Krista

I am so sorry that I am more than a year late on this response. Sorry about the loss of the fries, but I am also glad that you liked the burger. I do keep rereading this story to keep it fresh. I have forgotten some of the aspects I wished to cover - I made mental notes and never returned to them and jotted anything down. Major plot points, I do remember, because they're rather straight forward. Which is why I am hesitant to write it. If you know the outcome at least in part - because Jace has always spelled out his plan. That was to somehow get back to his mother and save her. Then will you still enjoy the journey? You may not know which way that decision will go, for him. But would you still read it, knowing? I would also have to do a lot of research to make any outcome believable. But, I also write for myself mostly, and me knowing that won't really bother me... as I always knew where I wanted to go. I am also winding down on my current project. I'm not giving false hope, I hope. I don't make promises, because I break them and I don't want to do that.

Oh mercy, they'll be no living with you.

After we arrived at Rick’s, the first thing I saw was the silvery white Limo with Derek leaning against it. When he saw us pulling into the driveway he pointed to it and I rolled my eyes when he posed with Lily shaking her head at his side. Toby had one of the back windows rolled down and was half hanging out of it with his solid black mask already on. The only downer was Bailey Fucking Ashton standing in a pink vest holding his jacket with Ally standing next to him looking perfect. “Wow,”

Oh gosh, I'm going to have to split Chapter 51 up into two parts. The good news is, part one, or what will become Chapter 51 is already written.. lol.. bit more of a buffer between what is done, and what is left to do before the posting schedule catches up to me. 21 pages and almost 12k words, it was getting too big. Also, sorry if I'm annoying you with these little updates, typically I would do that in a Status update, but since we don't get notifications for those anymore - it is just more visible here. Trying to be transparent with this story and all my future projects going forward.

I would like to think we're all guilty of all of her points. So that I am not alone in thinking... "damn I'm guilty as fffff.." -- I'm also a bit tired, so I'll make the attempt at a less knee-jerk cheeky response later. I really felt a lot of those points and how impactful they could be for the people around us and in our personal bubbles.

Yes, she did. But was it also a passive aggressive dig at Cindy, having them do that right in front of her? lol... nah Grace wouldn't do that. It is funny that @wildone and I were discussing the parents last night. And, I was discussing scenarios that I would cover if I were to do a prequel with those characters. Craig, Grace, Cindy, Henry, Derek and Carrie Tate, Troy Marks, Troy's estranged wife - I named her, but I can't remember it now, Steven Welker... and some of the issues I would like to bring up, that were never discussed in the current fiction presented with Jackson's story. And a certain scenario that I put forward that I thought about, didn't really put Craig and Grace, that involved Cindy, and to a certain extent Henry, in the best light. And, let me tell you, Steven in very little words said.. "No, you absolutely can't do that, Craig and Henry are blameless..." and I went on to ask, "What has Grace done?" And he unloaded a laundry list, albeit way shorter than Cindy's, I'd imagine. But they were things that I didn't even think about with her... like her hiding the fact she got Luke that certain X-Mas gift, without telling anyone. Etc. So I got to thinking, well maybe Grace would be a bit of a sneaky sort of person that looks innocent on the outside of it all. Where as Cindy is full blown Cindzilla. But you know, Craig and Henry must be protected, they're doing the world's work. Scott being a new coach, and having former athletes transferring out was very intentional. I wouldn't have picked Georgia or any D-1 school for that matter, with out that being a factor. D-1 Schools are competitive for scholarships, I'm not saying he wouldn't land one at a smaller school, which would be more within the realm of realism that is still D-1, but I wanted to, as a final decision - because it was a goal that I could picture better. It also had to be a school geographically closer, for the same reason that farther away schools wouldn't even have him on their radar, unless he was nationally ranked, top tier, and with many accolades to his name. I mean if I said that a Coach from a school no one has ever heard about offered him a scholarship, would that have had much of an impact on Jackson's story arc as a whole? I'm not sure that it would, but I'm assuming most of my audience would know the University of Georgia at least. I actually scanned lists of Universities that had swimming, because I worried endlessly about what it would look like if I chose certain schools. And, the drawbacks of not choosing a school similar in history, notoriety, and current rankings vs. former rankings. I intentionally left the bigger goal schools out entirely, the ones where the programs are so storied, so heavily favored, Jackson wouldn't be on their radar. If I chose Texas, California and other powerhouses, all the believability would go out the window. As it should, those schools would be looking at way bigger fish, a lot longer than just one season and really choose from those interested who best fit their programs. They can be that picky, even with my stipulation that it was a new coach coming into the program. Writing is exhausting at times, when faced with stuff like that. There was also a huge.. Eff it moment, when I realized I was wasting time and Georgia fit that too, so that I could get started on actually writing those scenes.

ah, I do not like being so far ahead of my writing and posting. I never know what to say and what not to say. So I will say nothing, but I want to acknowledge the comment. It was thoughtful, and the vision of Cindy with a megaphone marching around holding a sign is scary. I personally like her being a more Cindzilla character myself, just havoc and destruction in her wake... no innocents left behind. lol.

Could you imagine Tony's reaction to that? I wouldn't want to be within a twenty mile radius. I think he would have sent them packing, Tony has the ability to ruin careers if he sees fit, he threatened as much for Aiden back when they pulled their other stunt. I guess with Cindy being the primary villainous voice in this chapter, I wanted to balance it out on the Townson brothers a bit. But yeah, a second sabotage did cross my mind, numerous times. And maybe it will.

Changed the status to In Process because I am fairly confident I am going to complete the story before all the unposted chapters are edited and become available.

Woops! It didn't include this into the Multi-quote... but I think I remember y'all not really like them to begin with.. lol. I forgot after I sent it and... laziness will keep me from redoing it. lol. I needed to reference some older things, to make the story feel full circle. I don't think I have dome that enough really. I have sprinkled in some things.. like I feel Luke has reminded Jackson about some things when they first got together. Then I think Charlie asked Jackson how Luke and him started dating, and he answered with.. "He kissed me and I didn't punch him..." or something like that. (I do hope that was already written and posted, if not it isn't a huge spoiler) Also, Gooooo DAWGS! It may not be the most realistic college for him to get into, last minute and with little notoriety, but this is fiction and I'll run with it if y'all let me. --- I am well into Chapter 51, so hopefully I'll get that finished before we get 48, 49, and 50 posted. That should be the last chapter... until I write either one huge Epilog or a series of shorts that tie into the events in an order of when they would naturally happen. I thought about doing that with Are You Christian and never got around to it, but I think I like these characters enough to do a couple and see where they go. Jackson has a ton of unfinished business left from where I am, so maybe I can fill it up and wrap the story.

I think that would hurt the meteor and teach Cindy nothing. At least Henry would find the meteor interesting, I guess. Hmm.. I wonder when the other shoe will drop as well... and will it make a thud... or a small crater? Of course 'I' know the answer to that... but this story is also wrapping up, so I need it to be a neat little package. Hopefully the rest of what is to come is impactful enough to bring it all home. The ending to this story has been set in stone my entire time writing it.. it is the one thing that has never waivered as I began forming out Jackon's character and Luke's. So... we shall see! Cindzilla may or may not be chanted in the next chapter... lol. I also don't think Grace intended to put certain things in Jackson's head, maybe it will backfire. She has learned from the past maybe.. not.. to do that, as he seems to take things to the extreme... I am excited for parts 2 and 3 of Prom to come out, I hope I didn't over do it. If I did, blame my femaleness and nothing more, because I went all out, unabashed and unashamed. 😮 😮 Well.. the guy has to still graduate without Welker being hot on his ass... He's not out of the woods yet. lol. No.. I was entirely excited when my Prom rolled around, I wanted it to last well into the night... but I'm also female and well... I expect my prom to go and be a certain way. I can see where Jackson may just want it to start, be over, and let his real plans come into play.

“Alright,” I groaned after I hit the wall for the last time during practice with Emily. It was a private practice, she made good on her word to work a decent breaststroke into me. “We’re done, right?” “For the afternoon,” she answered smiling as she jotted down my time. We did a run through my four hundred individual medley, just to see how it went. Looking at the video replay of the race, it looked like a completely new swimmer jumped into my lane when I turned for home during my breaststr

The Best Year. I'm hoping to finish it out in the next two chapters.

DST is something that I am rather used to. I wouldn't mind seeing it go, but I'm not all that flustered that it is still around either. It is just something that's... here. As far as reading goes, I am rereading my own story. (Yeah, I'll toot my own horn). Mostly because I can't remember half of what I wanted to use to wrap the story with, so a refresher course is in order. Also, Steven if you're late again:

I'm in the process of rereading my own story for myself, so I'm hoping to be touched by this as well. When you're 300k words in, some smaller plot points become forgotten.

My mother had a thing for Fabio, I think... but since I thought he was butt-end ugly, I never wanted to read them growing up. At least the book covers have gotten better. I do like a strong plot to go along with the Romance aspect. I get bored very easily if I don't get it. It is escapism in a nutshell. Cerebral gay fictions are typically great reads as well. I wish I had been more exposed to those in my earlier reading habits. Maybe give some suggestions so that I can pick up a few new things to read along the way, I'm finding myself becoming very picky about the Romances I've attempted to read of late.

😮 you couldn't have shown us which story you were currently reading in your screen grab? As for the Ads, there have always been some semblance of sex to some of them as far as I can recall. Although this one is a bit on the nose... err thrusting abdomen. Maybe I'm desensitized, but I don't have a problem with it personally. I'm not sure, there may not be any control over what Ads Google sends through in their ad services? It isn't done by the people in Orange though, that much I am pretty positive is true. But like all rare things in this world, I could be wrong and they can correct me on that.

Thank you, I am glad you enjoyed the story. It was sort of a spur of the moment idea for one of GA's anthologies, but it went on too long and I ran out of time. I posted it anyway. Oh, and welcome to GA, I don't know if you've been lurking for awhile and finally joined, but there are a ton of wonderful stories here to check out.

Hmm... a Lab puppy? I can see it, if he snarls and constantly falls down stairs. Jackson does get into his own way at times and gets into sticky situations. It would be so sad for me to write over 300k words and not have him achieve his goals in that way. I mean, he may still yet find out that he won't achieve them... just no, not in that way. I love how you described both characters, what they're going through and how realistic it all feels... goals, it is good to know that I have at least accomplished some of them. I was a bit surprised that Luke was described the way he was. I've seen him slightly differently, but that's why writing and reading is good and I'll not attempt to coach anyone to see any of my characters the way 'I' see them, if the writing takes you there, it takes you there. It is my job to write them in a way that is enjoyable and worthwhile, it is not my job to control you and pigeonhole you into my way of thinking. At least not with this sort of theme/style.. what have you. There are some stories where a certain character may 'need' to be seen in a certain way for it to be effective - still the writing should reflect it, and not me preaching from a pulpit at y'all in the comments.

I would never! 😮 Too evil. So rest assured, Jackson makes it home. lol.. and that was quite the picture you painted for poor Cindy, I don't think I would wish that torture on anyone, mercy. Jackson's transformation throughout the writing has been a bit of a worry for me. I set out to make a character difficult to like, but he warmed up to y'all anyway. I wanted to make him a bit of an ass, but a loveable.. not idiot, but.. just.. I don't know, not so deep or serious sort of guy. I knew if the transition into that sort of thinking/deeper sort happened too slowly, y'all would give up... if it happened to quickly, it might not be believable. I'm hoping for the latter to be true. Luke's growth as well, for that matter. I didn't want him to meet Jackson's level too quickly either, I wanted him to stay true to himself and remain different throughout.

Thank you! My writing, I feel has come a long way from even Standing in Shadows to now. I don't know if there would ever be a spot for a High School fiction with this much swearing and sex in the publishing world.. lol. I'd have to edit a lot of that out and then edit it again. My dialog isn't structured all that correctly either. But even more baby steps for me, if I continue writing after this story. I am glad you have enjoyed the story so far.

Well, if the psychic from the carnival is to be believed, we don't have to worry about Tara at all.. as Tara is a redhead and Jackson is supposed to end up with a short haired blond with blue eyes. Lol. (More or less a younger version of Cindy physically). We'll see how solid Jackson and Luke become, I was rather invested in their relationship and the dynamic between both friend groups in the coming chapter. It could be a bit of a wreck, mind you...

Yeah.. Cindy... Thank you for coming back to the story. And for leaving a comment.

Closet how? I think he's come out of the closet on being an ass. lol.. beat it down, rather. As far as I know, Aiden is straight, unless I have unintentionally alluded to him not being straight? The Meets take a while to write, so I am always pleasantly surprised that y'all like reading them. They're also longer chapters than usual... so I'm concerned they're too long. I wonder though, if the next one I do have to write will be as impactful, since they are closer together in the timeline than what I have made them in the past. But, I couldn't let Districts be the final milestone in the writing, I have some stuff to cover.

hmm.. me thinks the ol' boy is feeling the heat from his cheeky ways and is looking to turn over a new leaf so to speak. On a serious note though, I like the WWU, but if you feel that it needs a punching up or whatever, I like @astone2292's suggestions. If you're looking for a more in-depth discussion or whatever, prompting with a question could be what gets the ball rolling. It doesn't even have to be Writing, Reading, or anything. It could be current events, life updates, etc. If they're not too personal or nosey people may answer.