It’s summer vacation and Willowdean loves swimming. She and Ellen swim in Ellen’s community pool. The two go to the pool on an especially hot summer day and have to share one lawn chair because of the crowd. As Willowdean floats in the pool, a young boy tells her that she looks like she is “dead” (29).

Ellen has met up with a guy and girl, and the three are talking around the one shared lawn chair when Willowdean reaches the grass after leaving the pool. Ellen introduces “[her] best friend Will” (29) to Callie and Callie’s boyfriend, Bryce. Callie works at Sweet 16 with Ellen, and Ellen tells Will that Callie is taking part in the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant. She tells Callie that Will’s mother runs the pageant. Callie laughs at the idea of Will entering in the pageant, to which Will replies: “Why wouldn’t I?” (30). Callie remarks how it is obvious that Will wouldn’t compete.

After the exchange about the pageant, Will tells the others that she needs to use the bathroom at Ellen’s house. Ellen reminds her that there are public restrooms at the pool, but Will has already run off. Ellen follows her.