I found myself congratulating Simon along with the others despite the look on his face. He did his best to be brave, but I knew that expression, had worn it a few times myself. The look of the newbie about to be thrown to the wolves of a new town.

Worse for him was the fact I knew he was only fourteen and going to college. College. I was headed there myself the following year and I still didn't feel ready. I could only imagine how afraid he was.

Before we had much of a ...