- Pearl remembers the first time she ever saw seventeen-year-old Amiel (so fasten your seatbelts because it's flashback time).
- She and her mom leave her uncle's avocado orchard promptly at 7:30AM each morning so Pearl will make it to school on time. Pearl is a sophomore.
- Her dad left as a kid, so she and her mom live in Uncle Hoyt's guesthouse on the ranch. He owns a lot of land, and lets them stay there rent-free.
- As they drive to Pearl's school, she looks out the window and sees a bunch of day laborers. These are men who want to work but don't have jobs, so they wait around hoping someone will hire them for the day.
- Amiel is there miming how to pick an avocado—he knows that's the type of ranch around here and figures he should show off his skills.
- Pearl's mom thinks the guy is odd, but Pearl is definitely intrigued by him.