An entry from Nella’s journal reveals that she had left the children in Doug’s care and that he neglected them. In her journal, she reflects on her worry and her anxiety regarding the safety of the children.

In the present, at a pizza parlor in Portland, Jesse, Brick, Lakeisha, and Rachel pick up pizzas to eat at the park. When Jesse pulls out beer that he purchased with his fake ID, Brick and Lakeisha decline. The four young people talk about their experiences with sex, but the tone changes when Brick’s confessions “sound like a meeting” (226). As the night gets cooler, the stars appear, and the friends decide to feed the pizza crusts to the ducks in the pond. Jesse gets into the pond, and Brick carries Rachel on his back so they can take a closer look at the ducks. When they come out of the pond, the boys are wet, and Jesse takes out some marijuana.

Uncomfortable, Brick decides to leave and Lakeisha goes with him; Jesse offers to take Rachel home, so she stays in the park with him and drinks more beer as Jesse gets high.