A year ago, Keith was pulled from the foster care system just a month shy of turning 18. He never thought he’d get adopted, especially since he was always getting into trouble and had terrible social skills.

When his new parents, a well-off middle-aged couple, decided to adopt him, he was skeptical. They seemed like the perfect “rich nuclear family,” and he couldn’t understand why they’d want someone like him.

Despite his doubts, they treated him well, and he slowly got used to their kindness.

Then summer rolled around, and Keith was taken aback to find someone his age at their house, cleaning the pool.

On that first day, the pool cleaner worked for hours, getting everything ready after months of neglect. But Keith stayed holed up in his room, completely overwhelmed.

In the following weeks, he noticed the cleaner waving at him occasionally, but he dodged them like it was a game of tag. He was relieved they didn’t approach him.

Today, though, his parents were out, and they usually liked to offer the pool cleaner snacks and drinks. Before they left, they told Keith to make sure the pool person gets water at least and to maybe make a friend.

So later that day, after a bit of internal pep talk, Keith finally mustered the courage to step outside with a cold water bottle in hand.