Chapter 12 Summary

Chapter 12 begins on February 17. After getting back from Montana, Jeff goes directly into the hospital and asks that his friends not come to see him for a while. Max knows what is wrong, but honors Jeff's request not to talk about it. After Jeff has ben home from the hospital for a while Walker and the other swimmers go to see him. He has lost his hair and is much thinner.

Walker's plans to break up with Devnee and explore his attraction to Elaine are complicated when Elaine is called in to Mrs. Stevens' office for attending the Christmas dance with Peter Wilson, a college student who is working as a student teacher at the high school. Elaine is told she cannot date Mr. Wilson while he is teaching at the school and she gets very angry. Mrs. Steven explains that it is...