Chapter 9 Summary

Nortie goes to live at Walker's house, staying in the room that had been Long John's. Worried about having broken the school's athletic code against using drugs or alcohol during the season, Nortie decides he must confess to Max what he has done. Walker tries to convince him not to tell Max. Nortie was not a regular user and the situation was extreme. Still, Nortie insists on telling Max even though it would mean being taken off the swim team.

Max listens to Nortie's story and gives him another chance. He tells him to pretend as if they have gone back in time to when Nortie had not told him anything and to move forward as if it had not happened. Discussing the incident with Walker afterward, Nortie tells him that he suspects Marty O'Brian was the one who told his father about...