Valentine’s Day, Welton, 1959

It was Valentine’s Day! A day when you cuddle with your lover, talk about life, plan the future, and say all kinds of sweet nonsense only couples understand.

You might think the headmaster of Welton had made an exception for this special day, allowing the lovebirds to see their sweethearts from outside the academy — yeah, right. With a man like him running Welton, events like that were impossible. He wouldn’t even allow women inside his school, let alone visits like these.

But there was always a way to steal a little time with the one you loved — and that’s exactly what Charlie and Knox did. Knox was a hopeless romantic; for Chris, he would’ve stolen the moon and turned it into a stone for a ring if she asked. He was a lovesick fool. And then there was Charlie — and you. Strange to think that Charlie Dalton, one of the biggest flirts in Welton, was actually in love and dating you. But it was true — he was nearly out of his mind with love for you.

Now he and Knox were riding their bikes away from Welton, the cold wind brushing against their faces as they pedaled as fast as they could toward a lake far from the academy. If they were caught outside at that hour, it would’ve caused a scandal. Knox was with Chris in a more secluded spot, while you and Charlie were sitting by the edge of the frozen lake. It was snow season, and being so close to the one you loved after so long felt wonderfully comforting.

“And you know,” the boy said proudly, “I wrote a poem for you, and read it out loud! Mr. Keating praised me several times. I’m great at it, darling.”

He bragged, as usual — a classic Charlie Dalton trait, no matter how annoying it could be.