Cane23

Nope, at least 20 more - 10 past and 10 present!

That said, once I finish posting Jamie's story, I will try to post most often updates for this one, so the wait between chapters feels less torturous. By the way, how many chapters are there altogether? 😇

Talking to Chris was gathering the evidence!

Too bad Noah didn’t catch them in flagrante – that would’ve been priceless! Honestly, Chris has shown some integrity here. Although he initially covered for Jace, he did it to protect their marriage, not to shield a cheater. He even threatened to expose him if the infidelity continued.

Yes, this is amazing line, I think I analyzed it in my comment. It holds contradictory shades. As you say @LeeSA - Jealousy ...as if Brad doesn’t like sharing Lyn’s loyalty. Even if he wouldn’t name it jealousy in romantic terms, he’s possessive of Lyn’s attention. There's also bitterness in that line. Brad is hurting from the breakup, drunk, and lashing out a little. Calling Lyn and Alexander “two assholes” shows resentment. And finally, Brad's triumphant - “But you love me more” is self-satisfied. Brad assumes his primacy in Lyn’s life as a given. He claims Lyn’s devotion as if it’s a prize he’s earned just by being himself.

“Like you’d know how it is,” Brad said with unconcealed rancor. “You and Alexander never risk anything. You don’t date, so you don’t have to suffer.” What an irony - Brad accuses Lyn and Alexander of “never risking”, but in reality, both are risking in their own ways. Lyn risks his sanity by burying unrequited love. Alexander risks exposure every time his barbs toward Lyn conceal longing. Brad doesn’t notice either risk. He sees himself as the only one who truly suffers - the only one who dares to love and be hurt. Brad is used to thinking of Alexander as aloof, untouchable, maybe a bit of a “Don Juan.” So, when Alexander needles Lyn, glares, or hovers, Brad doesn’t read it as interest. To him, that’s just Alexander being his usual aristocratic, competitive self. Brad doesn’t imagine Alexander capable of genuine emotional investment, so he filters Alexander’s intensity toward Lyn as intellectual rivalry, not attraction. Brad himself has often teased Alexander for being a womanizer, someone with countless flings. But it actually tells us a lot about how Brad perceives Alexander, and it reveals his own emotional blind spots. “I’m not stupid” line shows that Brad is fully conscious of the intellectual hierarchy among them, and it festers. It’s why he sometimes acts out, why he needs reassurance, and why he clings to Lyn’s love with that triumphant “but you love me more, right?” For Lyn, this lands painfully. He has never seen himself as “like Alexander,” but Brad places him there - in the cold, intellectual camp - instead of recognizing Lyn’s emotional devotion. That’s the cruel irony: the very love that consumes Lyn is invisible to Brad, because Brad filters everything through that intellectual vs. emotional divide. Brad assumes Lyn doesn’t “risk” things because he’s detached and calculating, not realizing Lyn is risking everything by not confessing. But that line...“You and Alexander go together like a pair of gloves. But you love me more, right? that's...loaded! On the surface, Brad is drunk, post-breakup, teasing Lyn the way he always does. It looks like banter. So, in his own mind, Brad is just being playful, fishing for loyalty and attention from his friend when he feels low...but beneath that playfulness, what we see is that - Brad is playing dumb. It’s a classic Brad move: needing affection, intuiting its depth, but refusing to engage with its true form. Brad blurts out the truth (Lyn does love him more), but in a way that trivializes it. It’s not a confession, not an opening... it’s Brad using Lyn’s devotion as a cushion for his own bruised ego. For Lyn, this confirms the painful imbalance - Brad gets comfort, Lyn gets nothing but the torture of having his truth treated as a joke. The scene in Brad's room, crystallizes the tragedy of unrequited love - Lyn’s decency and restraint are invisible to Brad, mistaken for aloofness. Brad’s warmth keeps the flame alive, but his blindness keeps Lyn in permanent exile. The chapter ends with Lyn once again sacrificing himself - laughing at jokes, playing the part, because that’s the only way he can stay close to Brad. The 'peeking dilemma' actually defines Lyn’s moral core - he may fantasize, but he never betrays Brad’s trust...even at the cost of his own torment. Finally, it is amazing how the story mirrors two “domestic” scenes across time. The first one is College (Brad/Lyn). Lyn steadies Brad, undresses him, guards him in vulnerable moments. He’s performing the role of a partner - caretaker, confidant, intimate witness. But the core is tragic - Brad never names it, never reciprocates, never even imagines Lyn as that partner. For Lyn, the intimacy is a substitute for love he cannot claim. The second one is Present (Alexander/Lyn - my favorite ). Lyn irons Alexander’s shirt, undresses him, touches his body under the excuse of care. Again, this is domestic intimacy, but this time, it isn’t substitution. Alexander allows it, leans into it, even if obliquely. The tension is different - what Brad unconsciously denied, Alexander consciously permits, but colors with rivalry, silence, and unspoken longing. Those two “domestic” scenes aren’t just parallels - they’re reversals. The Brad-scene shows how Lyn loves unseen. The Alexander-scene shows how Lyn is seen while trying to pretend it isn’t love.

There's always the most boring possibility - that he just went to his fiancée. 😜

This is definitely a finished story, but it feels like just the first part of JJ’s life - like there’s still more to be told. Not in the sense that it feels like an unfinished chapter or that it needs an epilogue, like some stories do. It’s more of a feeling that there’s still so much left to say, some loose ends to tie up, and a few relationships that were only briefly touched on that could be developed further. @Mark Arbour, If you ever decide to come back to this story, I’ll immensely enjoy reading it!

It really depends on how the story develops. One line from the description actually made me hesitant to start reading: “Noah finds himself torn between fighting for his place as Jace’s legal husband or walking away from the life he built. Love, betrayal, and painful truths collide in this emotional journey of devotion, identity, and the brutal price of holding on to someone who may no longer be yours.” If Noah ends up humiliating himself - chasing after a cheating husband who’s practically laughing in his face - it’s going to be torture to read.

Well, in real life, I actually share some characteristics with all three of them. As for Brad… oh my, that whole scene is almost bizarre. Lyn is consoling Brad, thinking it’s about his grades… Brad is drowning his sorrow over a girl… and they end up chasing girls at some party - while deep down, whether consciously or subconsciously, all they really want is to end up in that bed together!

I don’t think it was anything that clever—but he’s definitely flirty!

The biggest issue here is that Jace isn’t feeling regret for what he’s done - he’s just sorry he got caught. We’ve yet to see any real reaction to the damage he’s caused. This is a double betrayal: not just as a cheating husband, but also as a cheating best friend. What would it even take to forgive something like that?

Because that’s not how social interaction really works. We’re all wearing masks, even when we think we’re being honest. Taking risks sounds brave, but most people are just trying to protect themselves - even from their friends.

True, though - by that point in their friendship, they’re already way too deep into the performance. I think Brad would just let it slide...or maybe play along with one of Lyn’s ridiculous excuses, like saying he was just checking if Brad was cold or something…

It's such a relief to know that!

I really hope this song isn’t foreshadowing the future… because that would be absolutely heartbreaking.

His drinking isn’t just a habit - it’s a coping mechanism. Being drunk is the only state where he feels free enough to let go, even if just for a moment.

@Doha @weinerdog, I’m so glad both of you shared opposite takes on Lyn not peeking under the sheets - and paradoxically, you’re both right. Alex doing something like that is almost unthinkable - it’s completely out of character for him. And yet… it would be so good for his growth (and no, not just that kind of growth) if he actually gave in to something impulsive, even forbidden. That kind of moment could be truly liberating!

If Brad had to "release" himself after just one hug with Lyn, then he’s more messed up than we ever imagined - and we thought he was on drugs!

I’m glad there’s no drug use - that would’ve been a devastating shift from drama to tragedy. I see this story as one of awakening, not destruction.

I guess that’s what Noah really wanted to tell Nick during Shower: I wasn't cheating on you - I just needed a dick! By then, it was probably too late for the classic line: “It’s not what you think!” Or our beloved local version: “So, you trust your eyes more than me?!” 😜

Reunion is a quietly charged story about memory, attraction, and the complicated weight the past can hold. The protagonist and narrator of the story is Jake, whose high school years were overshadowed by his feelings for Derek - a popular boy whose teasing was mild on the surface but cut deeply because it came from someone Jake secretly admired. @Jeff Burton skillfully shows how a single relationship can color an entire chapter of life, blurring the line between fondness and hurt, longing and shame. Through Jake’s reflections, the story explores denial, the way unresolved emotions distort memory, and the fragile hope of rewriting one’s history when old faces resurface. Subtle, emotionally layered, and resonant, Reunion captures the bittersweet truth that the past is never as simple as it seemed at the time.

A heartfelt and compelling story about resilience, truth, and the quiet power of unconditional support. JJ’s journey, from surviving abuse and manipulation to finding a safe emotional harbor, is handled with honesty and nuance. Nanna’s fairness, Dave’s steady loyalty despite his own uncertainties, and the raw tension of confronting a parent’s prejudice create a narrative that feels both deeply human and emotionally satisfying. A moving portrayal of how genuine care can heal where family fails.

Family Secret is the readers’ choice for best use of the ‘Reveal the Truth’ theme in this year’s SA competition. A family photo, a mother’s guarded reaction, and a narrator who can’t let go of the mystery - what begins as curiosity becomes an emotional journey across decades. Layered with relatable characters and a slow-burn uncovering of the past, it’s a heartfelt, compelling read.

What starts as a relatable, witty slice-of-college-life story quickly deepens into something far more intense. The narrator, Kyle, comes across as charmingly self-aware, even a little awkward - the kind of character you think you’ve figured out. But by the end, the ground shifts beneath you, and it’s clear there’s much more going on than meets the eye. A sharply written piece with a killer cliffhanger that makes you want to reread from the start.