The chapter opens with an entry from Frederick’s diary, in which he expresses shame for having seen Cassie in her towel and for the lustful thoughts he then had. He wants to write an apology to her parents, as he thinks that would be the proper thing to do. He thinks the 21st century might kill him if living with Cassie doesn’t.

Cassie sleeps in to avoid seeing Frederick. She then heads to the co-op studio she shares space in and runs into Sam’s husband Scott there. He tells her about an upcoming modern art competition with a $1,000 prize and encourages her to submit a piece of her art. Cassie decides to enter.

At home, Cassie and Frederick exchange flirtatious notes, and Cassie leaves drawings on her notes that charm Frederick. Cassie asks Frederick to call her Cassie in the notes instead of “Miss Greenberg,” and he agrees. Frederick receives a number of strange packages from a sender named E.J. that seem to emit smoke or rattle like snakes, but Cassie does not open them. 

Cassie hangs her seaside art series up on the wall, replacing the antiquated hunting party painting on the wall. She wakes Frederick by hammering the nails into the wall.