Oh Jasper, where would we be without your wisdom and guidance?  Kissing?! I know, I know. Edward isn't ready yet.  But the UST is certainly building!

I think I write this for every chapter, I love your witty, snarky, teasing banter between these two. 

I look forward to chapter 11.  I hope you update soon. No pressure. It is a compliment to your writing.

Thanks for writing!

I love the way you've set Bella's character up! Great chapter!

"I don't even know what it means to kiss someone senseless." - I'm just so wrapped up in how much in like they are with each other. I want to say it's sweet, but that's not the right word. (You said it your self in your summary - maudlin, this story is not.) It's just... light and fun and real. I'm so enjoying this ride with them.

All caught up!

"Is that their name - a friend?" - I love Alice. I'm sure you here that a lot. But it has to be heard from me, because I usually find Alice to be stamped out of a mold and boring as fuck. This one is real - like I know her, or have known her - and funny.

I love the way Bella describes Edward and the things she likes about him in such reverent detail.

"That actress makes me want to hurt someone."- I love her. She makes me laugh, and I'd totally hang out with her.

"Good, good. My sitting next to you didn't make it any less enjoyable?" - Heheheh.

"The awkward slant, the way his body nearly vibrates with tension - I know how uncomfortable the weight of this anxiety must be, but I can't deny that I find it overwhelmingly attractive."  - Ung. Sorry, I have to just picture that for a minute. I love tall, lanky guys who hunch ever so slightly.

The litter box conversation cracked me up. Especially, "Uh, gross, Edward." "The only part that was litter box related was the graham cracker." Heheheheh.

"I want to sit here in silence while he tells me everything about me that he likes." - *sniffle*

"Cause I'm hungry and I was thinking about eating, so..." - Heheh.

"middle-aged man" - At this point, you've used this descriptor twice. I'm curious what you consider to be middle-aged. Because when I was a teenager, I thought middle-aged was 35. Now that I'm beyond 35, I think it's 55. Heheheh. Just funny...

"there aren't any obvious sings" - Oops. 'signs'. Just helping you out with a typo ;)

"I like how she acts and speaks and laughs, like she doesn't know that you're supposed to be reserved, that you're not supposed to say and do what you think and feel.  Not at first, anyway.  Her lack of pretense is lovely.  I smile." - This is lovely. You're lovely :) I wonder where he got the idea that people are supposed to be reserved.

"looks at me like I'm crazy" - I love how he always thinks she's looking at him like he's crazy. Heheh.

""No. I mean, I don't hate it, it's just... I can't see myself doing it forever. I don't want to. Like I said, I want to go back to school sometime, I just need the money, I..."  My hand reaches for my hair.
"It's just a stop on the road," Bella supplies." - This brings tears of satisfaction to my eyes. I can feel how warm she makes him feel. I really cannot express how much I love the way their relationship is progressing. And your writing style - I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, even after this - is just so kind and engaging.

"I wish I had little phrases like these, phrases I could toss around so easily.  I majored in Biology; I like the country better than the city.  The desire to possess and dispense these signifiers makes my gut ache." - And again, I'm just quoting shit back to you, but this is a beautiful moment. His revelations and yearnings never cease to grab my guts.

"I'd like to kiss her." - SWOON! How have you turned this odious man, who I despised at the beginning of this story, into someone I want to roll around in the snow and giggle with? I mean, I get that what we saw in the beginning was just the one, dark and dirty dimension, but really... Such amazing character development.

"Okay. I hate cinnamon flavored gum. Hate how it tastes." - This makes me very sad. Cinnamon gum is my favorite.

"This conversation is fucking ridiculous." - Heheheh.

"Pride and shame swell in my chest." "I need the money and the mindless, rigid structure." - I'm trying really hard not to feel sorry for him. I've known people like him in my life, been taken advantage of by people like him. But lines like these break me.

"I probably need to post an apology in the theater lobby." - Heheh.

Oddly, I have less to say abt this chapter, even though it was probably my favorite so far. His recovery is difficult to read through, but I feel that he's making genuine progress, ya know?

I'm wondering when the people from his recent past will come back to haunt him. Do they all know he's gone through treatment? Do they all know he's in AA? Not that you should answer me, I'll keep reading regardless. I just wanted you to know I'm thinking about these things. Heh.

I love this story. It is so good. I love that he thinks of fucking a pretty girl. I hate that he does't wash his hands after he takes a piss. and it just cracked me up when she lost it after him  not recognizing her. great story love reading thanks

I just can't say enough about howmuch I'm enjoying this. Your writing style is so easy to enjoy. I feel like I could just hang out with your characters and really like them (except Edward, who would make me want to smack him. Heheheh.) Like the exchange between Jasper and Ben. I felt like it was a memory from my past, funny, real, familiar.

"I find her fascinating - partly because I've never had a close female friend before, partly because - sometimes - she behaves like a bizarre little alien still learning the rules of acceptable social interaction." - This is exactly the way I see my friend, Paula. Plus, I usually have guy friends, so women who actually want to be real friends with me are kind of refreshing.

"He smells like the outdoors - like rain kicking up dirt; like good, clean sweat." - That, to me, is the smell of a man. Heheh. My dad always smelled like outdoors and diesel fuel. I love those smells :)

Still really enjoying this. I hope you don't mind me quoting back to you, making inane comments. I'd be a horrible critic, I just fawn over words and phrases and images I love. Heheh.

They are so cute together.  Their nervousness and shyness is adorable. 

Great banter in this chapter. You captured their awkwardness so well.  I like that you gave us a sweet chapter after a tough chapter. Good balance.  I've been listening to your playlists.  Fantastic. They add so much to the story ambience.

Thanks for writing!

Gah! What a great chapter! You really have a nack for setting the stage. There was a couple of times that my stomach actually started churning, like Edward's. Good job!

Ah, they are so cute.  I am impressed at how well Edward is doing with following the rules, and that Bella is really not trying to push him even though she really, really wants to.  But, I'm kinda at the point where I'm saying, screw AA sobriety rules.  Do what feels right.  I would think that some physical affection would be good for Edward.  It seems like he's been missing that for so long.