dclegg.purity-第6部分

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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