Summary

The novella is narrated in first-person present in alternating chapters by Nick and Charlie, the two protagonists of the story. Charlie is in his junior year of high school at Truham Grammar School in England. It is Thursday, the last day of school for seniors before exams, and, as Head Boy, Charlie has the job of keeping the senior’s celebrations in-check. Mr. Shannon asks Charlie to go out to the tennis courts and tell the seniors to put out their barbecue, which they have set up inside a cardboard fort. Charlie pretends that he is going to do that, but then he just goes out to the tennis courts and hangs out with his friends and his boyfriend of two years, Nick, who is graduating and heading off to university. Charlie is sad that Nick is leaving, but he is hiding his...