Crossroads — 2026-03-01 (Patreon)

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Chapter 14: SUNDAY PLANS by Emma Knox

Well in case you forgot who I am on account of me not posting for so long, I’m Emma! That was supposed to be a little joke.

So, it’s Sunday and me and Noah are the first out the door to go to church. We had a fun breakfast, but it was quick and simple—just coffee, juice, and muffins. I guess you know things at the apartments are a lot different lately.

First off, Shay moved in, but we have to call her Mara. You probably know all about that. But before Shay moved in, two guards moved in. Olivia is sharing the apartment with Shay, and Conner has the micro-apartment connected to Devon’s by the bathroom.

Then, on Thursday, a girl from where Hannah and Merritt work named Liza moved into another micro apartment. Nobody lives in the unit connected to her bathroom yet.

Now, today after church, some of Shay’s friends—Chloe and Caleb Hastings—are coming to the apartments to visit. Olivia told me over muffins this morning that they are twins in grad school that Shay knows. They are siblings of one of Shay’s guards, and that’s how she knows them, and they moved here last fall, so they don’t know many people.

Now, I’m just guessing but here’s my thinking. Shay outright told us she was lonely living back in West Village. I bet Chloe and Caleb were fun for her to know, and with them being new to New York, they probably liked visiting with her, too.

Anyway, they’re coming over and hanging out with everyone. It won’t be nothing organized, but it’s always fun. So that’s the plan for after church this afternoon.

I’ll close by saying that college is hard, but I really like it. Noah says I probably study more than I need to, but I want to learn everything and make good grades.

Oh! Of course things with me and Noah are going great! We’re not rushing, but we like how things are going.

That’s all for now. Thanks for reading my story.

Chapter 15: NEW LIFE by Shay Ryder

When I think about everything that’s happened over the last few weeks, I have to stop and wonder… Why didn’t this happen sooner?

Today feels like the completion of some transformation. I’m still the same, awkward girl I always was, but I feel like I have friends. I don’t feel alone.

Besides being able to spend a lot of great time with Devon, I have a roommate that is really super sweet. She’s smart and fun, and even though I know she’s supposed to be my security, she just feels like a friend.

Today, something else amazing happened. Last fall, sometimes I’d invite my security team to come to the house for meals. A few times, Logan Hastings brought his brother and sister, Caleb and Chloe, with him. I figured they were just coming to be with their brother, but Eric called yesterday and said they’d like to hang out.

So, I was sitting with Chloe and Liza, and we were talking like normal people hanging out.

Chloe was just asking Liza about school and her internship. Liza told us about Rowan and NYC SysCo and some of the things she has done so far.

“I’m just a nerdy girl,” Liza said. “I like math and engineering.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” Chloe replied. “You seem sweet and normal, compared to my brother! He’s a huge nerd!”

“He’s nice,” I said.

Chloe smiled. “True, and I love him, but he’s such a nerd! Look at him with the guy from the Apple Store…”

He was by the window talking to Jacob.

“They’re probably talking about 3-D quantum processors and how hard it is to keep them from overheating in a desktop computer.”

“That sounds interesting to me,” Liza said. “But like I said, I’m a huge nerd.”

Chloe gestured at Caleb. “You’re the good kind of nerd. Caleb is just the nerd kind of nerd.”

About then, Merritt came up, so I made him take pictures, then he said, “Noah, Emma, and I are going for pizza. Who wants in on being third-wheel with me?”

I told him I was saving room for dinner—Devon and I are going out. (Olivia will be there, too, so she talked Merritt into going.)

“Pizza?” Liza looked a little unsure.

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“My treat,” Merritt added. “We just got paid by Pay It Forward Society for the trip to Mississippi.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Liza said.

“Come on… otherwise, I’m the odd man at the table with Emma and Noah.”

“They’re a couple?” Chloe asked.

“They are,” Merritt replied. “You both can come—the more the merrier.”

I looked at Chloe. “You should go. Get to know them better. I hope you’ll make it a habit of coming here, so maybe if you get to… well, you know what I mean. Just have fun, and…”

So, I lapsed into weird-girl mode for a moment, but Chloe and Liza agreed to go for pizza.

I’m really glad. While she’s gone, I’ll visit with Caleb a little, and Devon and I will have something light for lunch.

So, today’s been great so far, and tonight, when we go out for dinner, I bet it will be great. Like I said, Olivia will be going for security, so she talked Merritt into going along, too. I’ll make sure we get pictures!

Chapter 16: PIZZA LUNCH by Liza McDuffey

I honestly don’t know what to think. I’m not used to being around people my age, to start with, and especially people who are nice.

Merritt made a special point to invite me to breakfast yesterday and out for pizza today. I’m sure he was just being nice, and that’s sort of my point.

I don’t know where to start. Chloe and her brother Caleb came to the apartments to visit Mara Voss. Mara and Evan are going to dinner later, so when Merritt was getting a group together for pizza, she stayed back, but Chloe—Caleb’s twin sister—came.

Now we’re sitting here with Noah and Emma. Chloe and I just found out that Emma and Merritt used to be a thing.

“Wait…” Chloe looked at Merritt. “You and Emma dated?”

“We never said it was that,” Emma answered.

Merritt nodded. “Call it ‘talking.’”

“But you broke up?” Chloe asked.

Noah weighed in. “They say they knew it wasn’t going anywhere… Tell them what Hannah said.”

Emma looked at Merritt. “Should I?”

Merritt shrugged. “Up to you…”

“Hannah said we were safe and comfortable, but we didn’t light each other’s sparklers.”

I know my jaw dropped, but I totally understood what she meant.

And Chloe was blushing. “I can’t believe you just said that, with him sitting here!”

Emma smiled. “That’s what Hannah said, though.”

Chloe looked at Merritt, then Noah—who, by the way, is fun and made us pose for pictures—and said, “So, now you all just hang out like old friends? Like nothing happened?”

Merritt answered. “We live in the same space. We know what we had, that it was good, and we were very deliberate about our relationship. When it plateaued, we knew enough to say what it was. Noah and I were already becoming friends. Honestly, Emma and I didn’t do or say anything that keeps us from being friends now.”

“Okay, now I’m inspired,” Chloe replied.

And as for me? I’m kinda inspired, too.

Chapter 17: WORKING DINNER by Olivia Medina

Officially, I’m working. I could tick off several duties I’m performing…

Personal security for a high-profile protectee… (Shay Ryder)

Supervising an in-training personal security guard… (Devon Collier)

In light of what’s going on in the world right now and the fact that yesterday the Bureau raised security to high alert, you can be sure I’m not taking my duties for granted. Shay Ryder (living as Mara Voss) is top priority. Devon and I even worked out some comm signals to be used if needed.

But, to be fully honest, it feels like I’m on a date. Even to the point of Shay insisting on what she called “couples photos.”

I’m not complaining. Not in the least.

To continue being fully honest, I wouldn’t mind if at some point Merritt and I had feelings for each other. At this point, I can say I’m only having thoughts about what I’d do if feelings did develop.

Since I sort of tricked him into a Valentine’s dinner, we’ve kept up with each other. A couple of times, Conner relieved me, and Merritt and I ran errands and grabbed lunch.

I can’t speak for where Merritt’s thoughts are, but as we walked a few steps behind Devon and Shay, I asked, “You okay hanging out with me again?”

“Totally,” he replied. “It’s always nice.”

His reply is exactly how I feel, right now. Being with him is always nice, and if romantic feelings ever do come into the picture, I won’t be mad about it.

Also, if you are running CSI-level forensics on the images, yes… Shay and I ordered the same thing. That was not planned.

Chapter 18: INSPIRED by Chloe Hastings

Today, my twin brother, Caleb, and I went to Brooklyn to hang out with someone for whom our brother, Logan, provides security. We met her last fall, but since then, she’s moved to Brooklyn.

Caleb and I just started our second semester in grad school. He’s in comp sci. I’m in criminal justice. We live in the Union Square area, in an apartment of our own. The fall term was a blur of settling in and learning our way around. Now, we think it’s time to do more than just go to classes.

The place where Shay moved to is very easy to get to. One train. Take the L from Union Square to Brooklyn and get off at Bedford Avenue. Twenty or so minutes including walking to the stations.

Shay/Mara’s apartments are interesting. The architecture and the people both…

There’s a common room that serves as a social hub for the people living there. That’s where everyone hung out most of the afternoon.

But at one point a guy—Merritt Gray—rounded up a group to go for pizza. I went with him and four other people.I learned that he had dated one of the other girls, but they were just fine going on as friends. Technically, they were just “talking,” but it went on for a while.

I thought it must be awkward, but Merritt said it wasn't. He said they had been very deliberate about the relationship and hadn’t done or said anything that would keep them from being friends now.

I’ve dated through high school and college. I’d say it was rather typical in number, but more conservative than many people.

What Merritt said about being deliberate and not doing anything to keep from being friends sounds amazing. That sounds like a great approach.

On the way back to the apartments, he said it was like testing the water—only go in as deep as you are sure about. If the footing isn’t right, don’t keep walking.

It made sense—a lot of sense for someone in graduate school unsure where they’ll end up three years from now.

I don’t know if I liked the idea more… or the way he worded it. So I’m sitting here thinking about that. And also, about the guy that said it.

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~AGI Original Stories & AI Images

A collage of portrait photos featuring characters from The Chosen.

In the first row is Emma Knox, Hannah Madison, Merritt Gray, Devon Collier, and Evan Calder.

In the second row is Noah Vale, Kent Marlon, Izzy Duffy, Shay Ryder, and Mara Voss.

The third row includes Paul Charm, Addison Magee, Jacob Brown, Conner Wiltshire, and Eric Marsten.

The next-to-bottom row shows Rebecca Flint, Tom Jenkins, Will Robertson, Olivia Medina, and Tia Thomas.

The bottom row shows Caleb Hastings, Meredith Sinclair, Chloe Hastings, Liza McDuffy, and Melissa Gains