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by now.‖

    ―Can‘t your parents take her out?‖ I ask.

    ―They‘re at a party in Naples and won‘t be back till late.‖

    ―Actually,‖ Amy interjects, ―Dom and I should probably get going too. But I’m gonna hit the bathroom first. Dom, can you go start up the car and turn on the heat?‖

    ―Sure thing, Ames,‖ I say as she hands me the keys.

    Wes then offers to walk me to the car, like I know Amy was hoping he would.

    Before heading to the bathroom, Amy addresses me with a wily expression. ―Remember, make sure to turn on the heat !‖

    6

    “B rrr.‖ I shiver as we step onto the patio. ―It‘s nippy out, isn‘t it?‖

    Nippy? Nippy? Why can’t I just shut up?

    ―Nah,‖ he broods, ―it‘s nothing compared to New York…. Watching Times Square on TV just now got me nostalgic for it.‖

    ―But you never lived there?‖

    ―No, but my grandparents live in SoHo. We visit them a lot, so it feels like home.‖

    ―I see. If—I mean, when —you get into NYU or Fordham, are you going to run the marathon?‖

    ―Yeah, but I‘ll probably come in last. I‘m bad at distance.‖

    ―Well, just the fact you‘re even willing to try to run twenty-six miles nonstop is pretty ambitious.‖

    ―You want to go to med school. That’s ambitious.‖

    ―Well, thanks.‖ I smile at him.

    Wes says a few more goodbyes as we walk the small stretch of beach back toward the stairwell leading to the street. The night gets really quiet as we leave the din of the party behind us. We‘re in a fancy neighborhood, where tall majestic palms and high white stucco walls surround each home. I wonder what kind of house Wes lives in, and what his room is like.

    ―So, did you win at Grand Theft Auto?‖

    ―We didn‘t finish the game. I, um, I wasn‘t expecting to play for so long, Dom. It‘s just so addictive.‖

    ―I understand. I was never allowed to have Nintendo or anything like that, but I used to play at Amy‘s. It‘s fun.‖

    ―Yeah, but that stuff‘s a big time and money sucker. I don‘t blame your parents for sparing you.
    As you could probably tell, Paul‘s parents aren‘t home much.‖

    ―Yeah. My parents are home too much.‖

    We both laugh, but soon the only noises are our breathing and our footsteps on the stone sidewalk.

    ―So, what did you do today?‖ I ask finally.

    ―Ran, read, helped my dad take down the tree. You?‖

    I‘m not about to admit I spent half of it preparing to see him.

    ―Um, I bratsat a neighbor‘s kid. Then I was gearing up for Science Quiz. You know, our team won the state championship the last three years. We‘re hoping to go for four.‖

    ―Mmm,‖ he hums, looking at the ground.

    I‘m convinced I‘m boring him. Heck, I‘m boring myself. How can we keep a conversation going online for an hour but have nothing to say in person?

    We‘re silent for the last block and a half. When we arrive at Amy‘s Camry, he takes the keys from my hand and opens the passenger side door for me. I just can‘t end the night having made so little progress.

    I muster my courage. ―Thanks, Wes…. Um, do you want to keep me company?‖

    ―Um, sure.‖

    As soon as he takes his place behind the wheel, the overhead lights fade out. I can tell his breathing has gotten faster in the last few seconds. So has mine. Fast breathing can be a physiological reaction to sexual arousal. If I were like Amy, I‘d be jumping him right about now.
    Instead, I go in for the kill with another riveting question.

    ―So, what kind of car do you drive?‖

    ―A Ford Explorer.‖

    ―Nice!‖

    ―Nice for having a hundred thousand miles. It used to be my brother‘s back when he was in high school. There‘re tons of burn marks on the upholstery from his cigarette mishaps.‖

    ―Hey, I‘m jealous you have a car at all. I just have a road bike, which works out okay unless the weather is bad or if I want to wear something nice. I have to hitch rides a lot.‖

    ―That‘s