Krista

Yeah, I think it is safe to say that Joel does worry what Colt is thinking. Maybe at the peripheral level since there hasn't been a lot of time spent between them.

Reading all these comments about Colt have been interesting to me. I know most of it has to do with the limited space he's occupied with the story and being of similar age to Joel. I know there's a lot of weight in unknowns.

And... for better or worse you will stay in that same window for the next part. I knew going in, after the first part there would have to be a ton of transitional set-up for this story to build from. I don't think I have the skill that it would have taken to set up this transition within a few parts, then move on because I've been able to build the true foundation to this story. I decided to take a slower approach, mostly because I know if I tried to rush it, skip some of this... then it wouldn't feel real to me. Within my document space you guys are only in "Chapter 4" as well. Here it says 6. Splitting up the massive chapters 3 and 4 slowed it down even further, but those chapters were massive. "Chapter 5", which will be "Chapter 7," for y'all is also a bit long, I forget how long. "Chapter 6" is also a split chapter. So, I'm thinking that has something to do with it. Would it feel as slow if you guys were already well within a whole other portion of the writing... I honestly don't know. It was a fear of mine, splitting these larger parts up that it may mess with the pacing and add too much time to the timeline chapter-wise. I know you were just making an observation, I just wanted to explain what's happening a bit more behind the scenes. And yeah, if he was in the heart of the school year, then it would have been a rather messy situation. So, the calm of summer may be beneficial for him. It would have been an interesting write for me, I think. Still fully hiding from that speculation as well.

Jury is still out on if Colt telling them to shut up means anything other than them two being idiots and talking about Joel within earshot, or points to something deeper. Honestly, some people need to hear the words, "shut up," and they show it often. The twin inclusion in the dynamics was a breath of fresh air for me to write in these earlier chapters. Not a lot of time passed between Chapter 1 and to where we are now. The pace picks up when they're in the room, for sure. I would have a difficult time writing these earlier chapters if it was the Connley's and Joel, I think. And yeah, they both seemingly took it all in stride, at least surface level... the brownies may have saved Joel from looking down and seeing a missing Taco, for sure. I love that you included Lacey. You're also welcome. You can thank Wildthing for this story as well, it was his idea that I took on... without him giving me the green light, then I wouldn't have written this story at all. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, I hope it holds out for you all the way. I really like the writing for the next part. I know I said that last time... and no it is not a ploy to keep everyone reading, but if it works... *whistles*

I'm lovely, he's the cheeky little thing... causing all the trouble and shenanigans. Me: Him:

Colt might also tell the twins to shut up, and call them idiots a lot throughout the day. But yeah, I think it is safe to say that Joel would be the topic of discussions that day - if not, then I'd have to wonder what else was going on in their lives to overshadow a whole new person coming into their lives on a seemingly mysterious and "permanent" way. More permanent than a "visitor," anyway. And, do the wimpy little burritos from Taco Bell really even count as Burritos? I think most fast-eating teenage guys could finish one off in two bites... after a bit of chewing, mind you. And I agree, what is Trace's problem? 😮 Rude... let the boy eat.

Aww, this was lovely. Yeah, Joel will need to settle himself in. Or try to... because he's out of options. At least it was one more option than he thought he had a couple chapters ago anyway. Right now, I think he could go either way. Close-in completely and focus primarily on an escape route, planning for a future to where he can be on his own. Or, he can adapt... but it all depends on how things go with the Connleys really. Something may happen that changes everything...

If there's a funeral, then I failed.

I'm baaaaack. Wildthing, I don't get mad, I get even.

Oh, right. I forgot he owned the apartment building that they moved into.

The rest of the ride he left me alone; I listened to the buffering sound of the wind coming through the driver’s side window. I could feel the warmth in the breeze that hit me, it completely overtook the air conditioning he left running. There wasn’t a cloud covering an inch of sky and the flatness of everything that told me we were close to being back at his ranch more than the leaving of the last town. We weren’t that far apart, as things went, but nothing looked normal out here three counties

CJ's dad sounds like a piece of work too, but off-screen for the most part. So maybe Cj is exactly where he needs to be... entitled and assy.

Yeah, someone who knows me well told me that I reminded them of Jenny a bit. I don't see it really, aside from being pushy... but really. *whistles*

Aww, thank you for this lovely comment.

Yeah, Cj and Clinton's dynamics were interesting to me. I think if I was writing this story now, it would be even more fun for me to write than I remember it being when I wrote it all those years ago. Corey's taste of freedom has been eventful, but I agree I think if he had his friends next to him, a lot of things would have been different. I don't think his dunk in the river would have happened, Cj would have been wrecked, I imagine. The concept of Summer has been mostly lost on poor Corey over the years, working, being conditioned for football, etc.

Fair. I'm sure Corey does as well. lol.

I think this is where I transition the story a bit, judging by the comments I'm reading. This story is a lot older than it looks as well. Most of it was written pre-GA Stories upgrade, when it was still an Archive. So the dates are a bit skewed as far as first published compared to the last date published for the last chapter. It was back when all Signature authors had "Hosted Sites," and Forums of our own. Typing that out, I suddenly feel old...

Yeah, I remember him being rather efficient.. lol.

Could be just her being a rude-ass and not wanting to be witness to her sister being a flirt.

Maybe...

I innocently and briefly flirted with the idea of a "Prequel." Story involving Grace, Welker, Craig, Henry, Cindy, Troy, Rick, Carrie, *can't remember Troy's wife's name. To tell their stories of their senior year, keeping in line with how I depicted them in High school. How some things have changed. Cindy was going to be more like Jackson and Henry is Luke, but more golden-retriever. It would have made her a bit of a hypocrite, but it would have made for her dislike of Jackson a bit more profound, because she grew from that. It would have had to involve something I didn't want to involve though, that I also flirted with in the original writing of Jackson's story as well, but didn't touch. Mostly to spare Luke and Henry. Troy would also be a lot more central, but I also would have had to make him being a bachelor for an entirely different reason than his wife leaving him. Grace/Cindy/Henry/Craig dynamics being the driving force of the plot though. I realized though, that since I didn't touch those major plot points in the original, I couldn't touch them in the prequel, so I decided there wasn't enough story there, unless their parents became strangers to a point from their own children.

Baseball players all day for me. At least in uniform anyway...

Jackson wouldn't have it any other way. Beautiful. Thankyou. You summed up what I wanted to depict with their friend group. I wanted people to realize that Toby, Derek, are just as much of a part of his life as anyone else. I wanted that bond to be there always. I wanted them to overlook flaws, differences, and know they're in this for long run because they've been together since birth. The girls coming along when the hormones did, but still becoming part of Jackson's family. He 'thought' he was willing to leave all that behind, not seeing the value in it, but as the days approached he knew he wouldn't ever be able to, and didn't want to. They will raise their children together, grow old together, fight and make-up, but they'll be there. These chapters leading up to the final chapter were some of the chapters I really loved writing. It made knowing that I was going to be ending it soon a bit bitter sweet, but I needed to move on. Jackson's story had played out with me, the characters is what kept me going. I also wanted them stuck in this time, not burdened by adulthood, but planning and visualizing those dreams on a more concrete level.