In England in the late 1990s, Kathy H. is 31 years old and has been a carer for 11 years. She believes that she is good at her job, and the donors she works with typically remain calm, even before they make their fourth donation. Kathy takes pride in her work but acknowledges that she has certain privileges afforded to her because she graduated from a children’s boarding school named Hailsham. She remembers these privileges allowed her to reunite with fellow Hailsham graduates Ruth and Tommy. When they reunited after many years, they put their personal grudges and regrets into perspective. Kathy struggles to deal with the memory of her time at Hailsham, but she recounts her experiences to a dying donor to ease his pain.

Kathy remembers her time at Hailsham. One day Kathy, Ruth, and other girls watch the boys playing football. Ruth calls Tommy an “idiot” because he “doesn’t suspect a thing” (9). Tommy is routinely humiliated by the other boys but never expects the bullying. The other girls mock Tommy, but Kathy is drawn to him. The boys pick teams for a game of soccer.