- About the charge: Seeing Jane Laverne was known as a family friend (assuming first name basis, and that Nami called her specifically), and there are two police officers in WiaB close to the Zanes, Mon and Abigail, dropping a charge could be easy if it was in any way connected to Zane interests. Dana could also have a hand, and Elena as a lawyer could have had a hand in whatever it was - but it all depends on who Noji is and who Nika is to the Zanes. It would be easy for the Zanes to make his charges disappear. For Nika to not be on the database with a dropped charge kinda hints that he's off the hook as though it never happened. Further, Laverne could be his truant officer, as Noji is their guardian in effect.
- Nice timeline! My feeling was Summer + Nika = good basketball, Summer's gone = trenchcoat and brass knuckles, figuratively. Then the violent incident = charge, recuperation = wasted muscles, and not doing anything that might get him charged again. As I'm the same, thinking Nika was at the start of high school, when he saw summer last, was when she started puberty. He never saw if Ocean gave her gigantors or not.
- regards the change from stable to anti, if he refused to take interest in basket ball, by refusing to turn up, everyone would think he was weird. The question is why no one other than Nia, Nika and Nami really cared that Summer was gone.
- regards the violent incident: it depends on whether it was a fight or someone being violent to him. ie if Summers dad beat the crap out of him (hypothetically) that would end his basketball career for the season at least. Nika doesn't need to be the instigator of the violent incident, so it can happen at any time. Most LIKELY it's as a result of his beliigerance though, and that put an end to sports, so basketball Nika = Summer's boyfriend. Also, the association of the Summer flashback with her playing basketball - maybe he avoided it after she disappeared? There's certainly negative connotations now.
- The Holgersons: seeing Zoey was Katie's GF, I didn't think there was any family connection, just connected via growing up together. Zoey wanted to start a porn company with Willi, maybe Emilia (who was Zoey's friend in the orginal WiaB I think?) was their first employee, and that's why Emilia's question of Katie is interesting at the book club? We know Zoey is still around, but are Katie and Zoey still together? THe Holgerson's had a 'paper' company in WiaB, I assumed a newspaper. Now Stefan has a golden underpants, and Katie is a fashion designer. Too little to go on so far.
- Goth girl is one of the most interesting new additions for me. I was curious about the pizza scene, but seeing her more, I really want to know. Currently I've noticed her blonde friend pays Nika a lot of attention, but Goth girl mainly looks at Nami - and I really do wonder if she's Leia's daughter. It's be a great reveal.
- I think either childhood friend or childhood 'friend'. Either works for Dwight. Boyfriend seems wrong, and I doubt he's the Revera - as if old WiaB has any truth, Donna was pregnant by Willi, and they're both dark haired without fair complexion. Jake suits as Willi has at least one brownish eye.
- Agreed about the coaching plan. I think Nika and Nami had no choice in college because of the plan. I think it was a scholarship that couldn't be refused. And yes, I think Hill was testing Nika's ability to take a hit for the team, or deal with the consequences. A star player who can't will just get bulldozed.
- LOTS of subtle changes. I'm not even going to try to work it out. This is now all there is, and if I load WIP SG, I know it's non canon. Same as WiaB - it informs intent to remember where it went, but that's no longer the entire direction.
- I will go on Nia's path most likely because fuck... he life is hard enough, being a friend is the least anyone can do. People will defend Bella while she's a criminal (street racing, gun, soft drugs, theft, vandalism), but Nia's doing something legal in most countries and people find her distasteful, her family have shut her out. Even before the reveal I felt shitty over the way Nika treated her in the gym. She and Vic are maybe the two gentlest people in the game. It might be because I know a few ex cam girls and I've seen what it did to them. It really does make them lonely once they stop, and rarely do they become successful. All that stigma, and still broke.