“Line in the Sand”, page 11
Added 2025-09-03 17:00:23 +0000 UTCRead the full page here: https://www.bittersweetcandybowl.com/upcomingpage/c127/p11
Discuss the page in the comments section of this very Patreon post. Comments will appear on the BCB site when the page goes public, so speak your mind!
You can also chat with fellow patrons in the #gifted-and-talented channel in the BCB Discord, which you can access by connecting Discord to your Patreon account.
Please don’t share this page with non-patrons, and be careful not to spoil it for others before it goes live!
Comments
To be fair, Augustus is still keeping it light, like they both know Mike is being called out but he's being discreet and allowing Mike to keep all these secrets he's been pretty generously allowed to keep, because of that there's been no social fallout or consequences to speak of for what he did to Lucy in Eternal Flame EXCEPT being asked not to spend lunch somewhere specific.
mobsterseeker
2025-09-03 22:10:16 +0000 UTCThese clothes turn Augustus into a super villain apparently. Gotdang that's some good monologuing.
Skid
2025-09-03 21:33:54 +0000 UTCThats a pretty interesting perspective! I never thought about it like this before!
esinololly
2025-09-03 20:16:44 +0000 UTCMan, I worry so much about Augustus' mental state; I can't help but remember the pressure Lucy's mom put on him to ensure Lucy was okay. The discussion with Lucy later where she chided him for being "boring" and missing him being a "creep". He's trying to do better, but him being cared for by Lucy's family at all is because he "saved" Lucy. If Lucy backslides or he falls out of Lucy's favor, I can't imagine he truly believes he won't just lose his home and stability. Augustus is fighting for his life here, and Mike is unknowingly putting everything at risk. :C My heart hurts for edgy cat, ugh.
Comacoma
2025-09-03 19:33:36 +0000 UTCMike: (singing) I'm gonna knock you out! Mama said knock you out! Augustus: ?
SCD
2025-09-03 19:26:07 +0000 UTCSo far I am loving the craftsmanship of this chapter. The flow and intentions of the dialogue is wonderful and the clever double meanings of this page really highlights that!
esinololly
2025-09-03 19:10:33 +0000 UTCThink you’ve got your characters mixed up
Kauphy
2025-09-03 18:42:42 +0000 UTCNo he is scared of his actions during eternal flame being brought up lol im pretty sure the only people that know about it is him, Lucy, and augustus but i could be wrong
Brittany
2025-09-03 18:40:43 +0000 UTCI cant believe how many people still think all this is happening because of their falling out before Lucy suicide attempt. Yall really need to go back, reread eternal flame, and quit defending mike for his own stupid actions. How does that saying go? If you find yourself in a hole first thing you do is stop digging, mike needs to take this advice.
Brittany
2025-09-03 18:34:03 +0000 UTCi am also very curious how lucy will respond if she knows this is going on, given that she's asked gus to lay off and, like you said, doesn't want to be babied. additionally, this just might end up being another conflict lucy feels the need to manage!
Aria
2025-09-03 18:31:29 +0000 UTCBut doesn't realize his way of doing things can be wrong. And I honestly doubt he even thinking about how Lucy feels in all this. Feels like he's being petty and just an excuse to prove a point to Mike
Rocky Wolfknight
2025-09-03 18:27:53 +0000 UTCOh christ. Gus, I know you mean well and THINK you're protecting Lucy, but if she is watching this she WILL rip you a new one. She wants NOTHING to do with Mike and made it clear that she doesnt like being baby'd. I dont like how Mike went against his word to Gus and all and wish he'd stop being such a spineless people pleaser, but I feel this is the LAST thing Lucy wants, ever.
esinololly
2025-09-03 18:25:22 +0000 UTCIt wasn't even reasonable for Augustus to make that sort of request. Sure Mike could have approached him and said he changed his mind, but Augustus is almost always with Sue. He is trying to please everyone and it isn't possible. It wasn't right how Mike handled the whole Sue thing, at at the same time you all forget that Sue was pushing her feelings on him, despite him trying to nicely push her away. All mike wanted was a friend, but Sue wanted more. You add in how abusive and controlling Sandy has been towards him it built up and exploded in an unhealthy way. Lucy also isn't handling her after care well either. She has also pushed friends away that had nothing to do with what happened between Mike and her. She has every right to be angry and resentful towards Mike, given all that went down between them, but I get the impression she just wants to distance herself, and Augustus is using her to go after Mike, under the assumption it is what is best for Sue. I hope Sue just tells him to knock it off, but I also think Mike is dangerously close to hurting himself, and not really opening up to anyone because he feels like it is what he deserves. At the end of the day all of these characters are still teens. Ironically I don't see the point in drawing a line in the sand, about who is the real victim or villain...because they are kids and don't know how to work through these complicated situations. I want to be clear. I don't think Augustus, Sue or Mike are wrong in how they feel. I just hope they all find ways to manage all these big feelings they are having, instead of repeating the cycle. Mike has a right to find a community, Augustus and Sue have a right to find their own as well. They go to the same school, so it is unavoidable to be in the same general area at any given time. Mike has at the very least kept to his word of not approaching her. That is all the guy can do.
Kaleigh Hohenthaner
2025-09-03 18:20:51 +0000 UTCI…man, I don’t think I’d -want- a friend who thought this was okay to do to someone. Lucy’s suffering isn’t so precious that you should do something like this and Mike’s only true trespass was agreeing out fear to Augustus, which was kind of a weird ask to begin with. These kids have a whole damn school, surely, -surely- this isn’t the way.
Sometimes a Badger
2025-09-03 18:16:55 +0000 UTCOk I'm sorry but, step off August. I don't care if people are enjoying this or how Mike is suffering thr consequences for this, TWO WRONGS DONT MAKE A RIGHT. Plus, is he REALLY thinking for Lucy? Does she REALLY want this happening? I really hope August doesn't come out of this with a win and suffer from his consequences too. Better yet, hope he gets called out for his actions too
Rocky Wolfknight
2025-09-03 18:16:44 +0000 UTCI don’t feel bad for Mike. He should have told Augustus no from the jump. Hell he could have told him no when he changed his mind. Now he’s paranoid because he didn’t expect to be confronted for his wishy washy bs. Unlike the rest of this group, Augustus is not against confrontation.
Aesthete Noire
2025-09-03 17:43:10 +0000 UTCBro thinks he's protecting Lucy when all he's doing is making things 10x worse for her (she's already plagued with nightmares, the last thing she needs is being inadvertedly dragged back into more drama associated with Mike), especially considering not once has she even implied that she wants him to do this.
Steven Marshall
2025-09-03 17:36:51 +0000 UTCI really really want to know what Lucy's face looks like right now.
theoktony
2025-09-03 17:36:38 +0000 UTCYeah, but Mike cannot go around lying and expect no resent from others. I don't think it's about Augustus and his own wrongs; at least he's being loyal to Lucy, even if it's a controversial move, while Mike cannot even keep his word nor confront others about what he wants
Catcata
2025-09-03 17:19:21 +0000 UTCSo many strange responses
Runeru
2025-09-03 17:14:23 +0000 UTCBut like who is left for him to open up with ?!?!?! (a therapist, hopefully)
Catcata
2025-09-03 17:13:45 +0000 UTCoh i love the irony of how the described film matches lucy's dreams (boxed in, black and white, lonely and creepy). also say what you will, augustus approaching mike so casually and friendly like this is a really clever move. if mike freaks out rn, david and james are going to be very confused. i love auggy and his menacing aura...
Aria
2025-09-03 17:11:46 +0000 UTCThe thing is, if Mike was just going to keep running at lunch, he should have said that. Instead, he's doing the same thing he's always done; avoiding uncomfortable conversations by twisting himself back and forth trying to please every person who wants something from him. Augustus asked him not to go outside at lunch: the easiest way to make Augustus happy is to say yes Lucy hates him for what he said to her: the easiest way to make Lucy happy (in Mike's mind) is to return her feelings and tell her Sandy never mattered as much as her Sandy wants to take him back: the easiest way to make Sandy happy is to act like he forgives her He's burying his true feelings under layers of masks and fake smiles, and I just want him to fully open up to SOMEONE
Elizabeth Hunter
2025-09-03 17:10:29 +0000 UTCI mean… we all know Mike is a complete coward… but I don’t understand him being particularly so scared of Augustus, considering he has never gotten physical with anybody (even Mike has punched more people)
Catcata
2025-09-03 17:09:03 +0000 UTCI like how Augustus is not just talking about Mike here, but it’s Lucy too
Elisa
2025-09-03 17:08:29 +0000 UTCAUGUSTUS THE GUARD DOG
Elisa
2025-09-03 17:08:02 +0000 UTCWhy is Mike so scared of Augustus? Like, is he scared of Augustus punching him or outing his wrongdoings?
Catcata
2025-09-03 17:07:42 +0000 UTCNGL, I actually think that if he keeps this facade up, it's like, the best way for Augustus to have "confronted" him. He's not outing Mike to his friends, but he's sending a pretty clear message. And I mean, Mike DID AGREE to Augustus to respect giving Lucy space during lunch - it's not like he refused and stood his ground; he said yes then went back on his word, which to me is much worse. So his discomfort here is a little deserved...
Snowstar837
2025-09-03 17:03:18 +0000 UTCI hope one of the track guys interfere, or maybe Mike. I just want Mike to be able to have a happy life, Besides, Augustus has no right to corner Mike- Augustus did try to SA Daisy.
HallybooBlues
2025-09-03 17:03:11 +0000 UTCWho benefits from this? Like, actually?
Fiver
2025-09-03 17:02:53 +0000 UTCgod, Mike, you're scared of this dork?
SomeColourMage
2025-09-03 17:02:46 +0000 UTCI’ve been waiting for this
Frejya
2025-09-03 17:01:44 +0000 UTC
