"He teaches college math?"

"Yeah." Ralph slid behind the wheel and started the car. "But he probably doesn't have time."

"You could give me his number and let me find out," Cammy said, tugging at her long blonde braid. "Or would that be too much trouble?"

Ralph shrugged. "Okay, I'll look up his number and give it to you tomorrow at school."

Cammy stepped away from the car. "Hope you enjoyed yourself tonight, Ralph, and I hope you've got the good sense not to breathe a word of what I did to anybody. Not anybody. You bear me, Ralph?"

"I hear you, Cammy." Ralph gunned his engine and peeled away from the curb. As soon as Cammy had let herself in the front door, her mother came out of the living room and headed her off at the stain.

"What have you been doing in that car, young lady?"

"Talking."

"About sex I'll bet."

"Yeah. Ralph wanted to know about the birds and the bees, but since I don't know anything about them either, we just sat there and looked at each other."

"Don't get smart with me, Camilla. I'm only looking out for your welfare."

"Nothing happened. I'm still a virgin." Camilla tossed her braid. "Aren't you?"

"I should slap your face for that." Camilla's mother clenched her fists then dropped her hands to her sides. "But I won't."

"I've got to go study."

"Your father has been thinking of getting you a tutor."

"Fine with me." Camilla turned up the stairs. She dreaded having to start in on math when she'd much rather put on some tapes and her earphones. Or have a long, serious talk with her best friend, Janet. Janet lived next door, and when things got tough for either of them, they always hung out together. Camilla closed her door, locked it, and then plucked a tape from her collection. With rock and roll turned low so her folks wouldn't hear, she went to her window. Across the yard and fence she could see Janet's light on, her bedroom curtains pulled back.