The way he says it, Beth believes him. It's shockingly easy to picture him studying music and--she imagines--skating by on talent where other students hack away at scores for weeks. And he decided to do nothing, or look convincingly like he does nothing, instead. It's kind of sad. But it does light her curiosity a bit, if only to know what he's capable of.

"I've been living here for a month and a half," she points out dryly. "I've probably heard them already."

And anyway, she spent her high-school career listening to a bunch of harsh-voiced old men sing about sex, love, and everything in between. She's heard lewd before.