or。 ？Yeah？？ Vanessa called out before getting up to see who it
was。 Aaron was supposed to e over after band practice and had promised to bring Thai food
for dinner and help her study for her math exam。 He was due any minute； but he had a key。 She
got up and peered through the little glass peephole in the door。 There was no one there。
Hearing faint footsteps echoing on the stairs； she shifted her gaze and squinted； just making out
Dan？s skinny； navy…blue…board…shorts…clad ass as it disappeared up the grubby black steps on his
way to the roof。 She？d forgotten he still had a key； too。
Already Vanessa could feel the adrenaline rush she？d felt the last time Dan had e over。 Was it
being with him that made her feel this way； or was it the notion that Aaron could walk through the
door at any moment and catch them？ Did it even matter？
Hell no。
She scribbled a hasty note to Aaron？Went to get laundry？even though she？d already picked up
her laundry at the Wash ？n？ Fold that morning before school。 Then she threw open the front door
and dashed upstairs。
Dan was lying on his back on the futon underneath the water tower； wearing only his black
cotton boxer briefs； leafing through a glossy…pink…covered collection of Pablo Neruda love poems。
Beside him on a tinfoil tray were four bluepoint oysters from Zabar？s and an open bottle of red
Merlot with two Styrofoam cups。 When he saw Vanessa； he immediately sat up and began to read
aloud。
Don？t go far off； not even for a day； because？
Because？I don？t know how to say it： a day is long。
？Do you think maybe you could call first before you e over？？ Vanessa demanded； pretending
to be furious； bec