Cane23

@BendtedWreath looking for answers:

In this story, we know the 'biggest one' doesn’t have a car at all! 😉😂

I know, I know...just - let's go! 😁 1. The Ledger of the Howling Void 5. Mikiesboy 2. The Ledger 9. astone2292 3. Wrong Window 1. Topher Lydon 4. Subtle Signs 2. CassieQ 5. Coffee with Supervision 6. Lee Wilson 6. Sweet Sour Paradox Logic 3. Myr 7. Just the Facts, Man 8. drsawzall 8. Murder At 9th and Tom 7. Ieshwar 9. No Official Reason 12. Bill W 10. Undeliverable 13. Kileoli 11. Gemma 10. Thirdly 12. Peeping Tom 15. kbois 13. The Ivory Fig Ceremony 11. BendtedWreath 14. Emptying the Library 14. GaryL 15. Unexpected Discovery 4. chris191070

That might be the case with middle-aged men, but these are just spoiled, snobbish, horny teenagers!

I went looking up those cars on the web. So, here's my little study: Anton - Countach. The Countach is almost comically appropriate for Anton. It's not a car you buy because you want to disappear. It's angular, theatrical, difficult, loud and intimidating. It has an almost predatory visual character. For a rich, arrogant boy who is fiercely protective of Bastien, I would read it as - Anton needs the world to recognize his power. And there's an interesting psychological possibility...his protectiveness may have an element of possession. The Countach is an extension of that attitude - I have the best thing, and everyone should know it! Bastien - Porsche. Bastien having the Porsche is, to me, the most revealing choice. He is the “Sun King,” surrounded by beautiful, wealthy boys who orbit him, he doesn't necessarily need the most outrageous object in the room, because...he is already the center. A Porsche has prestige, but it is more restrained than a Countach or Ferrari. It can say - I don't need to demonstrate my importance. That seems very Bastien. We can also see why Lawrence is falling for him - the Porsche could represent the side of Bastien that is more controlled and mature than the other boys. Anton and Norris are visibly circling him, protecting him, perhaps competing for him. Bastien is the calm center around which they revolve. Norris - Ferrari. This one is particularly interesting. A Ferrari is much more emotionally charged than a Porsche. It's beautiful, fast, sensual and somewhat excessive. It feels like a car belonging to someone who experiences everything intensely. So, if Lawrence is already thinking that Norris is in love with Bastien, then the Ferrari almost reinforces that reading. Anton's relationship to Bastien might be territorial; Norris's might be passionate, and Bastien's relationship to both of them may be something Lawrence initially struggles to understand because Bastien has this entire little solar system of boys around him.

Amazing chapter! In a way, as Alex himself noticed, the conversation between him and Charlie mirrors the conversation they had years ago. It really shows how far all three of them - Neil, Alex, and Charlie - have come. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the end of the story, yet it seems Neil and Alex still have more to say.

The disease was the burden, not the mother they were caring about!

Why can’t they just be school bullies? Why do they have to be complete villains too?

Blame it on the high temperature and humidity!

Since meeting Mark, getting stuck in the elevator with him, and especially after that kiss, we can see Elliot’s slow but steady personal growth. The guy who used to wear a happy mask, hiding his insecurities and self-doubt behind a flood of words, becomes the guy who admits to his friend that “he is not okay.” The guy who would hide in the stairways is now willing to enter that elevator and walk straight through. Since the story is written from Elliot’s POV, we don’t get to see Mark’s personal struggles. We can only sense them the way Elliot does - and hope that Mark, too, will eventually trade his own stairways for the elevator.

I do try to lie, but I’m terrible at it because it’s usually written all over my face: “I’m lying!” Hey, wait… you can’t see my face! 😄

Since the trust fund is not going to be an issue, the parents are not coming out of jail, Miles is not being charged with murdering his uncle, and I hope the state won’t oppose the adoption process - apart from some teenage drama and the challenges of living and working on a ranch, the main problem I see in the future is Mr. Riggs’ Parkinson’s disease. I had a dear friend, a lady who sang in the same choir as I did, who struggled with Parkinson’s for years with such incredible strength and bravery. Yet, despite her determination, the deterioration of her health was inevitable, eventually leaving her in a wheelchair and, ultimately, leading to her passing. It wasn’t just her personal struggle - it affected her whole family. Her husband and son, instead of simply being her husband and son, gradually became her caregivers and, in many ways, her nurses. Such wonderful people, carrying such a heavy burden.

Oh, you just want to stop us from making the trust a topic of discussion across four comment pages, as was the case with the shower! 😜

Uncle Ron never had a chance to change his will, since he died the same day he discovered Miles was gay. The money Uncle Ron got from the lottery makes me wonder - why did he need Miles and the money from his trust at all? BTW, I’ve been meaning to ask for a few chapters now: where did Miles learn ranch work, riding, and all that?

Great! I like guys who know what they want, when they want it, and where they want it! No hesitation, no playing coy…

Puppies! Of course you have to dedicate a whole chapter to puppies! 😁

Thinking about who used the theme best, I had to focus on the word “forbidden.” So, it’s not something hidden or secret... Therefore, two stories with historical themes immediately came to mind as my first choices: “The Ledger” and “Emptying the Library.” I’ve chosen to vote for “Emptying the Library” because of the importance of the historical events it describes - events that should never be forgotten! "Where they burn books, they will in the end burn human beings too."

Amazing chapter! Reading it, I kept thinking about how our boys leave a trace wherever they go - not a trace that the bad guys can follow, but a trace of goodness… a light for lost souls in love, helping them find their way to their safe haven, too.

“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” - John 20:29 🙂

@Lupus wrote this amazing little story about teenage drama and love without making it pretentious or overly complicated. What makes it outstanding is exactly its simplicity. It beautifully shows how self-denial can lead to personal confusion and problems in relationships. But once Mark, the main protagonist, fully understands and accepts his feelings, a happy ending becomes a well-deserved reward - for both the characters and the readers.

Back from holiday! The temperature and humidity were so high in Alanya that my brain couldn’t function for seven days. 😄 Anyway, here I am, and what do I see… I was almost 100% sure that @Mark Arbour had written The Ledger - and now I see he didn’t participate at all!!! And second, I could have sworn (and lost the bet!) that @Jason Rimbaud was lying about not participating this year… 😄 So… I’ll have to make a new list!!! 🤪

I like that this isn't story about good guys and bad guys! It's story about good guys but, some of them are a bit lost! 🙂

Unfortunately, not!

His identity is not secret any more, and it happened in Chapter Four... That was a little surprise for me, as I was expecting it to be a main issue for some time... Nevertheless, I'm glad the truth is out, and that the story isn't about Morgan lying, but Morgan finding refuge and a home. Btw, I'm on holiday - greetings from Alanya, Turkey! I bet there'll be over hundred notifications tomorrow morning! 😜