“Hey, Tank,” she says in a high voice. “Thought you two would never show up.”

“Had a short delay,” Tank says. He nods toward me. “This is Zach. The guy I was telling you about.”

She finally looks at me, paying close attention to my feet.

“So, which one is it?” she says.

“I’m sorry?” I ask, clueless.

“Which ankle did you hurt? They both look fine to me.”

“Oh, it’s my right one.” I reach down and massage it for dramatic effect. “Hurts bad tonight. I think climbing that ladder made it worse.”

Tank gives me a look.

Mandy says, “You two gonna stand there or get in?”

“Oh, we’re coming in,” Tank says and starts to pull off his shirt.

“There’s a rule for guys,” she adds. “No clothes allowed.”

“No problem,” Tank says, ripping off his shirt as if it’s on fire. He’s careful with his pants, though, gently removing the pint and cigarettes, then turning away from me as he slowly pulls off his jeans and underwear, folding them neatly and stacking everything on a small table near the ladder. He lays the pint on top of the pile like it’s a paperweight.

He asks me for a condom. I give him one. Then he jumps in and swims toward Mandy.

I’m still fully dressed.

Mandy says, “What’s the matter, Zach? Come on in. I don’t bite.”

“My ankle’s really bad,” I say, adding a limp to the act. “Give me a few minutes to walk it off.” Tank’s behind the raft now, throwing his hands in the air as if to say to me, what, are you crazy, Ramsey?

I turn and hobble down the ladder.

When I’m on the lawn, I hear her whisper to Tank, “Is he gay?”

“Just nervous,” Tank says. “He’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“There must be a skunk around,” she says. “Something stinks.” I hear her slide off the raft and into the water.

So I pace back and forth on the lawn, listening to the disgusting sounds coming from the swimming pool. At one point I have to plug my ears. The whole scenario is too disturbing. I mean, she’s expecting me next, and if I don’t go through with it, Tank and everybody else at Blaine Memorial High School will hold it over my head for my entire senior year. The hallways will be a living hell.

On the other hand, if I go ahead and join Mandy, Sarah will eventually find out and our relationship will end, and there’s no way I can risk that. The student body of Blaine Memorial can taunt me all they want, but if it means saving my future with Sarah, I’ll take it like a man.