Jacob Windigo

Thank you, Fresco, for your incredibly kind words; they mean more than you know. Crafting a compelling story with relatable characters that reflected the depth of emotion found in real life was my top priority and highest goal, so I am overjoyed to hear that I was able to convey that in my writing.

100%, I absolutely agree! I wanted to cover a range of emotions and issues that relfected the nuance with which they are dealt in the real world, so it is so wonderful to hear that this came through to my readers!

This story was an exploration of what I wished would have happened, what might have happened, if I had only been more confident when I was in high school. I wrote this story with the intention of relating with others, and I am overjoyed to hear I met that goal. I truly appreciate your trust in my writing ability, and you are absolutely correct that it is still hard to believe that my thoughts and words have had such an impact on others. I also truly appreciate your comments on the immersive nature of my writing; to create a story that one could lose themselves in was something I could only hope for. Thank you for your support, it means so so much.

I am so glad you resonated so much with this story! Yes, the story of Braden is certainly one worth telling, and there is certainly more I have to say!

I know what you mean; I am already feeling the urge to write another story, but I might take some time to figure out the details before I begin writing again. Thank you for the reminder that this first and foremost is an act of joy!

Thank you for reading this story. It warms my heart to have read all of these comments and know that my story was able to engage its readers in emotional thought. There is most certainly a tale to be told about Braden, but we will have to see where that leads! I appreciate your kind words and confidence in my writing; it means more than you could ever know!

That is a fair question, but that was also the point of leaving it open ended. I didn’t want everything to be spelled out exactly, leaving many of the details to inference and the reader’s imagination. What I envision is that Braden was adopted as an older child, but at what exact age is not important. They could have adopted a kid right after college or a couple of years later, that’s up to you, or until I potentially write a sequel detailing Braden’s journey, or their college life, or a combination of the two!

I stood in my room, shocked without any idea of how to continue. Part of me wanted to hang up right then and there, unwilling to delve into the bottomless sea of emotions I had chosen to ignore and pretend like I never answered the phone. But something in me, call it heartbroken longing or a spark of desperate hope, pushed me to keep talking. I took a deep breath. “Kyle. To be honest, this was not a call I was ever expecting to receive, especially not from you.” “I know, I know”, Kyle

Couldn't have said it better myself. As an aspiring educator, these two "teachers" are exactly who I am trying to replace. This story has its basis in my own marching band trip to Calgary, but that is where relaity stops. It is more an exploration of what I wished had happened. There is a lot of issues going on with Connor, but I think he's worth it!

You hit the nail on the head; Connor's return to "home life" is what concerns me the most out of everything. How he is doing, what he is feeling, and how me is moving forward, if at all, are what is to be explored in last chapter. As for Jarrod, you are also 100% correct. This will hopefully be addressed in the last chapter, but I can say that lying to oneself can be a powerful coping mechanism. You are right about them being sent home. They most likely would have been in real life, but I allowed myself some poetic license with the rules to serve the story!

I would definitely say that connor has been traumatized. There was most certianly a different way to handle this. Unfortunately, Connor's parent's reaction is not surprising as it is so common. I agree that how the directors reacted was not okay, and I would say that at least Jarrod's parents are disapproving of them, As for Kyle, he will have a different role to play in this story's conclusion.

I think Jarrod is the only one that can help at this point, so you have some good instincts there.

Absolutely. As I said, I wanted to tell two different narratives of how a family might react to their child coming out to them. While Jarrod received unconditional love and support, Connor did not, and that is most definitely cause for worry.

Interesting thought, but I can say that Kyle will be playing a different role in the resolution of this story.

I woke up having experienced the deepest most peaceful sleep of my life. I was slow to wake, lazily opening my eyes to meet the blissful face of my young lover laying his head on my chest as the realization of all that took place the previous night washed over me. I couldn’t help but smile. Our bodies fit together in perfect conformity, every inch of our skin in contact with each other. I wished this moment could have lasted forever as I was sure I could never again experience such joy, at least

Since the Calgary Stampede parade was scheduled for the next evening, the directors had decided that the day was going to be an easy one of fun and relaxation for the students. So, after our excursion to Banff, the rest of the day was planned as a free exploration of downtown Calgary. Once Connor and I exited the gondola, we decided that we weren’t exactly ready to socialize quite yet. We resumed our positions on the secluded Bus 3 and settled down for the long ride to Calgary. Connor’s hea

It absolutely is! While young love is beautiful, it can be difficult to watch it unfold, but I suppose that's what makes it so special in the first place.

This was amazing! I am relatively new to this platform as an author, and the fact that deep and menaingful discussions can happen about my writing absolutely floors me. Thank you so much for your thoughtful words, they truly mean so much!!

Thank you so much! I can only hope the end point is both satifying and deserved, but we will have to wait and see!

Thank you, this was beautifully put. I agree; growing alongside one's partner is the most exciting part of intimate relationships. Your words mean so much, I am incredibly grateful.

Absolutely! Being unconfortable is normal, especially when it comes to talking about emotions and feelings!

I played around with the a couple of the minor characters defining traits in this chapter. I wanted to convey that everyone, no matter who they are or how minor of a role they have in the plot, can have complexity. But yeah, Joy is definitely one of those annoying morning people! Both Kyle and Jarrod have some work to do. Again, I wanted to convey that these boys are high schoolers trying to figure all of this stuff out, and sometimes their inexperience will make things infinitely harder. I too think they will both get there eventually! As for Connor, you hit the nail on the head. Connor is still in a very vulnerable position on his journey of self-acceptance, and I wanted to make sure to include that as that can be easily lost in a new relationship. I am hoping to explore this more in the next chapter. Banff is absolutely amazing! I was inspired to write this story after my own marching band trip to Calgary, and I can only hope my writing did justice to the pictures that still play clearly within my mind to this day.

My goal for this chapter was to express the inexperience and lack of maturity both Connor and Jarrod have when it comes to relationships. Unfortunately, this happens to be the situation for so many gay teens as they haven't had the chance to have their relationship "firsts". As for Jarrod not being out to his family, this again is charaterisitc of so many gay teens. I think one can learn a lot about oneself even without coming out to their family. Everyone's journey is specific to them and no two journeys are alike, so whether someone comes out to their family tomorrow or in fifty years is entirely up to them and what they are comfortable with. But they can still do a lot of learning about themselves and how they would want to interact with others regardless of who they come out to and when. I agree with you that ones sexuality does not need to be announced publicly, and I am hoping for the day where acceptance of any sexuality is normal, even mundane.

Fear immediately seized Connor as the joy drained from his face. “W-w-what are y-y-you, I mean, w-w-why are y-y-you–” A sense of protectiveness suddenly overwhelmed me, pushing me to step in between Kyle and Connor, taking charge of the situation. “Kyle, what could possibly cause you to interrupt our otherwise lovely morning?”, I asked, the venom clear in my voice. “Oh, umm, wow, I didn’t expect to see my section leader with you, Connor,” Kyle said with stilted speech. “I, umm, well, J

Kyle and Connor will most certainly have an opportunity for discussion in the next chapter, and I hope to portray the nuance found in the difficult conversation between friends caught on opposite sides of the "coming-out situation". I think Kyle will struggle to have an adult conversation, but it is not beyond him. I also am looking forward to exploring Jarrod's role in all of this!