Jazmee27 
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Filter
The stuffier it gets in here, the harder it is to breathe—and the more I need air flowing in the apartment. As I turned on the AC, I remembered my conversation with Deb Bybee on Tuesday—the part when I mentioned some of the ladies don’t use theirs. “I encounter the same thing when I go to visit my mother. Their skin is so thin that the air makes them shiver. Yet, they still need it. They just don’t realize it.” ‘The air’s filtered, and that’s what makes it easier to breathe.’
I only wish I’d remembered that earlier, when I shut the air off because I was freezing. ‘Well, “better late than never,” as the saying goes.’
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Reply #1401. Oct 02 11, 5:04 PM
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Jazmee27
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It's Obvious
It’s easy to tell something’s going on with me based on what happens to my main characters. Either of the Gonzales twins—or perhaps both—can be an indicator of my mood at the moment. But, “knowledge is power,” and one thing I wish I’d done before it’s focus more on the academic side of things. True, I’ve read articles on stress on the earlier tapes, but I never once touched on stress disorders, which one or more of the students clearly has.
On tape six, right before Anja is found—unconscious and dying from an apparent suicide attempt—I have the song “All These Lives” play in its entirety. Only hours after she’s found does someone realize that the traumatized ten-year-old was murdered. In the third series, I’ll switch up some of the details so that it’s not as vague—but not so painfully obvious I can’t stand to write it.
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Reply #1402. Oct 02 11, 5:05 PM
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Jazmee27
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I forgot the end of July
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Come On
I was playing Ninjas’ Daily Challenge when the idea occurrd to me: if I’m focusing on the earlier days of my characters’ lives, why not have Alonso invite Anastasia to a dance *before they’re officiaolly boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m not sure what ages I want yet, but the detail I do know3 is that their friendship evolves from helping each other study. Secretly, each thinks of the other and, well, when Maria announces an upcoming dance, he determines to ask Anastasia to go with him. Unfortunately, when he’s nervous he has this annoying tendency to… uh, blurt out stuff that make him sound insensitive and rude. He’s always been shy, but now the problem’s been compounded with nerves. “Every time I speak, it’s like my tongue gets tangled up,” he once remarks to his identical twin brother.
On the night of the dance, as soon as he sees Anastasia, the words he’d planned to say take flight like so many frightened birds. Instead, he says, “Come on; we’re late.”
Her reaction is immediate: Before the poor boy knows what hit him, her hand flies through the air and connects with his cheek in a resounding smack with enough force behind it to send him sprawling. And she’s so upset that her magical energies activate, delivering a powerful burst of electricity to his system, causing him to black out for a few seconds.
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Note: Not necessarily what I would really do in such a situation
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Reply #1403. Oct 02 11, 5:08 PM
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Jazmee27
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===
Beacon Lodge
It’s funny how a word can jar so many memories. Camp. The very thought makes me tremble inside. Not that I don’t have any positive remembrances, but so many of them aren’t…
I attended at least three camps when I was younger: Beacon Lodge, located in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was for eleven days each summer; the one in Avalon, New Jersey, whose name I can’t remember, was a week in duration; and girlscout camp, I believe it was in “Elizabethtown, was for just three days. Most of my memories concern Beacon Lodge, either because I went there for more years, or otherwise because some memories just stick to a person rather than others. I can’t match ages with the incidents, except for one or two, but the events themselves are still there…the summer Lauren Childress and I got up and started walking and wound up in the campfire, what I like to refer to as the “blind leading the blind” incident; the year I caused a commode to tip over and break, necessitating stitches and an early homecoming; the year all the other campers were sick with the flu, but I was in bed with bronchitis and a temp. of 102-that year, Grandma and Mom had to pick me up early, too; the year I broke my front teeth on the swings and required my food be processed in a blender so I didn[‘t have to chew it; and “the overnight,” when we slept in an a-frame and went to the bathroom in an outhouse. Those are the clearest, the most vivid, of my memories. And some of the campers are more memorable than others—there was ‘Dominick, whom everyone called Nicki, the camp piano prodigy who, at age six, gave me a slobbering kiss—I was ten at the time, and remember thinking how disgusting it was—and who would spit on everyone he didn’t like-or, maybe there was a different reason; and there was Chad, who terrified allthe campers by biting indiscriminately like a mad beast; and there were those whose names I’ve long forgotten, but for one reason or another didn’t get along with. And I remember feeling so homesick each and every year, sitting on the bench on the first day, and feeling like I was all alone and didn’t belong-with hindsight, some of this was caused by my undiagnosed balance difficulty, which has made me feel self-conscious for as long as I can remember.
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Oh, camp***
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Reply #1404. Oct 02 11, 5:09 PM
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Jazmee27
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Playing Both Sides
As I sit and listen to yet another digital talking book, my name wanders back to my story ands--pecifically, to the characters Naomi, Lynda, Bizanti, Chendori and Vhoteyra—and an idea hits me like a double-decker bus: ‘He plays both sides,’ I thought to myself’ ‘pretending to be one with the Scenorian cause, while remaining true to his home Qirynse; for there’s a schism within Cehrvanakavreyda, with those under the leadership of Bizanti Cannelahra favoring the cause of Qatavoreya Univahris. And so, being the Ultimate Commander, Vincent Cobeyra is likewise able to manipulate the outcome according to his own pleasure; what he seeks, above all, is the throne of his enemies. So when Chendori Dorsevahrtren captures Orelio Ordevahran, what he doesn’t realize Cobeyra calls the shots; and as slaying the boy outright is counterproductive to Qatavoreya Univahris’ objective, Vhoteyra has the other group of Cehrvanakavreyda operatives “stumble upon” their fellows in the act of beating the life from the child, and thus makes arrangements through ?Cannelahra to take thee boy elsewhere; and once having accomplished this, is content to wait.’
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Only "intelligent" criminals do this
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Reply #1405. Oct 02 11, 5:11 PM
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Jazmee27
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===
Hope out of despair
The names are the same. I’d never noticed that before. Different surnames, but still the same.
Early in Megondrian history, King Zarkona Esswenta married Jasmyna Olemka, sister of the renowned warrior Jomehna Olemka. For several years, they were unable to produce an heir; then, during The Year of the Wanderrer, Jasmyna announced she was expecting twins. Their subjects were thrilled, then saddened as news of the king’s mysterious illness spread. And then, as if to make matters worse, the oldest of the two babies was born during a tremendous storm, and the queen died giving birth to the youngest.
Centuries later, in a small Qiryntian village, young Jasmyna Aorseveyno fell in love and married Scenorian-born Sevahriano Voliyno. In time, Jasmyna—whose Qiryntian name is Qaseydra—gave birth to twin boys Qodiehnto and Qorteviyno, dying soon afterword. Arranging for a friend of his late wife’s to look after Qodi, Sevahriano returned to his home kingdom with his youngest son.
“And out of your greatest despair shall come your greatest hope.” – ‘The Book of Prophecy,’ pp. 6 and 217.
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Reply #1406. Oct 02 11, 5:11 PM
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Jazmee27
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Nuts and bolts
Perhaps one of the funniest parts of tape five is the interrogation of Santiago, one of the two men who kidnapped Alonso and attempted to kill him. He’s perhaps the sorriest excuse for a bad guy I’ve ever created!
Devlyn: Santiago, I have two questions: the first of which is, what happened to *you? (Long pause) Let me guess: that battle ten thousand years ago, you never fully recovered from it, so when They brought you back you were already missing so many nuts and bolts it wasn’t even funny!
Santiago (trembling): Well, did you see that guy?
Devlyn (looking at Santiago like he’s nuts): What guy? What the hell are you talking about?
Santiago (faltering): That guy, he… I saw him… kill my… brother. He practically blew him up!
Devlyn (rolling his eyes): Your “brother” was under a tree when it was storming. That’s hardly “blowing him up.”
Santiago: It wasn’t storming!
Devlyn: He was, and as the tree he was under got struck, so was he. It’s a common occurrence in some places.
Santiago (voice risingJ There was no storm! I’m telling you that guy… he’s a monster!
Devlyn (trying not to laugh): Well, what did he look like?
Santiago (gesticulating wildly): Uh… this tall… and, uh, he had fangs.
Devlyn (laughing hysterically): What? (Takes a deep breath) Anything else, because that sounded utterly ridiculous.
Santiago: Uh, yeah… he had horns!
Devlyn (roaring with laughter again): What?
Voice: I think you’re mixing him up with Satan.
Santiago: Oh, and he weighed a ton!
Devlyn (clutching his side): What, you measured him or something?
Santiago: No, but he did!
Devlyn (choking back laughter): OK… that wasn’t the serious question. (Takes another deep breath) The serious question is, what the hell happened to Antonio Ramirez?
Santiago (confused): Who? Never heard of him.
Devlyn (dryly): I’m sure… One more time, Santiago: where is he?
Santiago (fearfully): I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.
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Reply #1407. Oct 02 11, 5:13 PM
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Jazmee27
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Perpetual kid
The fifth tape isn’t as hi,larious as tapes three or four, but it contains some great material. The first funny part is after Maria hears an explosion coming from somewhere near her room, and goes to investigate. She thinks her son’s involved somehow, but the real situation turns out not to be so clear-cut.
Maria: What the hell? How’d he manage this? It’s like he had help!
Lucian Ferguson: Obviously.
Maria (annoyed): Lucian, must you always follow me around? We’re not together anymore.
Lucian: I had to see what mischief my stepson got into this time… You know, I doubt he did much, if any, of this.
Maria: Who, then?
Lucian: I don’t know… but I think Devlyn might.
Maria: You’re not saying—
Lucian (indignantly): No, dummy. (Sheepishly): Not that I want to call you names… I said he knew, not that he did it.
Maria (chagrined): Oh… You didn’t—
Lucian (indignantly): How could you even think such a thing? The only people who would do something like this are evil!
Maria: Oh.
Lucian: *Duh.
Maria: Was that necessary… *Lucian.
Lucian (incredulously): What did you do, forget my name for a second? How the hell do you forget your ex-husband’s name?
Maria: Easy; I don’t want to remember you.
Lucian (offended): It wasn’t… I’m not… What?
Maria: You’re rambling, for starters. And the reason things didn’t work out it, you’re a perpetual kid! I can’t be married to a kid: I already *have a kid!
Lucian: Hey! I resent that!
Maria (dryly): No; you *resemble it!
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Reply #1408. Oct 02 11, 5:13 PM
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Jazmee27
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===
Belligerent
Grandma’s home from the Surgical Center. “She’s loopy and borderline grumpy,” Mom told me when she called me. “I thought she was going to make a scene. She has a bandage on her chin, and she says she’s going to rip it off because she wants to see it!” She paused, addressing my grandmother: “Sure you do.” ‘Yeah,’ I thought, ‘she wants to see it like she needs another tumor!’
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Reply #1409. Oct 02 11, 5:14 PM
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Jazmee27
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===
Chilling
I lay back and stared about the darkened room. ‘That’s a chilling thought,’ I thought as I rolled onto my side.
Not even a minute before, I’d been listening to yet another digital book, this one by the name of ‘Warbreaker.’ I’d just reached chapter 28 and had approximately 11 hours of listening left to do. And the part that caused me to turn off the player was a portion of the dialogue. The topic: “the motivation of men”.
- “Every man is a hero in his own story, Princess. Murderrers don’t believe that they’re to blame for what they do. Thieves, they think they deserve the money they take. Dictators, they believe they have the right, for the safety of their people and the good of the nation, to do whatever they wish… The truth is, most people who do what you call ‘wrong’ do it for what they call ‘right’ reasons.”
I shuddered. ‘So, villains consider them to be just.’ Having just added a considerable amount to tape five, in which I attempt to make the story flow better, it was a valid point. As I’ve often thought before: ‘if only I’d read this sooner.’
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The stuff nightmares are made of
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Reply #1410. Oct 02 11, 5:15 PM
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Jazmee27
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One of us
If there’s one major flaw in the second tape drama, it’s that there’s too much action in a short period of time. That makes it sound stupid; more than that, more than that, the parts from two years ago often leave so much to be desired that I end up recording over them, which means I end up erasing some stuff I want-and can’t redo as they involve Tiffany.
The same problem occurred in the first series but, more often than not, it was that I kept recording over the originals and using bits and pieces, which became fainter and fainter-and also “the negativity factor.” But what I did that was good was focused heavily on academics, which provided enough time between action scenes.
One of the parts I like on tape five involves Lynda Khaviytra, th e so-called Scenorian gangster (she is neither, being born in Qirynse). She was left in the dungeon and, for months, forgotten-until tape 5. Unfortunately, at the time the Forces of Light were already dealing with a hostage situation—and would find themselves confronted by another before the day was out. But since she is “one of us,” the 18-year-old is given a place of her own within the School
The first rescue mission of the day entailed freeing Antonio Ramirez from his bonds—and saving him from the awful fate of death by sun exposure.
The second “incident” occurred when Devlyn “remembered” that another relative, Mendrana Morehnta, was in Dark hands—and had been for months. Unfortunately, it was too late by the time the Light reached him—although still breathing, he’d lost so much blood that all the transfusions in the Universe and restorative Potions wouldn’t make a difference. As a last kindness, they gave him a Potion to induce permanent unconsciousness.
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Reply #1411. Oct 02 11, 5:16 PM
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Jazmee27
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Assuming
There are two parts of tape five that I added in an attempt to connect everything. The first scene is between the Gonzales twins: When Ontario finds himself unable to sleep, he goes to his brother for comfort from the nightmares that have been plaguing him. What he doesn’t realize is that Alonso has himself had a sleepless night and, well, in order to reveal what’s going on must frighten his brother into spending the night. At first, Alonso’s plan backfires—Ontario’s not only prepared to return to his own dorm, but to avoid his twin period. And then, Alonso’s demeanor changes drastically as he promises to explain everything “assuming he can.”
The other part introduces a new character, Nick Sentrohne.
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Reply #1412. Oct 02 11, 5:17 PM
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Jazmee27
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Air Quality
As I stepped outside, I noticed the change immediately. ‘No one needs to tell me when it’s an Air Quality ?Day,’ I thought. It was difficult to breathe, and I felt lightheaded. ‘Remain calm,’ I kept telling myself.
I get a little weird in the heat, I guess. Or maybe it’s the stillness of the air. I read somewhere that the hotter it is, the worse the air quality—something about number of pollutants. Never did understand, but the effects are plain enough. I’m still not sure whether I grew out of my asthma, or it’s just under the surface, but what I do know is this: for a second, I was afraid I’d need my rescue inhaler, the one I’d left back in the apartment. More likely, what I needed—what would have offered me far more peace of mind—was my pphone, which I’d taken out of my pocket and left on my desk.
The hot fudge sundae I had from the Jigger Shop was superb, as were the joking around and nice breeze. What wasn’t was the headache and nausea I got later. ‘Damned allergies!
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Reply #1413. Oct 02 11, 5:18 PM
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Jazmee27
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Poor Planning
One of the primary reasons the audio drama is like a patchwork quilt that’s been sewn together with varying sized threads is, in a word, inexperience: with both life and storywriting. I didn’t have a clue where the story was leading and, for the most part, depended on Tiffany to make the story flow. The parts I kept from two years ago were either parts she did herself or ones which she coached me on. She’s had no college education, but has been writing for years—and she’s working and owns her own home. So, in the “life experience” category, she fares far better. But what we share in common is our love of books.Another problem with the second series is that I’ve avoided controversial subjects—something I didn’t do in the first series. I feel I need to return to some, or at least bring up new ones, if the third attempt is to succeed.
Maybe I can just sum up the predicament in two words: poor planning.
One of the primary reasons the audio drama is like a patchwork quilt that’s been sewn together with varying sized threads is, in a word, inexperience: with both life and storywriting. I didn’t have a clue where the story was leading and, for the most part, depended on Tiffany to make the story flow. The parts I kept from two years ago were either parts she did herself or ones which she coached me on. She’s had no college education, but has been writing for years—and she’s working and owns her own home. So, in the “life experience” category, she fares far better. But what we share in common is our love of books.Another problem with the second series is that I’ve avoided controversial subjects—something I didn’t do in the first series. I feel I need to return to some, or at least bring up new ones, if the third attempt is to succeed.
Maybe I can just sum up the predicament in two words: poor planning.
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Reply #1414. Oct 02 11, 5:19 PM
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Jazmee27
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Oops!
‘I recorded over way too much,’ I thought as some of the music from the dance came on. ‘It must be halfway through, at least!’ Ah, wellat least the tape didn’t unravel, or I didn’t record over the whole thing.
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Reply #1415. Oct 02 11, 5:19 PM
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Jazmee27
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Back to August
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Much Worse
I just realized that the problem I had yesterday was worse than I expected. ‘This isn’t good—something’s been triggered!’ Meaning I should have called the police a long time ago—before it got to this point. But, of course, it can’t be helped now—and hopefully, with the passage of time, this will pass.
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Reply #1416. Oct 02 11, 5:22 PM
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Jazmee27
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Master of Allergens
‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ I thought as my head began to pound in rhythm with my heart and it became more difficult to breathe. It felt as if I’d been at this point before—which, I most certainly had:
As I entered the living room, I smelled the overwhelming aroma of cigarette smoke. How it wafts in to me, I’ll never know, but it seems to come at me from all sides. By tomorrow, the particles will have moved on to who knows where—and, in fact, as soon as I smell the stuff it seems already to be disapating.
It’s a reminder to me that, bad as my allergy to pollen is, a worse threat remains in this building: ‘I live next to a smoker—and smoke’s the Master of Allergens.’
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Reply #1417. Oct 02 11, 5:23 PM
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Jazmee27
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Can't do it
If I can figure out a way to incorporate it into my story, I will because the exchange is just so hilarious. ‘I wonder where I get my playful moods from,’ I thought as I considered yesterday’s exchange.
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell when Mom’s just playing with me and when she’s serious. At others, it’s so obvious it’s just… makes me wonder how often im the past I fell for stuff like that.
Mom: I got you something. Want to know what it is?
Me: That… depends.
Mom: I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.
Me: Thought as much.
Mom: Doesn’t work anymore, does it?
Not quite, as she has a tendency to pull stuff like this when she’s relaxed.
Mom: You’ll like it.
I have no doubt (since when have I *not liked something Mom picked out?)
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Reply #1418. Oct 02 11, 5:24 PM
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Jazmee27
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Gone Forever
“I’m not lying, denying/That I feel so much better now” – Three Days’ Grace, “Gone Forever
After Mom’s break-up with Edy, I listened to this song all the time. Mom didn’t understand that I was truly glad to have him out of our lives; whatever little respect I’d had for the man had gone down the toilet after all those days of listening to him scream at Mom.
I, on the other hand, couldn’t understand why she defended him, still claimed he wasn’t a bad person.After all, on at least one occasion he’d become oppositional, forcing her to tell him to “back off”. And there was that other day when he said—in the heat of anger—that he didn’t care about me. This was when I was downstairs, enjoying a glass of iced tea. ‘Oh,’ I thought, ‘I don’t care about you, either.’ And the difference was, whereas he didn’t intend it the way it came out, I most certainly did—and though I never said a word to him, I’m sure he sensed that my attitude toard him had changed.
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Reply #1419. Oct 02 11, 5:25 PM
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Jazmee27
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Reply #1420. Oct 02 11, 5:25 PM
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