Krista

I wouldn't want any of them taking this on as a challenge. I'd bet some of them could get rather creative about it. I'm not too far removed from my teenage years to not remember stupid things... and I thought my teenage years were rather tame. Hearing my husband talk about his, I know for a fact they were.

He still told Lorianne that he cared a lot about what people thought. I think caring a lot is what led to all this. Maybe he'll come back down to earth after today... maybe not. Was this even out of character for him? He had his personal fears, sure. We all have our secrets we want to protect. His just happened to be one that he elevated to the point he placed himself inward a bit and kept people at a distance. And... Davin's hand is not cold. 😮 Colt's are totally cold though... poor circulation or something, I'm sure.

Probably not Colt. Colt doesn't talk about heavy things very often and probably not about this. Now Trace and Celia, yes... they will want to talk. They always want to talk. Joel did, didn't he? Very spectacularly accomplished, I would say. People who were skipping school or out that day probably already knew the "Tiger" went full idiot before lunch. After lunch, there would be no doubt... He wanted to get ahead of what he thought was going to be the only outcome of his final year of school, right? There will be a fallout from that decision, there always is.

Shhh.. don't tell the boy he's done all that with his little day of... poor decisions. We'll be back at like Chapter four. We're still only halfway through his poor decision sort of day. Maybe he can turn it around a bit? Who knows.

Sighs.. My horse was tall too, she was over 16 hands.

The next morning, I woke up when I felt movement beside me. Glancing over at Davin, I saw him tossing the covers off his legs as he slid out of bed. I hadn’t heard any alarm until my mind focused on a buzzing I could barely hear. Watching him kneel down, to look for his phone and when the buzzing died, I grunted and rolled onto my side turning my back to him. “You better get up,” he said and I opened my eyes and looked at the digital clock on my nightstand. Seeing that it was about the time

Triathlons get rather interesting if the weather is hot. They have a hybrid suit suitable for swimming, biking, and running. Then they just start stripping as the biking and running portions get going. Very interesting if they're wearing white suits and start pouring water over their heads. Also, most of the camera angles are from the back... lots of runner-bouncy-butts. Just saying. Just don't watch the finish... they start collapsing, puking, and looking all gross.

It was Joel's online... "exploring," that got him into this mess. So, he's well aware of how and where to go to find it. The only laptop other than his chromebook in the house is Trace's, and he's just gotten access to a phone. So, who knows.. the guys might get brave enough to swap pictures. Although, they pretty much share a bed every night, of late. So there's not much of a need. As far as social media goes. It is proven out to be rather toxic with me. I don't allow my children access. They do not have accounts. I know they don't because I am very proactive with their devices. I do not have any social media accounts with any information on them. I also agree that too much screen time is bad for people, not just teenagers. People in general. It isn't healthy, we shut our minds off too much when we're staring at a screen. It becomes too easy to shut out the outside world if we wish to. And there's growing studies that people are falling into depressive states, because of their algorithms and scrolling tendencies. They're calling is "depressive scrolling.." which, new psychology is always sort of knee-jerk, but it is still medically studied to a point. And we're seeing people get far too comfortable talking to AI... to the point where people have ended their lives. So yeah, this whole internet space is good and bad... can be enlightening or extremely toxic. Addicting is pretty much a guarantee.

He's a total Jack Russell. Yappy, scrappy, and full of energy. Also, I think Jack Russells make about every veterinarian's "worst behaved" breed lists, so there's that too. He's definitely not a Golden retriever or a lab. Not Collie... not bad ass enough to be Doberman or something along those lines. So yes... Jack Russell fits...

Yeah, my early internet life was done mostly on dial-up. I mostly downloaded songs from virus-laden files that I had no business downloading. Then Myspace came along, yahoo. I found Nifty with a friend and that was eye-opening for us both. Now that seems such a scary place to inhabit after finding GA, to be fair. Not something thirteen year old me needed to be reading. I started writing more then. My friends encouraged me to write gay stories. Yahoo groups were a thing back then as well... I had a couple thousand in my writing group at one time. Started posting on GA exclusively when I realized I was still a teenager and this community felt safter to be part of, it's proven as such. Sex Education also wasn't a thing until my high school here. Even then it was physical safety, disease, abstinence is best teaching. They did cover anal, oral, and precautions for both as well though. Looking back that surprised us. But it was funny to watch a very masculine male teacher trying to dumb down douching... whilst showing us the working functions of them. I am also the product of high school romance. Living proof that the internet wasn't necessary in order to know how to do that sort of thing.

Roy's younger sister would be a very safe ask... Roy is the dangerous one. Also, Celia just wants him to ask someone, they don't have to agree to come. Just wants him to make the attempt. He very well could ask Avenly and Amberly, knowing they wouldn't be allowed to attend some strange dude's birthday party.. a safe well-lit chaperoned by parents afternoon or not. and more boy talk... that I love, but can't indulge in. I guess I am a little bit surprised that there are still theories floating around about other interests even after Davin and Joel kissed. That's pretty much what Trace has promised Joel. He'll protect and choose him.

I know he was, but I like to pile on him a little bit. I think his broad shoulders and 'perfect ass' can handle it. He still is in my top favorite characters of mine that I've written. I think he'll stay there forever. Ridley is up there... Cory. I love love love Henry though. Luke softened him from an ass to something more like a puppy.. a wild and not-so-obedience trained puppy. At least he was potty trained.

Other than swimming, for obvious reasons. Wet, nearly naked dudes... what is a "sexy" sport? Baseball in general and the jerseys/uniforms and all that is totally boring. Wrestling? Not the fake shit with roided up people.. the mat wrestling in singlets and no hiding behind that fabric.. ? Even I admit Basketball being rather tame... Would your Joel even play a sport? I tend to lean into sports a bit with my characters. It would be a breath of fresh air if I wrote one that was anti-sports completely, I'm thinking. I am also a firm believer in writing being supported and developed better with a background in reading and writing. I do a lot of reading, it is just my work as I'm prepping to post. I guess that counts a little. Although, I won't learn to break bad habits by outside reading, there's that. Davin is a cutie with butt dimples and an easy smile. More people would do well with Davin. Blond, moody, and brooding is overrated. Especially if you've read Twilight. *whistles* but I think she used "bronze" to describe Edward's hair color. Same thing though.. just a redder shade of blond.

Yes, I think it would be difficult to explain anything when you're still living in a complete "new normal" kind of life. The closest thing I would compare would be the first major holiday as a newly married couple. How that is supposed to look now that there's a lot more factors. Or, the first major holiday after the death of a parent/family member - on the sadder side of things. He's only just started to partially accept his 'new normal.' But still, he's told both Trace and Celia that's he's a bit frustrated. More so Trace. Celia's insistence of adding two guests to the party was her pressing her finger on the line that Joel has stated he is tired of being on the other side of anyway. Part of moving forward is putting yourself into uncomfortable situations and coming out of those safe, and knowing there's safety and support there again. Maybe they see him teetering on the idea to collapse in on himself and back into that.. "safe zone.." where he only lets people see him at a distance. They have made suggestions in the past and they've allowed him to dismiss the idea entirely. A little pressure may do him some good. Trace applied pressure early with making him face his parents. Celia is applying pressure in having him invite two people to his birthday party.

There have been a few authors that have ventured into the publishing world that are community members here. This is as far as I'll take my writing though. Welcome to GayAuthors as well, lots to enjoy here.

It would truly be interesting to see different perspectives of my characters that I didn't think about or consider. Joel would be a good character study, because I took him very hard in a certain direction. There's not a lot of wiggle room with how he thinks about his situation. So, there's a lot of scenarios and different aspects that could be written about him and how he has dealt with everything. Including, being hot for Colt, because Colt is just as moody as he is. Sighs... I do wish I had more time to sit down and actually read. Since I have nothing planned after Learned to Lie, I might find the time to be a 'reader' here for a bit and not solely an author, and a slight pain in the ass in the forums. Might be a welcome change or a complete disaster, we'll see. I don't know how you people do it, write, read, comment, full time job, etc. Gulldarnit? LOL. Totally new thing for me to witness, it did not disappoint.

I'm still on the fence really, to go from near suicide to sex after battling sexuality fears in under a month would have led him to the point of having sexual urges and being okay enough to act on them. So, to not have it 'be' that, I would have to cut the slow pacing by a lot. I don't know. A lot of people use sex to destress and to forget about such things as well. I don't see that as something good, but that is my opinion. And, since Joel is... I don't want to say flawed, but he's not growing linearly? Not past this. I could have, it would be a different story. But I don't know if I could write Davin the way he is though. To know someone is desperate and hurting and allowing yourself to be a willing partner in amplifying those doesn't look good. All my thoughts though. But still, that's where my head was when I thought about Joel and where he can be sexually. I might be a bit off-base with that to the point where the writing feels flawed in that way.

I would think if someone disturbed the party Trace is big enough to grab them up by their belt loops and their shirt collars and toss them headfirst into the dirt and tell them to hit the road. But yeah, Joel doesn't know that many people at Fletcher. Roy does seem like he's at least a good enough brother to his little sister to be an option and it is a distant and known face... but that presents a whole other issue with Joel.

They do. Horses can make really good physical, emotional, and social therapy animals. The little minis that go around in hospitals and such. I've read about the PTSD therapies with animals for research. A great bond with a horse can last 30 years.. and they do remember you after an absence. I like adding animals to my story. The Best Year didn't have them, I highly doubted Jackson could take care of a goldfish, let alone a dog. Bless him. Luke would have totally had a dog though 100%. It was a miss for him not to have one in his life, especially with how I depicted him in the writing and his overall living situation. But then again... if Luke had a dog to vent to and not have to put up with snark and back talk... would he have even bonded with Jackson?

Now I'm scared. I might have over motivated you to do it. Maybe write it in third, we both know someone who already made the attempt.

My family had Tennessee Walkers, rather common for our general area. Aside from Thoroughbreds and Quarter horses. And, a few ponies for the riding lessons of smaller children who didn't need to be falling off full grown horses. But, we've not been "horse people.." for years though. I don't know if I'd even be brave enough to get back on one now.

I do look forward to the rewrite/Alternative Universe. May Colt be successful in glistening to perfection and wooing Joel thoroughly, emphasis on thoroughly. And you are correct I do not like Chicago style pizza because of the sauce and grease and ick. Did you just uno-reverse mother meddling with me? 😮 How DARE!

He's built up a little bit of a foundation with Fletcher County. Not enough that he sees much past the Connleys and the island they seem to have created for him. and yes, no amount of telling him he's loved, safe, and treating him with kindness is going to convince him if he can't get over his own guilt, shame, and fear. He's had the support of Trace and Celia since that first night. He's been promised support and safety, and he's allowed himself to show more to them. Still clutching rather hard on the shame, fear, and being firm in survivor mode though.

Excuse you sir, disliking pizza isn't a red flag. I don't like a lot of the chain stuff and cheap box frozen stuff at all. Homemade from scratch pizzas though.. my goodness. I do like two pizza chains. I've also found that small independent establishments just make better pizzas. I am very picky with pizza before I can sit down and like it. I said what I said. --- I'm the same way with chocolate too, by the way. Let the boy be sentimental about his gloves. Not everything has to be about Colt's balls, gosh. I personally didn't see that as her meddling. They have talked about growth and progress and not being afraid anymore. Joel has kind of been a bit back and forth on making any attempt at doing it. So, a small ask of inviting two friends to his birthday party, in the hopes of Joel growing past some of this might be what he needs. Especially if he's not giving much of an indication of doing that on his own. I mean, technically he's given all of the weight of his and Cody's entire party on the shoulders of Celia, Trace, and Lacey. He gave her the freedom of inviting friends and helping with the planning. It might have been a nice gesture for him with Lacey, but that's not him taking any responsibility. Celia asking him to carry some of the load, might be something that's a little late in coming. and, are we back on Jolt because I guaranteed a glistening, saggy-wet jeans Colt? It is a promise I plan on delivering. And people say I'm difficult, but I'm out here dropping gifts like Santa effing Claus.