Krista

Well, when you put it that way...

I guess he was blindsided, because he probably did reach out and got nowhere via calling Joel's cell. Then Joel's parents provided him little information. Then one Sunday afternoon he's minding his own business and an unknown number calls his phone and he decides to answer it... and it is Joel. Blindsided is probably a good way to describe what happened to him. He's been rather blindsided through Joel's entire disappearance. Joel seemingly opened his eyes to the extent of that absence as well. The coach did ask Joel multiple times if he was safe and out of trouble, he needed to hear Joel answer that the same way each time. If there was any faltering or change in that answer, I could see him doing a lot more. It was nice that his concern for Joel overshadowed Joel being the "star" short-stop at least. And yeah, they are a little scared and in their heads a lot. In their own way maybe a little. They are bumbling their way through these early stages.

These youngins running around don't know how easy they have it. They should all be made to fold a map back exactly how they opened it, down to the creases. Although, admittedly, I've never done that either. But, you paint an interesting picture and only being on the tail-end of that, since I did get the internet... slow and dial-up that it was at a fairly young age. It would make for an interesting character study, but one that I'm not equipped to really write. They don't have any practice in any of this. The most they've done... they've done alone and to themselves.

You frightened me. I can sense a lot of frustration with them both this chapter from more than a few of you. I know I sort of... kind of... almost.. went there 'twice' with them this chapter and they successfully managed to not do anything with any of it. And I say all of that knowing that maybe teenagers of their age probably would have done it... twice and without blinking.. and that the frustration is entirely because they blinked when they shouldn't have.

Yeah, lets not wish that on me either. I don't know if I have another decade of writing in me.

Insecure teen confidence... yikes. Not something I miss. Where we all thought a pimple would end us... or if we accidentally wore the same dress to a dance as someone else --- the horror. Tripping over the safety mat at the front door entrances of the school as a freshman because you're a total noob and everyone knows it.. And the exploration thing... as a parent overhearing it would end me. I'd fall over dead... and I'd slap the hell out of anyone who brought me back.

Yes.. I think Trace and Gavin are probably the two most grounded and comfortable with who they are as people. Gavin a bit too much at times, it seems. And yeah, twins are viciously protective of one another, while also being the most unforgiving playful level bluntly honest bully... for lack of a better word.

I don't know that the Coach would have a lot of tools to use in finding out what truly happened. Although, yeah, her saying that to him would've sparked a lot of concern. He's met the Bentons over the years they are an extension of Joel that he has to deal with on some level. So, yeah she probably did cause more attention to come her way than she wanted. She probably made it sound like he was living somewhere else, not that she kicked him out to fend for himself. That puzzle piece wasn't placed on the table until after Joel reached out and confirmed that. I would think he'd pull out a lot more anger and effort if he had known that... it will probably weigh really heavily on him now. The nagging feelings of something being wrong, but there wasn't enough information to know for sure... sort of thing. And it was him saying that they would miss him beyond baseball.. that did tear me up a little bit. That's something Joel didn't think he had much of now at least we know that he possibly had it.

Maybe the phone call severed the last bit of string still tugging him back towards his old life and Tempton. Maybe he can move on more now... Joel needs to find happiness with himself still? Maybe he seems past that, I'm not certain. They have found something a little something with one another. I'm not sure they know what to do with that right now, time will tell I'm hoping.

Yes, some of you have speculated that Colt and Davin might have experimented. Let's also hope that Trace hasn't shifted around his trail cameras and that Davin is secure in the knowledge of where those pesky things are. Davin does say, it was his favorite spot because it was a private place where he could get away and think. Who knows what else he's done there over the years.

Well let's hope the boy isn't an accidental gay... that would be a rather tragic story in the making. "Oopsies I was just curious, but eew penis.. no.." It would make everything he's gone through rather... wasteful. Davin doesn't seem to mind that his eyes have wandered over to find Joel. It beats being hung up on the broody, cranky, man-of-few-words proven out heterosexual and having to watch that moody heterosexual do heterosexual things.

The call wouldn't have happened if the Coach didn't answer during that first attempt, Joel wouldn't have made that call a second time. It rocked Joel a bit, yeah. Mind opening is how I would explain it. At least for Joel, he's lived with the thought that he wasn't ready. He wasn't going to find someone to do things with, kiss, touch, smile at... he was too afraid to chase even the smallest of rumors back in Tempton. He was not the only one like him there, but he wasn't going to open that door... it was securely locked and it wasn't him that unlocked it. Now Davin and him kind of fell into what they have in small incidents with not a whole lot of depth. They joke, they touch, and they've kissed. It definitely opened his mind, suddenly. He went from a locked door, not daring to think he could 'have' any of this... to the door being wide open with Davin standing there just as surprised as he is. I don't know what that would feel like... maybe I've put too much weight in the thought of it all.

Looking back I think Luke and Jackson's chemistry is stronger, for those who have read it. Maybe it was the two or three months between posting chapters that did it? Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say. It does settle my nerves a little to see that you see chemistry between Davin and Joel. It has been something that's slowly kind of... simmering? If something can simmer slowly, that is. It's a lot of careful little passions. Will it ever boil over? I know the answer to that question, but for now either way, their chemistry feels more flirtatious and friendly, I'm thinking... it wasn't too long ago that Joel was chastising himself for not being able to tell himself, in spoken words, that he's gay in any believably way. And he was completely alone in that moment. So, Davin also needs to find the confidence in the words, it seems.

I think it depends on what your personal journey with faith is. Trace and Celia lead with understanding, grace, and forgiveness. They do not judge heavily, or burden people who are burdened. Lisa Benton leads with judgement, fear, hate.... Trace and Celia rarely miss a Sunday. Lisa and Phil Benton miss most of them. Still, Cody is not like his parents, and he also misses a lot of Sundays. That is why I don't want to really depict "Religion = bad" so "Religious characters = bad"

I felt it when he looked up at the ceiling, because that's something that I do when I get overwhelmed by my emotions. I look up, because I don't want to look at anything or anyone. It makes talking easier until I've calmed back down. That call probably took a lot out of him as well. It wasn't one that he ever wanted to make, or thought he'd have to make. Thank you for thinking they're cute together.

Funnily enough, I wrote that portion hours before posting it. That's why when I reread that bit of the writing before I started responding to these comments, that I saw a few errors and confusing bits of writing within those scenes. Sucks, that. I forgot that he needed to still make that phone call, to be fair. It started dawning on me that the little shit never did call the coach. I got to thinking that it would be an ongoing showing out of his weak/timid nature if I didn't have him do it. That it may be a bit of a regression backwards that I didn't really want him making to 'that' level. He wasn't the strongest during that actual call, but he did it. That had to count for something. But yes... it was not in the chapter... or story at all..

“Come with me to the bedroom,” I said after he took a breath. His grip on my side had balled up my t-shirt and it was pulling tight around my collarbone. The heat of the night hadn’t waned, but it would be months before it would. When he took a step back, he blinked, and I felt the release of him when he took a half-step back. “That’s too fucking close to Trace and Celia’s room,” he grunted shaking his head. I didn’t know what I was really asking, inviting him up to my room. Trace and Celia

The seemingly dormant creative side of my brain needs all the help it can get. It may be beyond help at this point.

Yeah, they were probably both feeling like they were living on a very isolated island... it was definitely more than what Joel ever hoped would come his way at this stage of things anyway.

Aww... well. It being originally an Anthology that I was still attempting to get into the deadline and post really hurt that story as far as length and chapters were concerned. But, it is top 3 of my favorite stories that I've written. Learned to Lie, is not in the top 3. The Best Year, Living in Shadows, and Ridley I guess are my top 3. I don't want to put any thoughts or weight into anything that I'm possibly going to be doing, but... the character of Matt from Ridley is still interesting to me. I just wished I remembered 'everything' about him that interested me to make him a worthwhile write.

They're not too into the NFL either, they just pretend and it gives them something to do together between grilling/cookouts, holidays where they have to put up with the actual holiday and well.. their wives. They need to get more hobbies like fishing or something, at least then me and my sisters could come along... I will at least admit to being too much sometimes, I doubt my sisters ever will and even I think they are.

Oh damn, you made it sound like they climbed a whole mountain. I'm exhausted by the weight of it. And yes, when you're feeling all kinds of things then when you finally get that kiss... it can wreck everything, or at least make a mess of it. A good mess... hopefully, but yes.. a mess.

I'm glad to see the Colt theories are back in full force. I really do. They hit a bit of a lull after that first wreck of a kiss. And yeah, Davin got out of the car and took a chance... Joel took one too, but Davin was the one that had more to lose by opening his mouth this time.