Ari and his parents arrive home during “the worst storm of the summer season” (298). Ari thinks that masturbation is “embarrassing” and wonders why he feels inadequate when the topic of sex comes up (299).

Ari discovers that Dante was badly beaten up the night before and is in the hospital. Ari tells Mr. Quintana that Dante didn’t tell him that he is gay because he “didn’t want to disappoint” him (303).

Dante’s face is “unrecognizable” (306). He was beaten up by a group of boys because they saw him kissing another boy in an alley. Mrs. Quintana tells Ari that she thinks Dante is in love with him.