Richie Tennyson

Thanks @Modified Cub - I really appreciate hearing your honest reaction. It’s true that this ending doesn’t offer much of a conventional resolution and I agree Richard gets a really rough deal in the romance department. It especially burns me up that Nicholas is the one who “gets the guy” despite everything he does 😤 But I’m so happy to hear that Harriet and the humour worked for you!

Thanks so much for all your enthusiasm and encouragement throughout the story @drsawzall - and for coining Nicholas’s apt nickname that seems to have stuck Nicholas doesn’t explicitly explain (or even acknowledge) his “ghosting” periods - but I would definitely love to hear what you think about any sections on a reread.

This is a fantastic comment, thanks so much @Philippe! And thanks for your comments throughout the story. I’m glad you enjoyed the “not all is what it seems at first” moments in the story. Thanks for reading and engaging so much!

Thanks for all your comments @FanLit! They’ve been wonderful to receive, it means a lot that you have read and enjoyed it. Richard tolerated a lot from Nicholas - right up until the end - but as you say he’s in a better place now!

I really like your take on this @zakynthos! Richard has a long way to go still. Maybe Low Expectations could be a sequel… Truly though thanks for reading and engaging with the story so much, it has been great to get your comments

Hahaha I love it @jaysalmn - Richard wasted a lot of time on “Dickoless” for sure, but I’m glad you felt he’s reached a happy ending and, yes, the support system now is much greater than what he was focused on at the start

Thanks for reading it @chris191070 It means a lot to me! And yes Richard and Harriet’s friendship is probably one of the happiest things to come out of the story

Thanks so much for reading it @Charles26! I’m overjoyed you found it an unconventional delight to read - and I’m glad you liked the fizzling fireworks at the end. I definitely enjoyed coming up with them!

Thanks so much @Summerabbacat for all the comments, thoughts and kind compliments throughout the story - very happy to know you enjoyed the humour too I’ve got another story published on my profile if you’re interested - https://gayauthors.org/story/richie-tennyson/happily-ever-after-ltd/

Thanks so much @peter rietbergenfor the encouragement, wonderful compliments and predictions - it means a lot that you took the time to read it and that you enjoyed it

When I wake up, the first thing I do is call Nicholas again. Still no answer. Then I call Harriet and tell her what happened. “I feel guilty,” I tell her. “Really, really guilty.” “Guilty?” Harriet exclaims. “You were trying to help. That’s far more than Darren Park deserved. You have nothing to feel guilty about.” “I should’ve covered up that graffiti on Friday afternoon,” I say. “But I didn’t. I thought, let people find out, it’s not my problem.” Saying it out lou

The next Monday, Maggie has the baby. It’s three weeks early. I’m in Calculus when Dad texts me the news. After school, Vicky and I head to the hospital to meet our newborn half-sibling. But when we walk into the ward, it’s Mum standing next to Maggie’s hospital bed, holding the baby. Maggie looks like she’s been through a car wash but she’s smiling. The baby’s tiny, purple, squashed and asleep. “What are you doing here?” Vicky asks Mum. “Where’s Dad?” “He’s rushing around getting ev

The next day, Vicky and I walk to school. We’re early enough to get cans of Red Bull. Harriet’s waiting for us by the gate. “Is Nicholas here yet?” Vicky asks. “Yep,” Harriet says. “I’ll hide Richard in the library before the first bell.” “I don’t need to hide from Nicholas,” I insist, but it falls on deaf ears. After all, this has also been enshrined in The Nicholas Plan: Whilst at school, make all efforts to minimise contact. Vicky hands me over to Harriet like I’m a ba

The next day, Vicky and I walk to school. We’re early enough to get cans of Red Bull. Harriet’s waiting for us by the gate. “Is Nicholas here yet?” Vicky asks. “Yep,” Harriet says. “I’ll hide Richard in the library before the first bell.” “I don’t need to hide from Nicholas,” I insist, but it falls on deaf ears. After all, this has also been enshrined in The Nicholas Plan: Whilst at school, make all efforts to minimise contact. Vicky hands me over to Harriet like I’m a ba

I stumble upstairs, fall into bed, and sleep until noon. Mum brings me coffee and toast on a tray. “Breakfast in bed for our brilliant Michelangelo!” “Michelangelo mostly painted murals,” I mumble. Mum’s put a little vase on the tray with flowers she’s picked from the garden. There’s a tiny beetle crawling up one of the stems. I burst into tears. I can’t remember the last time I cried in front of Mum. She puts the tray aside and I sob into her shoulder. Part of me t