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girls don't care about them。 The boys are just part of summer to those girls。 Just like the beach。 Just like a walk。〃
He remained silent； and kept his eyes on each bowl as he carefully wiped the towel through them。
〃I grew up in her world。 I know what she'd have to give up。 Don't ask her to do it。 Not if you care about her；〃 his mother said。 Then； she nearly snickered。
〃What's funny？〃 he asked。
〃I remember your father at your age； is all。 I remember him so well；〃 she said。 〃He's working on the pump now。 The pump and the well。 Today he worked on the azaleas and the roses。 Tomorrow； he'll probably check the pool。
If I had only known then。 Owen； you might as well go find that pirate treasure as think that a girl like that will be interested in you beyond these summerish flings。〃
Owen dropped the towel on top of the cutting board； and turned to walk away。 〃I know what you get up to；〃 his mother called to him； but he had already stepped out of the house； letting the screen door swing lazily shut。
〃You're nearly a man； Owen。 You need to grow out of all your imaginings now。〃
Her voice； behind him； was part of another layer of existence。 The smell of fresh grass mingled with the slight scent of the roses which were just blooming in spirals and curves up on the bluffs。
He walked to the edge of the hill； feeling the late sun stroke him like a warm hand。 At the rim of the koi pond； he knelt down and looked at his reflection in the green water。 Soon； the patchwork fish came to the surface。 He reached his hand into the murkiness； shivering with the chill； and found the god laying where he'd left it； behind the lava rocks。
He felt the edge of the god's face。
10
In a school notebook； Owen wrote：
Things Jenna likes。
1。 She loves swing dancing。
2。 She likes expensive perfume。 The kind older women wear。 Not like other girls。
3。 She likes sandals。
4。 She likes to let a boy open a door for her。
5。 She likes clothes from Manhattan。
6。 She likes to be plimented on how smart she is。
7。 She likes someone who listens to her。
8。 She likes holding hands。
Things Jenna hates：
1。 She hates heavy metal rock。
2。 She hates boys who look at her breasts。
3。 She hates having to wait for anything。 Ever。
4。 She hates Julia Roberts movies。 She reminds me of movie stars though。
5。 She hates when animals get hurt。
6。 She hates being treated like a piece of meat。
7。 She hates boys who want to go all the way because she told me three years ago that she's going to wait for the right one。
8。 She hates having to do things she hates。
11
He waited a week before going back up to the Montgomery place； and even then； it was after eleven； and the house was dark and silent except for the kitchen； where Mrs。 M always kept a light on。 At first； he intended to stand beneath Jenna's bedroom window and maybe toss a pebble at it to get her attention。 He noticed that the window … on the third story … was open； and he decided he'd call to her。
Then； he noticed that one of the guest room windows was open； too。
That would be Jimmy's。 The bastard。
Owen glanced along the trellis and gutters； and decided he'd try that route first。 He climbed the trellis with the agility of a monkey； although it threatened to pull away if he didn't balance his weight just right。 It wasn't much different from the rope climb in gym。 When he worried that he wouldn't make it to the third story roof； he remembered the breathing trick and began inhaling and exhaling carefully。 That was where the balance was： in the breathing。 Then； he grabbed the rain gutter； and scaled the slant of the roof。 He crawled along it； slowly； cautiously； and went to look in on Jenna while she slept。 He felt himself grow hard； imagining how he could hold her while she slept； imagining how he would smell her hair。
When he looked through the open window； he saw the other boy there； Jimmy； in bed with her； holding her； moving against her。
Owen caught his breath and held it for what felt like the longest time。
He could hold his breath under water for a few minutes； and holding it now while he watched Jimmy press himself into her； like a hummingbird jabbing at a flower； but not as pretty； just dark and murky； Jimmy's body rising and falling as he plunged into her； not gently the way she would want it； but like he was a jackal tearing apart some carcass。
Chapter Three
The morning swim
1
〃The Salty Dog；〃 Owen said； lifting himself from the swimming pool。
〃Waiting tables。 Since Memorial Day weekend。 Lifting weights； too。〃
〃That must be delightful；〃 Mrs。 M said。 She stood near the changing rooms； swathed in a red bathrobe； dark glasses covering her eyes。 She looked like a movie star。 She had a cigarette in her hand； which she waved dramatically。 〃I imagine you meet lots of girls and boys your age at that dive。〃
〃Some。〃
〃You're still very young for your age；〃 she said； and then caught her breath for a moment。 〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean that in a negative way。 I meant it as。。。as。。。you're so innocent pared to the boys at that school she goes to。
They've already begun those patterns they'll have for life。〃 She exhaled a lungful of smoke。 She was like a beautiful dragon； he thought。 A jade dragon with sparkling eyes。
Owen drew himself up the rest of the way over the pool's edge。 He exhaled deeply； coughing。
〃My smoking bother you？〃
〃No；〃 he said； swiveling to sit down more fortably； his legs still in the water。 〃Just holding my breath。 Trying； anyway。〃
〃Trying to reach some goal？ Underwater？〃 She took her sunglasses off； and dropped them carelessly on the tile。
He nodded。 〃To beat the Guinness Book of World Records。 This guy； he held his breath。 Thirteen minutes。〃
〃That's impossible。〃 She walked casually over to him。 He could see her sapphire bathing suit top； and her sparrowish breasts cupped within it as her robe fell open。 She stepped out of her sandals。 For a moment； he thought of what she would look like with her suit ripped from chin to thigh； with him pressing into her … no； not him； Jimmy； the way he had torn into Jenna。 Mrs。
M； a smile on her face； could not read his thoughts； he hoped。 〃No one can hold his breath that long；〃 she said。 〃It must've been a cheat。〃
〃If you believe in something； maybe you can do impossible stuff； Mrs。
M。〃
〃That's magical thinking； sweetie。 And Mrs。 M； good lord。〃 She laughed； dropping her robe pletely。 She shimmered。 〃You're a man now。
You'll have to start calling people by their first names； Owen。 I feel like a schoolmarm when you call me that。 Is that what you want me to feel like？ A haggish old schoolmarm？ I'm forty； not seventy。 Catherine。 Or Cathy。〃
〃Oh； yeah； okay；〃 he said； grinning。 〃Cathy。〃
As she walked along the edge of the pool to the far end； she pulled her hair back and tucked it into her white bathing cap。 She lifted her arm in a certain way to him； like a salute。 Then； Jenna's mother dove into the pool； graceful as a mermaid。 He watched her do laps while he caught his breath。
2
When he went to shower off； Owen saw the other boy's towel hanging from the bathroom stall。 Steam began to fill the changing room。 He pulled his wet trunks down； and tossed them on a chair。 He grabbed one of the long white towels that the Montgomery's' maid kept neatly rolled in the cabinet over the toilet。 Then； he walked the narrow hallway to the large shower。 All three shower heads were running； and the boy stood there rubbing soap along his arms； his face frothy with white soap foam。 Owen ignored him； stepping beneath the furthest shower head； and grabbed a bar of Ivory from the holder。
〃Mooncalf；〃 Jimmy said； as the foam rinsed from his face。 His hair stuck up high on his head。 The smell of Ivory soap was overpowering。 〃Haven't seen you in awhile。〃
〃I know；〃 Owen said； his voice husky。 He didn't feel the way he did in school with the other boys； not with this Jimmy； this eighteen…year…old who he had watched deflower Jenna。 He felt disgusted。 〃Been busy。〃 He turned his back on Jimmy for the rest of the shower； hoping the other boy would leave to go swim in the pool。 But Jimmy toweled off； and began dressing just as Owen turned off the water。 He slipped his shorts on； and reached for his t…shirt。
〃You've been working out a lot。 Me； too。 I run every morning。 I play tennis。〃
〃Swim；〃 Owen said。 He walked back to the toilet to take a leak。
〃Swim？〃
〃I swim。〃
〃Ah； a plete sentence out of the Mooncalf；〃 Jimmy chuckled。
〃That's the first thing I noticed about you； you know。〃
Owen said nothing； flushed the toilet。 Sat down on one of the chairs； and reached for his shirt。
〃You talk in bits of sentences。 Well； that and your hair。〃
Owen twisted back to look at him； his t…shirt shirt half over his head。
〃My hair？ What's your problem？〃
〃You've got pretty hair。 It's soft； too。 Most guys' hair is like bristles。〃
〃Weirdo；〃 Owen said； then； 〃Sleep in the guest room much？〃 He pulled the shirt down； and then went to grab his socks。 Jimmy followed him； sitting down on a short bench。
〃No。 That bother you？〃
〃No。 It's weird that her parents don't care。〃
〃They don't。 Well； her mother doesn't。 Her father's still down