Angie nervously drummed her fingers on the desk. "My father does have a lot of medical books in his office." But I haven't read any of them, she finished in her mind.

"You've read them?"

"Well-l. Just glanced at a few," she lied. I am going to read them. Soon, she thought. No matter what Mom says. I've waited long enough.

"What did they say?" Maybe he could get her into a petting session, if she wouldn't go all the way.

"There were a lot of diagrams, like in the biology book." That was safe to say.

"Anything new?" Doug asked hopefully. "About how it's done?" Would she go to bed with me? I'm not very good-looking. Would any girl?

"Mmmm." Angie looked down at her fingernails. She wasn't going to tell him she didn't know anything.

"I can tell. You didn't understand them." Girls were so dumb. On the other hand, that might be an asset. Would she or wouldn't she?

"Well, at least I know where it's at," Angie said daringly. She laughed. I wonder if he's tried it yet? Maybe Brad's right – he's not interested. If he'd come over, we might try it!

"Maybe if you could borrow one of your father's books, we could study it together."

"Yes? Where would we study it?"

"In the library?"

Angie shook her head. "Too public."

"At my house?"

"I can't go out with boys. My mother won't let me until I'm sixteen." Her tone was martyred.

Why in the hell is she encouraging me to ask then? Doug was outraged. "You could tell her you were visiting a girlfriend," he said mildly.

A knot of sorrow caught in Angie's throat. How she wished she could! She'd wanted to have a close friend for so long. But the girls never seemed to notice her. She'd even thought of going up to one – Mary Jane Watson especially, she was so popular – and starting a conversation. But she'd never had the nerve. At the last moment, she felt cowed. Out loud she said, "My mother knows I don't have any girlfriends."