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his thick yellow hair, blue eyes, muscles, and quiet self-confidence, Roy drew the girls. Three of them—Kathy, Laurie, and Janet—gathered around to watch the game. They were all better than average-looking: taut, tan, vital teen-age girls in halter tops and shorts, with shiny hair and California complexions and budding breasts and slender legs.
    Roy clearly favored Laurie, while Kathy and Janet showed more than passing interest in Colin. He didn’t think they were attracted to him for himself. In fact, he was certain they were not. He had no illusions. Before girls like them swooned over boys like him, the sun would rise in the west, tiny babies would grow beards, and an honest man would be elected President. They were flirting with him because he was Roy’s friend, or because they were jealous of Laurie and wanted to make Roy jealous of them. Whatever their reasons, they were concentrating on Colin, asking questions, drawing him out, laughing at his jokes, cheering when he won a game. Until now, girls had never wasted time with him. He really didn’t care what their motives were; he just reveled in all the attention and prayed it would never end. He knew he was blushing brightly, but the arcade’s odd orange lighting provided him with cover.
    Forty minutes after entering the Pit, they left to a chorus of good-byes: “So long, Roy; take it easy, Roy; see ya around, Roy.” Roy seemed to want to be rid of all of them, including Kathy, Laurie, and Janet. Colin went reluctantly.
    Outside, the evening air was mild. A light breeze carried the faint scent of the sea.
    Complete darkness had not yet descended. Santa Leona lay in a smoky yellow twilight similar to that which Roy had created earlier in the day for the miniature world in the Borden garage.
    Their bicycles were chained to a rack in the parking lot behind the Pit.
    As he bent and unlocked his bike, Roy said, “You like the Pit?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I thought you would.”
    “You spend much time there?” Colin asked.
    “Nah. Not much.”
    “I thought you were a regular.”
    Roy stood and pulled his bike from between the pipes. “I hardly ever go.”
    “Everybody knew you.”
    “I know the kids who are regulars. But not me. I’m not a fan of games. At least not games as easy as the ones in the Pit.”
    Colin finished unchaining his bicycle. “If you don’t like it, why’d we come?”
    “I knew you’d enjoy it,” Roy said.
    Colin frowned. “But I don’t want to do things that bore you.”
    “I wasn’t bored,” Roy said. “I didn’t mind playing a game or three. And I sure didn’t mind having a chance to look at Laurie. She has a terrific little body, doesn’t she?”
    “I guess so.”
    “You guess!”
    “Well, sure ... she has a nice body.”
    “I’d like to settle down between her pretty legs for a few months.”
    “You seemed anxious to get away from her.”
    “After about fifteen minutes I get sick of talking to her,” Roy said.
    “Then how could you stand her for a few months?”
    “We wouldn’t talk,” Roy said, grinning wickedly.
    “Oh.”
    “Kathy, Janet, Laurie ... all those girls are just teasers.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “They never put out.”
    “Put out what?”
    “Ass, for Christ’s sake! They never put out any ass, not ever, not for anyone.”
    “Oh.”
    “Laurie shakes it at me, but if I actually put a hand on her tits, she’d scream so loud the roof would fall in.”
    Colin was blushing and sweating. “Well, after all, she’s only fourteen, isn’t she?”
    “Plenty old enough.”
    Colin wasn’t pleased with the direction the conversation had taken. He tried to get back on course. “Anyway, what I wanted to say was, from now on let’s not do anything that bores you.”
    Roy put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “Listen, Colin, am I your friend or not?”
    “Sure you are.”
    “A good friend should be willing to keep you company even when you’re doing things that you enjoy but maybe