CHAPTER 19
We finished our last drinks after Jimmy’s final tune, played solo as the Woodruffs sat down for their own pints, and started back up the hill to the bunkhouse and our beds. I hung back a little as the ginger non-misery led the way. I watched as her hand slipped into that of her husband, and almost by the second my focus shifted.

There was nothing false there, nothing feigned. They looked each other in the eye, they grinned as one, and when their hands joined it was as natural as it would have been for any normal couple.

Chapter 31

Once I had Ali bathed and dressed, I sat her in front of the TV watching cartoons. I went and showered, then dressed warmly because it was chilly this morning outside. I put my diary for next year, a notebook, and several pens on the kitchen table. I then joined Ali until her piano teacher turned up. She took her into her playroom for some morning exercises.

Tony is reserved, calm and unflappable. Every Friday night he goes to Lads’ Night, his main social outlet, drinks beers and plays games. He doesn’t even particularly like games, or the challenges or bets that go along with them, despite being very good at them. But something will happen to Tony this Friday night. Something that will change him and reveal a part of him he didn’t even know existed.

In a perfect storm of coincidences, friends, and new friends, with depths he didn’t even begin to understand, Tony could be starting a journey to a very new life. The question is what will it take for Tony to realise the Toni in him isn’t just a strange indulgence for a single night? And what will the people around him do to push him towards accepting this?

The first part of a new and ongoing serial.

She stopped pacing, put her phone down and looked at me. “He’ll be here. But . . . I’m ready, if he doesn’t make it.”

"Welcome to the other side", she said smiling at me . She has just finished doing my makeup. "I am done and now you can turn towards the mirror and have a look at the new you . I am proud of the woman you turned out to be".

Nick stood outside the building where his last class was held. His Introduction To Performing Arts class had ended ten minutes ago, and this was the time of day he'd been looking forward to the most. Because his crush had a class nearby the building where Introduction To Performing Arts was held, and it wrapped up around the same time Nick's did. So now Nick had the chance to make a move.

Cheerleaders Rule!

CHAPTER 18
I was on another trip out to Bethesda around two years later when I got a serious surprise. The way time was flying was more than enough of a shock to start with, but then I was getting used to that as both Enfys and little Davvy seemed to change markedly on a weekly basis.

Kul and his boy were unavailable that weekend, so it was just me who loaded the bike for the run up to the bunkhouse. The forecast wasn’t the greatest, but I didn’t care. Sheffield was fine in its own ways, and the climbing was perfect for a thug like me, but I had always been a sucker for the call of real mountains.

Orphan Petal

June 2023 - Part 4

Shirley now is at an orphanage where Aunty works. He now will start a new journey. What path will he take?

This is a spin-off to the story "The Teenage Years of Alexander Horten"

** Sorry about the absence. I was renovating, got injured and couldn't take the time to rest and recover. Writing was difficult.
Everything should be back on schedule now.

“I look like an idiot,” I said to my reflection and the empty room.

I had dozed off talking to her .

I got up and sat on the bed.Long strands of straight black hair fell all over my face and body . I had forgotten about it . I was still dolled up. I got up and stood infront of the mirror.
"What have I done to myself !!"
The worst part was that I didn't look ugly like I expected. I switched off Shreya's phone and changed back. I felt disgusted looking at myself. I don't know what made me do something like this. "I have to stop this nonsense. I am a man and this doesn't suit me". I felt embarassed looking at myself.