Cane23

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.

Just a gif I found that perfectly fits your idea!

It’s not just toast, it’s roasted to perfection!

Danny might have the superpower hormone toastosterone! 🥪💥

Mystery… what might be hidden in the attic? 🤔

I think that since that famous adventure, JJ has not been the same man. His self-confidence has grown so much that the change of outfit feels like the final step in his transformation - from an insecure boy to a man. My comment was mainly about his thoughts while looking in the mirror. If he’s thinking, Urgh, my outfit was terrible, that’s fine - a normal teenage reaction. What worried me was the possibility that he might believe his style (or lack of it) could be an excuse for the betrayal or bullying he endured for years. He was a victim, and there was no excuse for Dallas’s or anyone else’s rejection, avoidance, or cruelty. That said, I do understand how teenagers function. They want to be accepted, and social status means a lot. Still, Dallas had no excuse - just a shallow jock wanting to be part of the “popular” crowd (plus denial).

I remember finding that line pretty unfair when I first read the story. Emo style or not, I honestly didn’t think that justified Dallas' behavior

Did Rowan die of an overdose?! 🤔 The way you’re building this story @Jeff Burton is truly masterful! At first, I thought there had just been a very bad breakup. Then I suspected Simon had escaped some domestic abuse. Finally, it becomes clear that it was a deeply toxic relationship - not only in terms of communication and the way Rowan treated him, but literally toxic, involving substance and alcohol abuse. Simon’s rehabilitation won’t be an easy process, but at least he has Elijah and a very supportive family by his side.

I thought Elijah might be an angel... Maybe he is, just not the one from the heaven.

I just LOVE this metaphor!!! Amazing writing, @Jeff Burton. This isn’t an easy read, but it’s completely addictive. The last time a book had a similar effect on me was Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (We Children from Zoo Station) - the first book about drug abuse I ever read.

Those second-hand coat his mother gave him is not far from it! 😜

True! Lyn and Scarlett O’Hara couldn’t be more different in personality or background, yet they are bound by the same relentless drive to survive.

You're absolutely right - this is all pure speculation! As for the ending, it's entirely possible that the characters each go their separate ways. In a way, it would be heartbreaking if, after all these years, Alexander ends up giving up on Lyn. I've actually feared the ending might mirror the final scene of Gone With the Wind, where Scarlett finally confesses her love to Rhett - only for him, exhausted from years of watching her pine for Ashley, to say, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

All of that makes Brad very human. He’s not the villain in this story - just a boy trying to find his own happiness. I believe there’s a real authenticity in him, though unfortunately, he chose to bury it deep, believing that wearing a mask would take him to the stars. He played his role in that friendship, and for what it’s worth, I’d say he was the best choice when it came to partying. 😜

It is interesting that both Lyn and Alexander are struggling to gain their (financial) independence, while Brad is striving for the opposite - to secure dependence by marrying into a wealthy family. Lyn is driven by the fear of poverty, an attempt to escape real 'hunger', while Brad is motivated by a desire for luxury and wealth - his hunger is for richness.

Brad embodies traits of both Willoughby and Wickham. The key difference between these two characters (and what makes Brad closer to Willoughby) is that Willoughby, unlike Wickham, shows some conscience and emotional depth, whereas Wickham is more cold-hearted and manipulative. Willoughby is by no means a saint, but he is more emotionally vulnerable and less calculatedly cruel than Wickham. In this light, we can better understand Alexander's words about Brad: "Also, if anyone is going to rain on his parade, it will be him."

Nope, there she is...

Thank you @akascrubber and @VBlew for suggesting the possibility of Brad’s drug use - it was really an eye-opener for me. It made me rethink not only the pub scene (“too long in the toilet,” “drunk without smell of alcohol”) but Brad’s whole role in the story. Of course, this is just my speculation, but I'd like to hear your opinions... @Laura S. Fox once described Alexander as a Mr. Darcy type, which makes me wonder if Brad could be read as a blend of George Wickham and John Willoughby - charming, socially magnetic, but ultimately driven by self-interest and risky habits (Wickham’s gambling here replaced by Brad’s possible drug use). And maybe the big fracture between Lyn and Brad in college wasn’t about Lyn’s sexuality at all. We’re led to think so because it’s from Lyn’s perspective, but it might have been something more socially loaded: a moment where Lyn revealed his real financial situation. Even without saying it directly, a line like “It will be hard to pay my loans, my mother can’t help me” would have been enough for Brad to see that Lyn wasn’t part of the wealthy world he wants to stay in. That could explain why Alexander tells Lyn “You’ll never be the one to Brad” - not because of love, but because Brad is aiming for security through marriage. Which makes his engagement to Bella less about romance and more about financial safety. Seen in this light, Alexander’s history with Brad could include quietly pulling him back from trouble more than once - a dynamic that fits perfectly with the Darcy/Wickham parallel and makes his cool realism toward Brad feel less like rivalry and more like experience. * We could also find a parallel between siblings - Bella/Luke and Charles/Carolyne Bingley. It was said before that Luke might be catalyst for the further events... Well, unless he undiscover some other abilities, seems that Luke's stupidity to ask wrong questions at right time is going to be enough!

The epic line! That mix of frustration and blunt honesty adds a lot of emotional weight to their dynamic. It shows Alexander’s limits, making him feel more human and vulnerable beneath the surface of control. Plus, it’s a subtle way to highlight the gap between them: Alexander wants Lyn to see and understand things differently, but Lyn just can’t (or won’t) shift his perspective. That line works on two levels: it reveals Alexander’s mood and channels our own reactions, as readers - making it a powerful moment in the chapter. Every time Alexander tries to nudge him toward a different interpretation, Lyn responds with either sarcasm, literalism, or deliberate reframing (“Signs of the universe?” “Gay light—whatever”). His denial feels partly defensive and partly self-protective...if Alexander’s insinuations about Brad are true, Lyn would have to reevaluate both the past and his own long-buried feelings. “if anyone is going to rain on his parade, it will be him,” Seems that Alexander knows (sees) Brad better than we (Lyn) thought. Brad is his own worst enemy ...if anything is going to ruin Brad’s good mood, public image, or “moment of glory,” it won’t be because of an outsider like Lyn or Alexander. It will be because Brad himself says or does something careless, tactless, or arrogant that backfires. “Oh,” Alexander responded with a non-committal grunt. “What an interesting take, Lynton. Bradley gave everything and received nothing in return. How very interesting.” I've been startled reading this! Even if Lyn completely stripped away any romantic or emotional undertones, the practical reality is obvious - Brad benefitted enormously from Lyn’s help in college. That isn’t something you could reasonably “forget” unless you were willfully ignoring it. from an outside perspective, Lyn’s comment is almost absurdly blind. But from inside Lyn’s head, it’s the product of someone clinging to the most convenient version of events because the truthful version is too destabilizing. He consistently underestimates his own value and contributions, often feeling like an outsider or a burden, even when evidence points otherwise. His guilt over seemingly minor things, like winning a volleyball game, shows how harsh and unforgiving he is with himself. So, when Lyn says things like “he must have felt sorry for us” or implies they were a burden to Brad, it’s not just denial about Brad’s feelings; it’s also his own self-doubt and low self-worth bleeding into how he interprets their relationship. “You don’t say,” Alexander said in a low, menacing voice. “So I had everyone and everything I wanted. Is this what you’re implying?” The most tragic line of the chapter. that simple sentence carries a heavy weight - what Alexander “wanted” was never just power or status, but something deeply personal, which makes it a tragic irony that Lyn frames it as mere bragging. Alexander’s external life looks like perfect success, but emotionally, he’s incomplete. “Oh, let the blind lead the blind,” Alexander said in a suave voice dripping with sarcasm. “I suppose I didn’t have to work very hard to have you guys as my pals, then. You just gravitated toward me like poor little moths to a flame.” What a line @Laura S. Fox !!! Lyn understands Alexander’s sarcasm for what it is...a biting, exaggerated jab...not a literal truth about their relationship. He knows he himself isn’t obsessed with Alexander, so he can mentally brush off the insult without it cutting too deep. But Brad... Brad might actually feel caught in Alexander’s orbit in ways Lyn doesn’t fully grasp. He could experience Alexander’s dominance socially or emotionally as more significant, making Alexander’s words resonate more painfully. Brad’s relationship with Alexander probably has more layers of dependency, admiration, or even resentment that Lyn doesn’t see or chooses not to acknowledge. Therefore, such dramatic reaction, even if it is only facial expression - Lyn maybe couldn't interpretate it, but he didn't miss it. This moment is quite nuanced (omg, the whole chapter is)! Lyn is trying to smooth things over and keep the peace by acknowledging Alexander’s academic excellence and deservingness of his scholarship. Saying, “Alexander deserved every penny of that scholarship, and he was the best, period,” is Lyn’s way of defusing tension and steering the group away from further conflict. Brad’s cold eyes shifting between Lyn and Alexander suggest he’s suspicious or uncomfortable with this apparent defense. Brad might see Lyn’s statement as attempt to take Alexander’s side against him, or a sign that Lyn is aligning more closely with Alexander now, which might feel like a betrayal or a threat to Brad’s place in the group. Alexander doesn’t look pleased because Lyn’s remark, while positive on the surface, is somewhat perfunctory and neutral...more about ending the argument than genuine praise. Alexander’s usual sharpness and sarcasm imply he expects more respect or acknowledgment than Lyn is giving. “I know enough. It will never be you, Lynton.” Alexander loomed over him menacingly. “Read my lips. Never.” Should this line be analyzed at all - it's so devastatingly punctual. But Lyn is only partially aware. He’s beginning to sense there’s more beneath the surface, but he’s not fully grasping or accepting the emotional reality yet. “Who ignored you? You ignored me!” Lyn threw at Alexander’s back. “You kept on smiling at Luke like he was some goddamn pretty woman--” Lyn’s jealousy when Alexander smiles at Luke reveals that, despite all the posturing and banter, Lyn deeply cares about Alexander’s attention and approval. It’s a crack in Lyn’s usual defenses - a rare emotional vulnerability showing through. Finally, this chapter feels like a step back in some ways - especially with the tension and misunderstandings piling up between Lyn and Alexander. But that kind of push-and-pull is what makes the story emotionally compelling and realistic. Real relationships rarely move in a straight line toward resolution; they zigzag, with setbacks that deepen character and stakes.

He's an exceptional lawyer - I'd hire him in a heartbeat. I just wouldn't recommend he represent himself if he ever ends up in court.

Oh WOW, just...WOW! I haven't even finished the chapter but this...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best one! Oh, I enjoy this as much as reading! 🙂