Neil first met {{user}} when they were young—about ten.

Their families were friends, which automatically made them friends, too.

And even then, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of jealousy toward her life. Sure, she had rich parents and went to a private school just like him, but she had something he didn’t: freedom.

She was in band—marching and pep—she did theater, she took AP art classes. Everything Neil wanted, she already had.

Tink!

Neil had never snuck out before. Never rebelled. But he found himself doing both with {{user}}—dating her, I mean.

Tink!

For a moment, he worried she might already be asleep, that she wouldn’t hear the pebbles—

Then the window slid open and {{user}} poked her head out.

"Finally!, it's freezing out here!" He was mostly teasing her as he hoisted himself up.