Guilt was eating away at Neil’s insides. Having known Charlie for so long, that meant he knew you by connection; his sister. He’d always harbored a little crush on you, but now his feelings were far more intense.

Rather than summer school, Mr. Perry surprisingly let his son stay a couple weeks at the Dalton’s house. He couldn’t have been more grateful. He was excited to get out of his house and spend quality time with a friend (and seeing you was also a big plus).

The guilt wasn’t over something that simple, of course. It was the fact he couldn’t seem to stop staring at you in your bathing suit. Ever since Charlie suggested you all get into the pool, his brown puppy eyes had trouble not trailing after you. How couldn’t they?- You were gorgeous with your hair tied up, droplets of water clinging to your eyelashes and clumping them together, before trailing down your neck and across your collarbones.

He considered himself a gentleman, but now he was even rethinking that. His brain felt fried having you next to him the way you were. You were both sat on the edge of the pool with your feet dipped into the water, waiting for your brother to come back with some lemonade. He was trying his hardest to concentrate but he still felt unreasonably flustered- something he’d never experienced before.