Cherri laughed softly. "Okay."

Just like that. Disappointment and betrayal flooded me. A minute before I'd been sure she was about to touch my breasts, perhaps even kiss me, and now she was going off with Brian. And I knew why. Because she was as turned on as I was, Brian about to reap the benefit.

I stood and walked away.

"Hey, Dan." I stopped as Cherri called out. "You won't forget, will you?"

I didn't turn back, but raised a hand in acknowledgment. "I won't forget." She could do what she liked, play around with who she liked, and I'd still be waiting. I hated myself for my weakness, but I couldn't control myself where Cherri was concerned. I raised my hand in a farewell, not knowing if either of them even noticed me as I walked away to Eagle and my waiting bed. I tried to sleep, but still lay awake when I heard Cherri come in long after midnight.

By Thursday of week four I hoped Cherri might have forgotten about my taking pictures of her. Not that I didn't want to photograph her naked, but beginning to recognize my obsession for her well enough to realize I'd be doing myself no favors. Being around Cherri disturbed me enough already. So when Jack and I finished our morning class and he asked if I wanted to go sailing with him I said sure.

"What about Sara? She isn't going to mind you... you know... taking me out?"

"It's not a date, Dani, it's only sailing."

I shrugged, locking the classroom door and reaching up to stash the key.

"Besides," Jack said as I fell into step beside him, "what I do is none of Sara's business anymore."

I slowed. "You broke up?"

"More like she dumped me."

"Oh. I'm sorry, Jack." But I wasn't, and he may had heard that in my voice.

He glanced across. "I'm not. Good thing."

I waited for him to say more but he stared ahead.

Most of the kayaks, canoes and sailing dinghies were still out on the water, but a couple of older boats remained tied to the jetty.

"Are these safe?"

"Sure. Probably safer than the others. They're old and slow which is why they're still here, but they're all solid boats."

Jack tossed me a life-jacket and I caught it one handed. "How do I do this?"

Jack laughed and came back, walking easily on the swaying dock.

"You're going to have to take your vest off first. You don't want to take that anyway, just in case."

"In case of what? I thought you said this was safe."

"It's safe. but there's always an in case, and you don't want to dump all the stuff you've got in your vest on the bottom of the lake."

Even the thought made me shiver and I unzipped the front, went back and laid the vest on a picnic bench. Everyone in camp knew it belonged to me, so the vest and all it contained would be safe. I'd have been happier taking everything back to my room, but too excited now, pleased Jack had asked me, wondering if there might be another reason. I liked Jack. Liked him a lot. And going out with Jack would solve so many other problems.

Jack showed me how to fasten the lifejacket, my breasts flattening as he pulled it closed. My hair was tied back from class and I caught the ponytail under a cap and Jack walked out over the dock. He stepped into the dinghy, hardly noticing the rocking, turned and offered his hand. I put one foot in the boat which instantly moved away from the dock. Jack leaned over and grabbed the jetty, steadying everything up.

"You have to get in fast or you'll end up doing the splits."

"I don't think I can do the splits."

"You'd be surprised what you can do when one foot goes this way and the other stays there. Quick, Dani, come in now."

I put both feet into the bottom of the dinghy and sat down fast. Jack started pulling on wires and ropes and before I worked out what was happening he'd loosened the ties holding us to the dock and raised the sail. Wind caught in the white plastic and suddenly we were moving. Jack stepped back and sat across from me, grabbed a piece of aluminum attached to something over the back and we turned, the wind catching more of the sail and the dinghy tilted. I gave a yelp and grabbed onto the side behind me.

Jack laughed. "It's okay, Dani. That's gonna happen all the time." He moved the stick thing and the boat turned, the sail flipping over to the other side and re-filling. This time I was more ready and leaned back as the boat tilted. Jack sat up on the edge of the dinghy and leaned out, his weight leveling us up. He pulled on ropes, adjusting the sail, pushed the stick and wires creaked and water slapped against the hull and I started to get an idea why he enjoyed this so much, the wind our only power, pushing us hard against the water.

"I thought you said this boat wasn't fast." I had to raise my voice above the sound of water slapping against the hull.

"She's slow, real slow."

"This is slow?"

"Sure. We're going around six knots. That's slow. See the Lazers? They're fast."

I turned, still gripping the side hard, watched the smaller, slimmer boats darting across the water. They did seem a lot faster than us.

"We're gonna have to turn in a minute, Dani. When I say, you've got to cross over to this side. I'll cross behind you. And you need to duck down, or you'll get a crack on the head from the boom."

I shook my head. This sounded real complicated all of a sudden.

"What's a boom?"

Jack slapped the aluminum pole attached to the mast and sail.

"Get ready." Jack ducked, peering under the front sail.

"Ready."

"Tacking," Jack said, and started moving across. I tried to crouch up without letting go of the side. Jack stood with his feet planted wide, waiting for me. The boat turned, pitching from one side to the other and the sail moved across.

"Duck," Jack said and I crouched down. "Move!" Jack caught my arm in his hand and pulled me across to the other side, moving lithely as I crossed. He sat on the far side as the boat pitched hard over, leaned back and brought us level. I put my ass on the seat and tried to breathe again, if I could.

"God Jack, this is so complicated!"

He laughed. "It's not, Dani. You'll get the hang of it soon."

We moved out from shore, racing to the far side, moving past the groups of kids learning and beyond until open water lay in front of us. Jack kept tackingatelling me that was the name for each change of direction, also explaining some of the parts of the boat but I forgot most of themauntil we were a half mile along the lake. Over on the camp shore an old barn sat close to the water surrounded by trees, romantically abandoned, upper floor extending over the lake. I wanted to come back and photograph the barn, took note of the location so I could return later on dry land.

When Jack reached over and grabbed my hand I thought he was making an awkward pass, but he only curled my fingers over the tilleraI remembered the nameaand then let go himself.

"Jack!" I squealed.

"You're steering now." He sat back and stretched his arms out along the sides, crossed his long legs and grinned a big shit-eater grin.

"Jesus Christ." As I moved the tiller the boat twitched and swayed , responding like a wild animal.

"Little movements, Dani, gentle as you can. The faster we go the more sensitive she is."

"Fuck, Jack!"

His laughter rolled across the lake. "I've never heard you cuss before."

"Well I'm fucking cussing now. Take this back."

"Uh-uh," Jack shook his head. "She's all yours."

I guess if I'd threatened to tip us over he'd have taken control again, but we ran through the ripples, the sound of water rushing past beneath the hull, and after a few minutes I found an accommodation with the dinghy. My control was still as rough as all hell but I no longer believed we were going to flip out.

"We're getting close to shore. You're gonna have to tack and turn us back around."

"Me?"

"Sure you."

"Jeez, Jack, what do I do?"

"When I say, pull the tiller toward you. Not all the way, about to your thigh. The boat will start to turn. As it does watch the sail. As soon as it starts to move across, step over and duck under. Keep the tiller pushed over until you sit back down, then straighten up."

"I'm not gonna remember any of that!"

"If you screw up I'll step in."

"Thanks."

Jack grinned at the sarcasm in my voice. "You can do this, Dani, and then you're gonna do it again and again. Before the end of summer you'll be an expert. If you want to be."

"You'd teach me?"

"Sure."

"Are you any good?"

"Now, Dani. Pull toward you."

The boat pitched. The wind hit the front of the sail and it started to flap.

"Move now."

I reached one foot over, found I still had the tiller hard against my body, my knuckles white and Jack grabbed his hand over mine.

"Step back. We'll try again in a minute."

As soon as I sat back he released my hand.

"Okay, again. Watch out, here comes the sail."

I ducked. The sail cracked over and re-filled, the boat pitching as the wind did its thing.

"Straighten up."

I sat awkwardly on the side, pulled the tiller back, overdid the move and we started to turn again, caught myself in time and the dinghy leaned over. Wind filled the sail. The tiller went tight in my hand and a flutter trembled through the handle as water ran past.

"Sit up on the side, like I did."

"I'll fall in."

"No you won't. Try."

I perched my ass on the narrow rim of the dinghy and it leveled out.

"The flatter you keep us the faster we go. Remember that."

"Is this how you teach all your students?"

Jack laughed. "No. I usually tell'm what they're supposed to be doing first. But I knew you'd catch on."

"Thanks," I said, and gave a stupid grin.

Jack stared into my eyes and I killed the grin. I gazed ahead, adjusting the tiller as the wind in the sails propelled us forward. I felt good commanding the small boat, harnessing the power of nature to skim over the lake, starting to appreciate the attraction. Starting to appreciate the attraction of Jack too.

We sailed half the afternoon away, only coming in because I had a late class and Jack was due to play soccer with Brian's team. Jack allowed me to bring the boat almost all the way in, only taking over for the last stretch, spilling wind from the sails, jinking and turning, creeping up to the jetty and doing something complicated with the tiller at the last moment so we drifted and bumped against the fenders. Once Jack had tied up I stood and stepped out with confidence.

Jack walked with me back toward the classroom when I stooped suddenly and he bumped into me. "My vest."

"It's on the picnic table. I'll go." He ran down the slope and I waited, watching him cover the ground with long-legged strides. When he came back he carried no vest.

"Are you sure that's where you left your vest, Dani?"

"On top the bench."

"Nothing there now."

"You got the right bench?" I started down to the lake.

"I searched all of them. There's no vest."

I went with him back to the lakeshore but Jack was right. No vest.

"Maybe somebody handed it in."

We went to the office block. Chrissy Simmons said nothing had been brought in today.

We returned to the lakeside, me getting worried now. The vest held everything I valued, most of all the F2. It might be old and battered with the alloy body showing through in places, but the Nikon was a piece of professional equipment and would last forever. My dad had bought the camera in the sixties, carried it with him through Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Middle East, most countries in Africa and all the countries of Europe. There was nothing on the film I couldn't stand to lose, but I needed the camera, which had become as much a part of me as my hands and feet.