bit unclear in the chapter, but his mother knew before the letter even came, what the letter would have in it. Rick and her had received phone calls about Jackson being dropped... so I guess in a way, she was protecting him from opening that letter by himself or whatever.. ill advised maybe. The parents in this story aren't fault free, they aren't perfect. It does seem like Jackson's parents do care more about their lives/professional lives more than they do his.. as they seem to belittle his friendships and such at times... or push him to befriend people he doesn't really want to befriend and so on. So they aren't perfect parents so maybe their imperfections in the past carried over to her holding information over his head - which is bad, I certainly agree. But as a parent.. I 'do' want to protect my children.. even from unavoidable upsets it is really gut wrenching to see them disappointed. Anywho! Ally - well Ally is a firecracker.. and they do go BOOM! from time to time.. lol. Y'all will grow to know her a lot better in the coming chapters, I think. Also, all the friends.

When the last bell rang, I grabbed my backpack and sports bag and followed the bustling people that had drivers’ licenses out the back door to the student parking lots. I sighed, knowing my day was far from over, I still had practice on the track while Coach pulled double duty with me and the football team. Mostly I would be jogging and doing some weight and flexibility shit while he badgered the football team. After I dropped my backpack off at my car I clicked the lockdown button on my key

Probably not, but not for that reason. NBC's coverage has been very sporadic at best. That is why I watch Live Feeds of the sports of interest. Very sweet picture and congratulations to them. As for my coverage... Matt Anderson - Men's Indoor Volleyball has a new fan... mercy. I actually thought the Americans would be more dominate in Volleyball and Swimming, but they're a bit hit and miss in Swimming and very lack luster in Indoor Volleyball. The Men may not even qualify out of Pool Play. I really enjoyed the Synchronized diving as well. I watched the live feed for that and some of the Cross Country Equestrian, but I couldn't stomach watching the horses crashing, they crash hard.. shew. So I had to stop that feed. Not sure what I'll watch later, I'm really wanting to get into Track and Field stuff.

Shew, Cycling was a death trap... those winners really earned those. One woman fractured her spine. I saw that accident live and it looked horrendous, I nearly had to change the channel, because I figured the wrecking was just about to begin. On the men's side, one athlete broke both of his collar bones. One broke his pelvis, there were a couple of them that broke bones in their arms and legs.. mercy. I don't remember this many major injuries in the last Olympics.

Oh mercy... poor guy.

Looking forward to, Beach Volleyball, Swimming, Men + Women volleyball, and Men + Women Gymnastics. Cycling and the Track/Field sports are also pretty fun to watch as well. I know I'm not going to be able to catch all of those, but I really love the Olympics. Also, I'll try to be taking notes during the Swimming comps for The Best Year... if I can keep my mind off wet bodies in tight clothes..

Congratulations! Keep up the good work.

Thanks for reading and dropping a review! I've started chapter 15, so I don't want to say too much (nearly 5 pages into it, just need to iron out a few things). I think the story is shaping up a bit more with chapter 15 for sure. There are a lot of changes coming Jackson's way and what he said in Chapter 13 may have jinxed him a wee bit.

Happy Birthday!

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Yep, our boy Jackson is in a bit of a mess. He realizes it to an extent. Feeling guilty about Ally and his attachment to her vs. he obvious feelings for Luke that seem very strong and new... he'll have to decide which he wants to pursue or.. it will undoubtedly blow up in his face.. lol. We'll see which happens.. The Friends, I hope, will become more interesting and worthwhile in the next few chapters and we really start to understand the group as a whole. I've only treated y'all to flashes and you can form only baseline opinions of them so far. Luke being at the school will definitely bring changes, too. Jackson has a lot on his plate for sure... and his house of cards is definitely being built on unstable ground. Jackson and Ally will need to be worked out inside my head before I put it to paper though.. I just hope I can work them two out before I drag y'all on too much.. lol.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! I believe the differences between Ally/Girls vs. Derek/Toby's reaction will become more clear as the story progresses. It is more or less that maybe the girls aren't as comfortable in their group as the boys are. I mean, the guys have all been best friends since, I think I mentioned, birth.. literally. lol. So their bond is very strong and only a 'few' things can test that bond. We'll see in the coming chapters if certain things will or not, for sure. The girls though, might see outsiders as a bit of a knock on their social status of some sort... since it is so easy for them to shuffle between the three guys as far as dates/girlfriends.. maybe the same can be said of just being friends? A theory of mine, of course. lol.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! They are a tight knit group and I agree they do seem very territorial and tribal at the moment. Right now the "Churchers" don't measure up to their already preconceived notion of "cool" vs. "uncool." Only real time will tell if Luke can change their minds on that... Right now though I think Luke and Jack will have to be sneaky... and we mostly know how that works out... yes?

Thanks for reading and dropping a review! This was definitely a build up chapter, I needed to reel everyone together somehow. School is the best shot of getting some of the major themes of this story kicked off. Ally's attitude... gosh I'm still on the fence about her character. I hope I'm tip toeing around her enough for me to really not cement her one way or the other. I don't know what her... role will be as we carry on. I guess you can figure what fence I am on with her character for sure.. lol. I think she needs to be one way, but I don't know if I want to make her that way and hope that maybe I can mix in enough other things for that hole to be filled by something else. Conner literally keeps popping up, because I don't want to go through the pains of creating character after character. Although, I know some more names will need to be dropped aside from his and Bailey Ashton.. lol. I mean, Jackson is supposed to be "big man on campus," so he's going to have to interact more with minor characters than he has been at the moment. Just don't expect Connor to be all that 'big' in the story.. you never know though, I am known to change my mind.

Happy Birthday Mann!

I knew I wouldn’t see Luke until his orientation was over. It didn’t keep me from scanning the halls before school officially started for the morning. I timed my arrival so that I wouldn’t have to wait for the morning dismissal bell in the cafeteria with everyone else. My nerves would have given me away and I didn’t want to have to answer all of their questions, especially Ally’s. After last night, every time I thought about her, I felt guilty. That was something I didn’t really feel, I usually

Happy Birthday!

Thanks for reading! Wrecked casseroles are a sin! lol. I think the characters needed to see one another in a different light. They were doing a bit of dancing around so far, so this second private interaction may have did them in as far as the awkward dancing is concerned. And yes, I wouldn't be an evil entity we called "authors" if I didn't take you guys on a bit of a ride towards the conclusion of the story. Have faith in me a little bit though, I don't foresee anything too too too bad. lol. There actually is a lot that goes on in the next chapter.. and I think Jackson's world is about to be a bit more messed up than what he expected.

Thanks for reading! I think it is safe to say that something has to give or the entire thing will shatter around all the characters. Or maybe I'm seeing it differently, but I think the turning point happened in this chapter... that whatever happens after these scenes determines what the story is.. Shew lots of pressure I just put on myself.. lol. Like I said in a different review, I felt like I fumbled my way through this chapter. Definitely thought the reviews were going to be a wee bit different, not going to lie. lol. I just hope the characters keep their strengths and don't crumble. Jackson is supposed to be willing to dive in head first and be stubborn to a fault.. Luke is supposed to be self-assured and have this calm intelligence about his situations... etc. That's how I see them anyway.

Thanks for reading! I think Jackson is just as scared to have the ball in his court too.. lol. He certainly doesn't have a good record with Luke so far. Maybe that will change some... but it will definitely take a lot of effort on his part. I'm glad you see him in a slightly better light. Maybe he'll keep that light and maybe he won't.

Thanks for reading! I think Luke is more stable at where he is than Jackson... but neither of them expected to be where they are now. I think they're both reeling right now - as a person, I would either fight for normalcy or dive into the change.. I think they're still on the fence where that is concerned... but they definitely are on even ground with this new development between them, I agree.

Thanks for reading! It was my plan to have them rush into a kiss then have distance. I think it is normal for something shocking to put a bit of.. distance between two people. Especially two people scared to death of what happens next... And as the author.. I knew this chapter was coming up next, lol. The forest scene was supposed to be at the end of chapter 12, but chapter 12 ran too long and I didn't want to drag it out with that scene. So I decided towards the middle of chapter twelve to just breathe and let the story flow... and it just happened that forest scene didn't fit anymore. Luke is just as scared, but for now they are willing to be in the same boat at least. Let's hope it doesn't sink.. lol. Ally will become more central in the next few chapters, not going to lie.. I'm confused about what I want from her.. what the story needs her to be... and how central I want her to be. Hopefully I'll get that ironed out..

Hey! What a lovely review. So much optimism for them both in the future made me smile and feel all... mushy inside. Almost makes me not want to be the eeeevil author that I can be.. lol. Change isn't easy though and they have a lot of changing to do... well not changing, just.. shaping the world in which they want to live in. So that is definitely in their future.

Thanks for reading! Starting out I was sincerely worried about this chapter. It was the anticipatory chapter after the cliffhanger in the pool... lol. I felt like I fumbled my way through it too, so it is nice that you like it. I was expecting the worst! This is new territory for the both of them, or it seems new to them both, so I can see why they're both vulnerable. I'm glad you see them more evened out now as well.