To those who have followed this writing, even a decade later:
I cannot help but feel so humbled to look at all of the comments over the years on this piece.
Only two people in the whole world know that I wrote it, but all of you wonderful readers made me feel as though I shouldn't have been so worried about what folks might think.
I know there are only two chapters, but this was the first time I'd ever put myself out there as a creative for the world to see. I was in very young when I wrote this story - now I'm in graduate school and I look back on this every now and then with a litany of feelings. Anywhere from glowing pride to a little bit of hot pink shame for having written something so sultry at such a young age.
Oh, well.
As my father says, when you have a dirty mind and a fertile imagination, what do you get?
"Flowers growing out of your head."
Flowers aside, I want to thank each and every one of you for following and keeping faith here for so long that I'd come back and finish it. I've felt the same way countless times, praying that my favorite new-but-old story will pick up again.
I'd like to break the mold and actually come back to do it. I can't promise that I'll update this story every week, and given my current schedule, sometimes it'll be a bit sporadic.
Still, you deserve an ending worthy of your wait, and the story deserves an overhaul. I'll be faithful to the premise but I feel Shakz'tee deserves a makeover after ten years on the shelf.
To those who saved, followed, or commented, and to those who have just begun reading - from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
