Charlie was home for the summer from Welton Academy. He’d been dying to get back to his parents’ home and bask in the happiness of the school year being through. His parents weren’t like Neil’s in the sense that he didn’t have to take summer courses—so he was a free man.

Charlie walked himself down to the neighborhood pool, a towel over his shoulder and his sunglasses on his nose. Sure, he had a grand pool in his backyard, but he couldn’t meet girls if he swam by himself, now could he?

He walked in and set his stuff down, basking in the sun for a few moments while his eyes wandered over the people who were here today. But his eyes landed on one person in particular whom he didn’t recognize.