Okay, first, really enjoyed the update, and it was much longer than I anticipated, too. Nicely done, Dev!
I liked Cara and Nikki both way more than I expected to. For the short time we have with them, their personalities are nicely developed. Choosing was tough, but I went with Nikki. I also think that an "I can't choose!" resulting in a decision to move back to Mom in order to keep the sisters' relationship healthy would have worked fine. It also could have left open possibilities with either or both of them later in the story if Dev wants to go in that direction.
I enjoyed the beach date with Layla and Elena. I like both of them quite a lot. However, I'm not terribly fond of their path as I have posted about in the past. I'll keep the save around to see where it goes. (Curious if a throuple is developing there. Like redheads are
MrFriendly 's kryptonite, throuples with pretty girls are mine!
) It probably won't end up being my canon path though.
Alexis is my favorite girl so far. There is definitely something going on there, and it might turn out to be really, really bad, but maybe it won't... She doesn't seem pessimistic, necessarily... Just that she needs to take care of some business first before everything's kosher. Now that we know the person who prompted MC's unceremonious eviction from her shower is a woman, I have two contending theories:
1) Alexis is Layla's older sister. This one seems to have the most support, and it could be the case. I didn't think that the girl Layla talks to on her bed about how much she likes MC particularly looked like Alexis as some have suggested. I may go diving through the game images for comparisons, but my first impression is that they have different hair. This being the case would explain Alexis' internal conflict after the point where Layla admits to liking MC. However, didn't she have doubts and internal debate before that point? I mean, why DID she leave the plane without waking MC?
2) Alexis is Erynn's long-time friend. I think this one is more likely. I think the adult Alexis more closely resembles the unnamed friend from the flashbacks. The question becomes why she's so conflicted about liking the MC in this case though... I don't really have much to hang any theories on, but indulge my speculative fantasy for a bit... Erynn obviously doesn't remember the MC's humiliating experience the same way he does. She doesn't know why he left town. What if after he left she missed him and began to build him up in her memory to the point where she convinces herself she was in love with him, and her friend, Alexis, has had to listen to five years of her waxing nostalgic and lovestruck about this boy. What if even back then, maybe Alexis already kind of liked the boy and was willing to accept Erynn's idealized vision of him. Then what if Alexis happens to keep randomly running into this boy she and her friend have been crushing hard on for years resulting in hotter and hotter more intense interactions... If Erynn's has been pinning her hopes on MC coming back some day to be with her and Alexis has been supporting her in this fantasy, it could explain why Alexis might be conflicted about falling for the MC herself. There is also the somewhat simpler and increasingly popular porn game trope that Alexis and Erynn are or have been or are contemplating becoming lesbian lovers and she needs to make sure Erynn is down to share! (Don't judge me! You know damn well
MrFriendly was imagining Nikki with red hair!)
What other wild theories do you have out there? We've apparently got some more time to spin them and drive ourselves crazy.