Boy Window Chapter 14: The Song That Never Ends

Last time in Boy Window...there was a lot of pointless flirting and a trip to the family planning clinic.

Chapter 14

“I woke in the morning with a huge smile on my face. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I had woken up next to the world's most sexy boy, who just so happened to be in love with me.”

I don't know if it is because I'm a grumpy kitty today or not, but this saccharine “come on get happy” shtick bugs me.

Liam asks if they can tell people they are together, Amber says she needs to do some more “prep work”. When a guy does this in books he is usually the bad guy. Ya know, the asshole who leads you on, says he loves you but won't introduce you to his friends or family. Good enough to sleep with but not good enough to treat like a person.

“He groaned. 'By, 'prep work', you don't mean you're going to flirt and make me horny as hell again like yesterday, do you?”

Please tell me I am not in for another 15 pages of pointless flirting. Pazuzu would not be so cruel.

“'You'll have to wait and see, won't you? Oh, and I give you my permission to touch me a little today if you want'”

Like your permission has ever stopped anyone before, but I appreciate the consent.

Liam jumps on the chance to feel her up.

“His fingers trailed across my body slowly, from my face, down my neck, across my breasts and stomach, finally settling just on the inside of my thigh.”

“You give them an inch, they swim all over you.”

Some aggravating teasing goes on. Aggravating for them because it goes no where. Aggravating for me because I don't know why it is here. What does this add to the plot? This probably wouldn't bug me if they didn't spend half of nearly every chapter for the past 9 chapters making out. It also probably wouldn't bug me if I found it enticing, but alas, I am not turned on by this.

“I wanted Liam to look like he really wanted me in front of everyone...”

As opposed to what? He seems to only know how to gaze at you with longing.

“...because I didn't want to keep lying about our relationship.”

Sure you don't.

She puts on a mini skirt and a black V-neck. Again, she has said in chapters past how uncomfortable showing skin makes her so why does she own this? I know I covered this in chapter 4 but it still bugs me.

Amber heads to the kitchen where Liam has a bowl ready for her.

“My heart melted into a puddle because of his thoughtfulness.”

I like how it is only thoughtful because they are together.

“Liam was just drinking a glass of water, and as he turned around, he almost choked. Jake slapped him on the back roughly, and I just laughed.”

Ah to be young and laugh at your partner nearly choking. So romantic.

“'Angel, how the hell am I supposed to concentrate all day, knowing that my beautiful girlfriend looks like a freaking sex goddess?'”

You're one of those people who want stricter dress codes for girls in school, aren't you Moseley? Amber is wearing a skirt and a shirt. Don't get me wrong, she could be working that skirt and shirt like Daisy Duke.

Anyone else miss the Dukes of Hazard?

But why is this such a big deal? All I'm getting out of this is that Liam needs to learn how to masturbate.

Fast forward to lunch time.

“This was going to be great, and Jessica was going to hate every second of it.”

Why is Amber so focused on pissing off Jessica? Why does she care so much about one girl? Sure, Jessica said some “mean” comments, but the only crime she has committed so far has been flirting with Amber's boyfriend. And she didn't even know that he was Amber's boyfriend. Yeah, she set up this stupid bet but Amber is the one more concerned with winning money than she is with being open about her relationship. There are half a dozen guys who sexually assaulted Amber and none of them are mentioned with half the contempt that Jessica is. Is it because she has had sex? Is it because she wears provocative clothes? Is it because Moseley feels the need to have a female rival? Cause those are the only reasons I can think of.

Anyway...

Amber's B-list friend Sean says that everyone has been talking about Amber's “killer legs”.

“'Actually, I've been checking you out too,' Kate joked.”

You don't need to “joke”, Kate. There is nothing wrong with being bisexual.

“'Me too,' Sarah added, making us laugh harder.”

I don't get why this is funny. Is it because Sarah is so super straight? Is it because we already have our one token LGBTQA person? It was funny when Kate said it because you know she probably took an extra long “bathroom” break when she saw Amber that morning, but we know nothing about Sarah. I don't know, maybe I'm over thinking this.

“'Seriously, Rebecca, if you touch me one more time I'm going to go speak to someone about it. This is bordering on sexual harassment.'”

This comes from Liam and while I'm glad someone is finally getting called out for their bad behavior, it makes me realize that this is the first time that any character has out right mentioned sexual harassment. For a book that is 30% sexual assault, you would think that phrase would come up more.

Side note: I just looked at the page count because I thought “surely, the end of this chapter is nigh”...Nope. 12 pages to go.

“This is the song that never ends..."

Amber goes to flirt with Liam and for this next part I will have to type the whole thing because I can't even begin to explain it.

“I stood up and perched on the table in front of him, propping one foot between his legs, resting it on the bench. My foot was almost touching his crotch, but he didn't seem to notice; he was still studying my face worriedly. 'I hurt my leg in gym class. It's really sore. Do I have a bruise?' I asked, opening my legs slightly and pointing to my inner thigh. His eyes instantly dropped down to my legs. I'm betting he had a clear view of my panties because a pained and hungry expression crossed his face. I felt a little like a slut for doing this, but no one else could see what he was seeing, otherwise I wouldn't have done it.”

1. How is no one else seeing this? Unless Liam has his back to a wall, which we have not established, then the person in Liam's seat one table back is going to see.
2. Why does Amber get to say she is not a slut when she slut shames everyone else? I'm not saying that she is a slut, but you don't get to say she isn't a slut when you have been aggressively calling other young women sluts for the same behavior.
3. Who does this? No, really, who does this? Am I reading the novelization of Agent Aika?
4. I think part of the reason this bothers me when the other girls doing it didn't bother me is motivation. Moseley established in chapter 2 that all females great and small throw themselves at Liam constantly. I have no problem with this in theory. I find it unrealistic, but I am willing to suspend my disbelief and accept it. Which is why I am only slightly bothered by those people still throwing themselves at Liam for the bet. They wanted to have sex with him before, but now there is a financial bonus if they do. Amber seems to only want to have sex with him for mercenary reasons. Before the bet, she kept saying how she was not ready to have sex. The bet happens and then she starts picking out birth control. She tells the audience and Liam that it is because she likes Liam and wants to have sex, but this is all too much too fast for someone who has gone untreated for PTSD for so long.
5. WHY ARE THERE STILL 12 PAGES LEFT!?

“'How about you kiss it better for me?' I suggested, raising my eyebrows and trying to look sexy. Some of the guys sat at his table groaned as they watched the exchange.”

Ew, do we need to get the emergency pants?

“Just before his lips touched my skin, I moved my leg away.”

How? His head is between your knees, that is not exactly an easy position to extricate yourself from.

Anyway...

Liam says he loves his girlfriend, Amber pretends that she is not his girlfriend and walks off to the women folk chanting

As lunch is ending, Liam whisks Amber away to a conveniently unlocked and secluded classroom.

And guess what happens? If you guessed that they discuss the geopolitical climate on the African continent you would be wrong. That's okay, it was my guess too. No, they make out before deciding to cut school. They go ice skating again. We find more out about Liam's goals and ambitions.

“Liam wanted to play hockey professionally – he had already been scouted by numerous schools for next year. He'd been offered a full athletic scholarship to a few places, but the one he chose was a really great school in Boston – which mean that he would be moving away in the fall.”

So...this is set in America? That's weird because she favors British spelling and phrases, but I guess he could be an international student.

Amber thinks about her trust issues. Again, I don't know why she has trust issues, but whatever.

“I carefully wrapped my legs around his wait while he skate around, occasionally doing small spins and changing to skate backwards. His eyes never left mine. It was the most erotic and sexy thing that had ever happened to me...”

He did the same exact thing in chapter 4 but with a more confusing description. Come on, you were there, I was there, Super Sonic was there. It was a non-sense party.

Liam takes Amber out to dinner. With what money, I don't know. Jake has a part time job but all Liam does is sleep and make out with Amber.

“I couldn't help but wonder how I didn't know anything about him before we got together. It was probably because the only personality he'd ever showed me was the asshole side...”

Other than the one time you are willing to admit he sexually harassed you, he hasn't been an asshole. Nothing about Liam has changed.

Amber asks why he made her hate him so much. Liam says

“'You know, there's a thin line between love and hate. Maybe you loved me and didn't realise.'”

People always say that but I don't buy it. For example, I hate this book and it would take a lot of changes to make me like it.

Liam says that his bad behavior was all Jake's doing, which we knew because this is the third time someone has said so. I guess the third time is the charm because it finally clicks for Amber.

“'You know, I always though you had a split personality'”

Considering how well PTSD is represented, that's not entirely out of the question.

They remissness about younger Liam picking on younger Amber. It involves Liam pretending to cut off her bears head and throwing it away. Amber says that Jake took him out of the trash, but Liam says he never did anything to the bear at all. Amber is surprised but I don't know why. If Liam really cut off her bears head, she would have noticed the stitches. Kids are not oblivious.

“'I'm just glad he didn't kill me for dating you. I can hold my own in a fight, but Jake's a damn psycho when it comes to you.'”

I'm just glad that everyone in universe can see a naked puzzle basement in Jake's future.

Liam says he would never hurt Amber. For the hundredth time she thinks about how he is bound to break her heart.

“I loved him enough to wait for him. I just hoped that he would feel the same in four months' time when all the college skanks were throwing themselves at him and I was a three hour drive away.”

Oh, so they live in the New England area. I know that she indirectly said she goes to Penn State, but she is in high school so I discounted that. Besides, Penn State to Boston, MA is way more than a three hour drive.

More importantly, notice how she says that she hopes he is willing to wait. Well, literally a page later she says this.

“I wasn't worried about him not being able to wait for me because I could see in his eyes he would wait as long as I wanted.”

Trust issues solved! Makes it easy.

And than Amber says

And I shit you not this is Liam's response.

“He looked at me, shock clear across his face. His mouth was hanging open, his eyes wide as he took in what I said.”

He is shocked and confused because she said “I love you”. Let that sink in. Amber's boyfriend, the guy who has been in love with her for as long as they have known each other, is stunned to silence because he cannot comprehend her loving him. And it's not because he doesn't think he is lovable, he can't understand her loving him. Wait, it gets better.

“'You love me? Seriously?'”

The man can't believe it! Neither can I, but the fact that one half of this relationship is questioning the affection of the other half is hilarious. The more I read the more I their emotional role reversal gets funny.

Make outs happen. Quelle surprise. They pause when they realize Jake should be home soon and it would be best if he didn't walk into the lounge with his best friend mounting his topless sister.

“I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Liam loved me and I loved him, and everything was perfect.”

I'm pretty sure I would be more generous if the characters were more likable.

Amber and Jake talk about Liam.

“He laughed. 'Such confidence in a guy who's never managed to hold down a girlfriend before'”

To be fair, he has never had a girlfriend before. That's like saying you shouldn't trust new actors because they've never had big roles before.

We get a whole three lines of dialogue dedicated to the dad-issue. Which amounts to

Jake: “So, do you need to talk to me about Dad or anything?”

Amber: “I don't want to see him”

Jake: “OK, then we won't see him.”

Considering, the previous topic of conversation was about how overprotective Jake is, why would he even ask. He saw what happened last time the dad was mentioned. Was her becoming catatonic not definitive answer?

Jake says he has to see their dad, but does specify why. Jake is 18 and if he is in America, then he is an adult. There is nothing that he would need to see his dad for that his mom could not do.

Amber excuses herself for bed which means that the chapter is over.

Boy Window Chapter 13: Like A Baby Monkey

Last time in Boy Window... we find out that Amber's mom is talking to her dad and he wants back into their lives. Amber has a panic attack, Liam saves the day and they both come clean to Jake about their relationship. Jake almost punches Liam like Charles Solomon Jr from Witchcraft 2, but sadly, does not.

Chapter 13

“I woke at six with my alarm going off.”

I guess we are back to this now.

“I nudged him gently, deciding to play a joke on him.”

The joke is to awake him up as if Jake does not know he is snuggling her. Liam, half asleep, doesn't get the joke until Amber busts out laughing. I get how this is a joke, it's just not funny for me. What is funny is that this is the one time Amber isn't fighting Liam to get up.

Amber suggests they make out, instead they snuggle.

“'Hey, I get to make you breakfast without getting shouted at today'”

Again, can we just enjoy the fact that everyone laughs at how shitty Amber used to treat Liam before the magic “you're my boyfriend” wand was waved. It gets even better when Liam says

“'You know, it's kind of weird, you being all nice to me over breakfast.'”

Liam says she is pretty, they get within smooching distance and

“Jake cleared his throat dramatically from behind us as he strutted into the kitchen.”

I'd call him a buzz kill but I just realized we haven't had a make out scene in a chapter, and that makes me happy. Maybe this means we will get character development.

“'Well, come on then, lovebirds, I suppose you need to get to school a little earlier so you can announce you're together,' Jake stated, rolling his eyes.”

I thought it was cute when Benedict Cumberbatch announced his engagement in a classified advert in The Times because I thought it was classy and subdued for a celebrity. If anyone from high school made an announcement that they were dating someone, I would have found them conceited. Yeah, I know there is that whole bet business from two chapters ago but there is no need to post the fucking bans.

“Liam grinned and nodded, but I gasped and shook my head fiercely. 'No way! We can't do that,' I protested, turning to Liam.”

Everyone wonders why. Amber says she could really use that bet money. Jake choked on his drink because he doesn't want to know when they boink.

“'Jake, we're not having sex.' I shrugged, making his face relax a little. 'But when we do, I definitely want to win the pot. I won't if people know I'm his girlfriend already.'”

Time for some more Hex Lists!

1. You've already established that “whoever” the girlfriend is, she can win the bet if she put her money in. Amber put money down so it doesn't matter if she is the girlfriend or not. I know it would compromise the spirit of the bet, but the rules are the rules.
2. Why not lie and say that you did have sex. If Amber is traumatized she probably won't be able to have sex for a good while, possibly not until after they graduate. Why not just cut to the quick and say they've had sex. How would it be any different? And Jake could corroborate the story. Nobody is going to ask for proof, and there is no evidence that they could provide. that wouldn't be considered child pornography.
3. Why is the bet plot point here again? And now that I think about it, why did we have the wake up scene? What does any of this add to the story?

“'Angel, I don't want you to want to be with me for some bet.'”

She tells him that if they make sweet love down by the fire it won't because of money.

They exchange suggestive comments with her unstable brother staring on. He doesn't do anything mind you. I mean, yes, he groaned when he saw them being all cozy a few pages ago, but that was so a few pages ago. Besides, we can't have a consistent character now can we.

“'But will you be able to win? I mean, was the bet to make me break up with my girlfriend or something?' Liam asked, frowning.

I giggled and shook my head. 'Nope, I made sure of that. It's definitely just the next one to nail you, as they so eloquently put it.'”

You don't get to be condescending when you've just proven that there is no reason to hide your relationship.

They share a wink and a nod at school before Liam gets harassed by a couple dozen girls. But, it's funny because he's a guy!

“'Do you know how much the pot is now?' […] 'Today it's up to four thousand two hundred'”

210 girls care that much about Liam having a girlfriend. I don't get it. Is it cause I'm no longer a teen? Is it because I've never been all that invested in other people's relationships? Am I missing something important? I understand gambling, that's not the issue, I don't get this though. It feels like it is trying to be like a teen movie with a dumb bet, but those usually make some sort of sense. Rachel Leigh Cook is obviously a fox even in glasses and overalls, but I understand why Freddy Prince Jr made the bet to transform her.

Anyway...

Amber is so surprised by the number that she can't even math right now.

“That's like, oh man, I can't even work it out! Like two hundred girls, all wanting to sleep with my boyfriend!”

I wonder if real celebrities ever have this problem. Like when Tom Hiddleston is dating someone, does that person think “There are legions of women, men and non-binaries of all ages swooning and lusting after my boyfriend! Woe is me!”? Some how I doubt it.

But can you blame them?

Meanwhile...

Lunchtime happens and Amber decides to flirt with Liam.

“People needed to at least see that I was trying. I couldn't just announce that I had slept with him, so I needed people to see me putting in the effort.”

Why? We established that your probably not going to have sex for a while so why are you putting forth all this effort? And, it's not like they are going to deny you the money because they don't see you make a move. Besides, you live next door to each other and everyone knows you drive to school together. It would be reasonable to think that any and all flirting happened at home, you know, where you could have sex and not get arrested. This feels like an excuse to pad out the book with pointless flirtation.

Which is exactly what happens. I will skip over the most boring parts. Here is what I found most...interesting.

“Technically, I'd never flirted with him before...”

Yes, you have. We've seen it a dozen times in as many chapters.

“Oh, crap, I bet he makes me pay for this later!”

Cause that sounds sexy.

She then wipes off the pasta she dropped on his pants, but of course wipes a little too high.

“I grinned triumphantly. Hah! Take that, girls!”

Yeah, you show them that they can't flirt with your boyfriend when they don't know he is your boyfriend!

“'Kate, I think I need to go on the pill.'”

For real, I am mad at myself. I'm mad that I actually thought that they wouldn't have sex. I'm mad that I had the audacity to believe that her characters history would effect her actions and choices. This anger is a little preemptive, for all I know they could start out about to get down but Amber realize that this is too much too fast, but somehow I don't think that is the case.

Amber tries to tell me and Kate that she really isn't ready to have sex, it's just that she just doesn't want to get caught without protection. I like the promotion of safe sex but I don't believe that she won't use it but whatever. Kate offers to go with her to non-Planned Parenthood. Amber gratefully accepts because it wouldn't be manly for Liam to go. ...Grrr...arg...

Anyway...

Amber goes to tell Jake that Kate will be taking her home. Unfortunately, Jake is with guys and so naturally we get this.

“They all looked at me. I knew that some of the guys on the team liked me – it was obvious in the way that they stared at me.”

If it is so obvious then why did you never notice Liam eyeing you? Either you can tell when someone is interested or your as oblivious as a Slowpoke. You can't be both. And what happened to that throw away line in chapter 2 about how you have self-esteem issues? As someone with self-esteem issues, I assume no one is interested in me until they say so. But maybe that's just me.

Jake punches one of the guys for saying something flirty with a “Dude! Little Sister!” a sentiment that is mentioned about a dozen times.

Fast-forward a couple of pages at the clinic because there is nothing I can say about contraception other than “Be safe, don't be sorry.” Liam comes over and asks why she was all over him at lunch. Amber tell him that

“'I can't just rock up to Jessica and be all like 'yeah, I won the bet', can I?'”

Actually, you can but I'm too distracted by the phrase “rock up” to care about your illogic.

Liam tells her she was too over the top and that he wanted to jump her bones. He asks were she's been, she tells him that she went to the clinic.

“'You went to do this on your own?' he asked, frowning at me angrily.”

I know, how dare she act independently from you! Who does she think she is? Her own person?

They talk it out with him saying he should have gone with her and her saying she didn't think it was a place she should take her boyfriend. She doesn't get why he is hurt when she did this so they could have sex. He tries to explain that it has to do with him too so of course he cares. Know who doesn't care? Me. It's two tensionless pages of dialogue that will probably not effect the plot or change how the characters treat each other.

Make-outs happen. So long my reprieve. Jake walks in, is grossed out, and the boys play Halo. Amber takes this time to take a bubble bath and read a book. Liam walks in on her because I guess she doesn't believe in locking the bathroom door. He convinces her to get out because the water is cold. She gets back to her room.

“I realised as I climbed out of the tub that I hadn't brought any clothes with me to change in to. […] As I padded up the hallway towards my bedroom, I silently wished I'd just had a shower in my en-suite instead..”

This is the second time this has happened. Either Moseley was out of ideas or Amber never learns.

Liam is waiting for Amber in her room. She is in a towel and nothing else and instead of letting her get dressed, he decides he wants to warm her. I get that this is supposed to be sexy, but she would get a lot warmer a lot quicker if you let her dress herself instead of slowly doing it for her. It would also help if you let her get dressed without stopping to make-out some more. Alas, they do anyway. She goes from making out in her towel to making out in Liam's shirt.

I don't find it particularly sexy but when she describes herself clinging to his persons

“...like a baby monkey.”

it kills the mood with laughter.

oh so super sexy I'm sure

They talk about Jake and Liam's relationship. Liam says that Jake is warming up to the idea of them together. It makes them happy but disappoints me. Moseley spent all that time from chapter 6 onward with Amber and Liam talking about telling Jake as if this was going to be a big event. Yeah, Jake almost punches him, but that's it. Other than a little yelling over a few pages, all of which would have only taken about 3 minutes in real time, there was no real climax. It's like when someone talks non-stop about a movie/show/book. You hear how it is amazing and revolutionary over and over and over again, but then when you sit down to actually experience it, it's underwhelming. You were expecting something transcendent but that is not what you got.

I'm looking at you Teen Romance with your setting a high standard for High School love.

Jake interrupts their make-outs/conversation to say

“'You'd better not be naked with my little sister, James!'”

Apparently, Amber forgot to lock her door so Jake walked in when they were hiding under the covers.

“I scoffed and pushed the covers down further so that Jake could see I had a shirt on.”

Lucky for her Jake didn't ask her to get up because, as far as we know, she isn't wearing pants or panties.

Jake tells Amber that their mom is coming home on Sunday. I still don't get why a personal assistant for a director of an electronics company would travel so much but I'm immediately distracted by Amber “joking” with Jake about practicing for the bet. She all but told her brother that while he was sleeping, she may be loosing her virginity to his best friend.

And with that mental image, the chapter closes out.

Boy Window Chapter 12: The Bigger Non-Reveal

Last time in Boy Window...potentially the biggest non-reveal in the book happened. Liam calls Amber an Angel because he thinks she is a kaiju...or heaven sent, but I like my answer better.

Chapter 12

“We must have fallen asleep because I woke up with Liam wrapped all over me.”

That seems odd considering they were fiercely making out just before she fell asleep. What, did she over exert herself?

It's the same waking up song and dance we have seen four times before only this time she thinks he is cute instead of annoying.

“'But I'm going to miss you,' he whined...”

Maui's fishhook Liam, you're going to see her in an hour. I would call this cute, but he does it anytime she walks away from him for longer than a minute. Co-dependent much?

Liam walks Amber to his front door. The parents say their goodbyes.

“Pat smirked at me over the back of the sofa. 'Bye, Amber. Did you guys have fun?' she asked, winking at me knowingly.”

 This is Liam's mom giving her the wink and nod because she thinks her eighteen year old son had sex with his sixteen year old girlfriend.

Amber makes it the few feet to her house safely.

“As I stepped over the threshold of my house, I saw Jake sitting on the sofa. The TV wasn't on, he was just sat there...”

I have to pause in this quote to point out that “he was just sat there” was not my typo. That is how it is written.

“...in the silence, clutching his phone in his hand tightly. He looked up, his eyes alight with anger.”

RUN, AMBER! RUN!

“'Where have you been? I've been worried! You could have left a note or something'”

Let's be real for a moment. Jake comes home from work to find his sister is not home. His first instinct is not to call her to see if maybe she went to get food, or call his best friend who drove her home, or to call any of her friends to see if maybe she is with them. No, his first instinct is to sit in the lounge clutching his phone in quiet fury because she didn't call or leave a note. This is some crazy shit. Even if Jake is not an obsessive creep, and this is just supposed to be concern, why is he making no effort to find her? This is the behavior of an abuser whose victim has stepped out of line. He is waiting for her to come home and realize that she has displeased him. This is insane.

Anyway...

Amber tells Jake that Liam's parents invited her over for dinner so she wouldn't have to eat alone.

“'I love Pat's dinner!'” he moaned, his angry expression leaving his face to be replaced by a jealous one.”

From clutching phone angrily to whining about missing food in one sentence.

Anyway...

Jake drops the bomb that their dad has gotten in contact with their mom.

“'He wants to see us, apparently, and make amends for what he did,' he spat through his teeth, his sadness turning to blind rage.”

I will forgive Jake moment of instability at the start of this scene because this officially makes their mom is the

Congratulations! I'm sure she worked extra hard to get this far.

She knows that he raped her daughter for 8 years. She knows that he beat her and her children for 8 years. It didn't make any sense for him to actually stay away for 3 years, because an abuser feels entitled to their victims, but this makes no sense and it makes me hate their mom even more. I can't wrap my head around not turning him into the police. Even if Amber didn't want to come forward about the sexual abuse, why wouldn't they want to turn him in, or at least get a restraining order.

“I couldn't breathe. My lungs just refused to work. My heart was beating way too fast as my body started to shake. He was coming back...”

I'm not going to type the full paragraph but it is actually extremely well done, and is by far most well written part of the book thus far. There is actual tension and I feel like Amber is having a panic attack.

But...then she has to ruin it with neck kisses.

Han Xiangzi's dizi why can't that plot point just go the fuck away. It just makes me more mad every time I see it come up. I even talked to my psychiatrist friend and asked how realistic this is. This was her response.

Dr. T, I love you.

“Jake was sitting on the sofa staring at me, clearly shocked. His mouth was agape his eyes wide.”

I'm with Jake on this one. The whole time Amber was having her panic attack, Jake was trying to get her medical attention, but Liam was all “bro, I got this. I just need to nuzzle her.” If I was Jake, I would shocked that Liam's method worked.

Jake hugs Amber and Amber freaks out because she thinks Liam has left her.

“He was my safety, the one I needed, the one that would keep me sane through all of this.”

I hate to be an asshole, but where was his protection for the 8 years her dad raped her? Liam knew what was going on and he did nothing. Yes, he was 7 when it started, but he was 15 when he beat up the dad. And the only reason he and Jake beat the dad up was because they walked in on the dad trying to rape Amber. He did nothing until he absolutely had to. I'm not saying that 7 year old Liam should have tried to take on a full grown man, but Liam could have told another adult at any point in time between the ages of 7 and 15. There may have been a chance that someone would not believe him, but he did even try. No one in Amber's life tried to protect her when it mattered the most and I hate that this is completely ignored.

Anyway...

Amber's panic attack starts up again, Liam to the rescue.

“Jake made an angry growling sound in the back of his throat as I looked over at him. 'What the fuck? You two are together, aren't you?' he roared.”

But Jake's rage is quelled by Liam insisting they take care of Amber first. As much as this is giving me whiplash, at least there is some conflict going on. I'm only half way through the book so obviously Jake isn't going to accept this yet.

Jake agree to focus on the dad issue. He apologizes for bringing it up but thought she should know. He vows to never let douche bag dad touch her and they drop the subject so they can go back to Jake not approving of their relationship. I happy for some conflict and all, but the dad possibly coming back into their lives is pretty important. Jake says he is sorry about bringing it up. Amber says she is sorry freaking out. And the conversation is over. There should be more than a few paragraphs dedicated to this. But that just shows what Moseley thinks is important.

“Not only was my abusive father coming back, but my brother was now going to beat the crap out of my boyfriend.”

Not only is she comparing 8 years of trauma to her brother's disapproval of her relationship, but she is emphasizing that the latter is worse with her sentence structure.

Jake fumes but asks how neck kisses calmed her down. Liam says

“'I don't know. It's just something that calms her down, that's all. I've always done it'”

And then they tell Jake about being secret snuggle buddies.

“Jake jumped up with his fists clenched.”

“His eyes were tight as he glared at Liam.”

“Jake's eyes flashed before his face calmed […] Jake cleared his throat and nodded. 'Right, well, I'm going to bed.'”

We were so close to actual consequences!

I will be honest and say that the ellipsis cut out half a page, but nothing happened. Liam stands in front of Amber to protect her from Jake and instead of anyone considering how this means that Liam thinks that Jake will hit Amber, Jake is impressed that Liam would want to protect Amber. Don't you just love that in this simple act everyone agrees that Jake would beat his sister for having a boyfriend.

“'Wow, that was easier than I thought,' [Liam] mused”

You are telling me. So that thing that we have spent the past 60 pages worrying about amounted to a red herring? It would only have hurt if it surprised me.

Liam tells Amber he came over because Jake called him when she started to freak out. This raises more questions. Why did Jake call Liam and not emergency services. Why was Jake yelling at Liam to do just that when his phone obviously worked? Why was he wasting time by calling someone else over, who has no medical experience, when his sister was obviously in need of help? How useless are the people in Amber's life? Questions aside, Liam is happy about using the front door for once. Amber has a moment of introspection before bed.

“It was weird, but when Jake had pulled me away from Liam tonight, I'd felt strange, like I'd left my heart behind. I didn't realise up until then, how strongly I was connected to him. He literally was everything to me.”

I don't think he is “literally” everything to you, but that is a common enough use of the word that I will let it slide. If I wasn't so frustrated with everything else I probably would not have minded it at all. As it stands, I am annoyed by her co-dependence.

Boy Window Chapter 11: The Big Non-Reveal

Last time in Boy Window...The whole school finds out that Liam has a girlfriend and decides to bet on who he would have sex with next. Liam then takes Amber home to his parents to so they could “meet” each other.

Chapter 11

You know, I realize now that I was whining and moaning about not having a conflict and now we have a conflict. The bet is stupid but it is a conflict. I will take what I can get.

Meanwhile...

“'Hi, Amber. Long time no see,' Rick greeted immediately leaning in and planting a kiss on my cheek. I smiled, trying not to show my unease that he was so close to me.”

So...I guess the parents still don't know why their son at the age of 15 beat the shit out of Amber's dad and forced him out her life.

Negligence aside, they are the perfect “Leave it to Beaver” parents, right down to the cookie baking. After a half a page of comic misunderstanding everyone is shitting rainbows they are so happy Liam and Amber are together.

Fast forward past diner, Amber is talking with Liam's mom (Pat). She says that Liam has been in love with her for years. Amber is confused for some reason, saying he said he liked her. Pat says of course he loves her, he calls her Angel.

“I looked at her, confused. 'What does that have to do with anything?' I asked, frowning. I loved Pat dearly, but sometimes she could be a little crazy.”

How smart is Amber supposed to be again? Did she seriously think that he called her “Angel” for no reason?

“'...as soon as you walked through the door, Liam just stared at you. He literally couldn't take his eyes off you...'”

Considering this was at Liam's 6^th birthday party, Amber must have been one hot 4 year old.

“'...he turned to me, and do you know what he said to me?' [..] 'He said in a deadly serious tone, 'Momma, am I dead?' And I said 'no honey, you're not dead', and he shook his head, looking all confused about something. Then he pointed to you dancing and said 'if I'm not dead, then why is there an angel in our house?'”

Aw, how very trite. I mean, cute. Yes, cute.

“I gasped. Holy crap! That's why he calls me Angel?”

No, he calls you “Angel” cause he thinks your the spawn of Satan. Geb's rolling dunes, why did you think he called you “Angel”. No, you know what. Here is my head canon. He saw her and thought she was an angel from Neon Genesis Evangelion.

 Yep, I totally see the similarities.

Pat confirms that Jake has kept them apart. Her and Amber have the “Let's tell Jake” conversation and it is just so fresh to hear another character's input – nah, I'm shitting you. It's the same thing for the fourth time. What did you expect?

Liam comes in and smooches Amber

“...he kissed me, nibbling my lip, asking for entrance. I whimpered and shook my head, pulling away. Jeez, has he forgotten that his mom is sitting there watching us?”

At first I was with Amber in the “bro, your mom is right there. Have some decorum.” but then I got distracted by the use of “whimpered”. That implies a certain level of terror, which does not fit the tone Moseley is going for. Is Amber having an episode or is she just uncomfortable? Cause it sounds like the former.

“He groaned, pouting at me like a child. 'Angel, I haven't seen you all day,' he whined. The word Angel had me giggling nervously. Was Pat telling the truth? Did Liam really call me that because he thought I was an Angel when he was six years old?”

Why would his mother lie to you? It's not like she is trying to help him get laid. Why does Amber question the dumbest things but ignores legitimate concerns?

“We both looked over at Pat, who was staring with a huge grin on her face, like she was watching the cutest thing in the world.”

Why do so many people like watching Liam and Amber make out? Is every in this mysterious town a sex offender and a voyeur?

Liam takes Amber to his room to “listen to music”

“I hadn't been in his bedroom for years. The last time I was in here was probably about two years ago, when I came in to change my clothes after we'd had an epic water fight and Jake and I had gotten locked out.”

1. Until they got together, Amber made it pretty clear she did not care much for Liam. Her reasoning didn't make sense but that was her assertion. If that was the case, why would she have a water fight with him? That's a pretty friendly-thing to do.
2. Why was it necessary for her to hate Liam in the first place? She could have just never thought of him that way because he was her brother's best friend and she was afraid to lose her snuggle buddy if a romantic relationship went south. It would make sense for her to not like him if she was not close to him at all, but because they had a pre-existing relationship her hostility (for the reasons she has given) makes no sense.
3. Liam has proven himself skilled at breaking and entering, he has done this for eight years. So, why didn't he help this time? He didn't have to say how he acquired this skill, I've locked myself out of my house a couple of times and had to do the same. Was he just being a dick?
4. It just occurred to me, they have a fence. I had to go back to chapter 1 and check but they do. It just occurred to me that in order for little Liam to see Amber crying when she was 8, there couldn't be a fence higher than 3 feet tall. At the time, she explained that he was able to get through the fence due to a hole in the structure, but he probably doesn't fit anymore. How has a late night driver never seen Liam cross into Amber's yard by going over the fence? Or back into his own in the wee hours of the morning?

Anyway...

Amber looks at some pictures Liam has up. She finds one of a recent dance competition.

“I hadn't even seen him there, so I hadn't known he'd come to support me.”

So he stalked her? Let's not sugar coat this. He found out were she would be, went there without telling her, watched her without her knowing it, and photographed her. That sounds an awful lot like stalking to me.

Apparently, stalking gets her hot and bothered because in the next paragraph she is straddling him on his bed. And, of course, this means makes out happen.

“He was running his hands slowly down my body from the top of my head down to my waist and back u again, looking at me adoringly.”

Amber is weirded out, not by Liam petting her like a cat, but because he is staring at her adoringly.

“'I want to know why you call me Angel.'”

Are we seriously wasting time on this?

“He gasped...”

More with the gasping, should I call a doctor?

“'No way. I'm not answering that,' he whined”

And instead of respecting his choice to not share what he feels to be uncomfortable, Amber sexual coerces him into it. Cause that's and okay thing to do.

He tells her more or less what his mom had said.

“So what Pat said was true.”

Again, why would she lie?

“'The first time I saw you, I thought you were an Angel straight from heaven. You were so beautiful that you took my breath away'”

I'm sure 4 year old Amber was super foxy.

Okay, maybe not that foxy.

More make outs happen to the surprise of no one. Liam says “I love you” and Amber doesn't know what to do. Liam tells her it's okay to not say anything back

“'...you've only just stopped looking at me like your brother's asshole best friend.'”

Maybe that's the end game for this. The bet adds conflict and forces her to realize her true feelings and we end on a confession of love. That wouldn't totally suck.

Amber studies his face to see if he means it when he says she doesn't have to say anything back

“...in actual fact, I did need to.”

As in, you need to say something back because you feel it back? Or because you think that he wants to hear it. If you want to say it, then just say it. What is the hold up? If you don't want to say it but feel you have to, then what is the point of saying “His tone of voice and the smile on his face seemed genuine though”?

Whatever, the chapter ends without fanfare. Actually, that is pretty much the chapter as a whole.