On July 25, 1999, Episode 5 of Season 2 of "Cruel Summer" commenced with Isabella nestled in her trailer, penning a heartfelt letter to her dear friend Lisa. She recounted her blossoming friendship with Megan and how they were enjoying the most exhilarating summer, shared with Luke and Jeff. Meanwhile, Megan was hard at work at the local café, where Isabella stumbled upon her engaging in conversation with Ned, a seasoned townie. Isabella's mind raced with speculation whether the elder gentleman was romantically pursuing Megan, but Megan dismissed her concerns, stating that Ned was merely lonely and sought companionship. She revealed that she was the only café attendant patient enough to endure Ned's company, and over time, a bond had formed between them.
As they drove back home, Isabella inquisitively inquired about Megan's romantic entanglements with Jeff. Megan casually remarked that she and Jeff were simply having a good time without labeling their relationship. Isabella cautioned her about Luke's discomfort with their closeness, but Megan reassured her that they were platonic friends and appeared closer due to their longstanding acquaintance.
At the Landry residence, Lisa's elder brother Trevor made an unannounced visit, causing Isabella to panic upon his arrival. Trevor explained that he was in the vicinity and decided to catch up with Lisa. Debbie warmly invited him to stay, and Megan encouraged him to join them in celebrating "Christmas in July," a quaint local tradition. Despite Isabella's attempts to discourage his participation, Trevor insisted, viewing it as the least he could do to spend time with Lisa's closest friend. During their preparation, Trevor shared that he had studied in London, prompting Megan to feel envious of their travel adventures, as she hadn't ventured beyond Washington.
When Isabella went to fetch Luke, she and Trevor had their first private conversation. He confessed his longing for her and marveled at how quickly she had evolved. Stunned to learn of Isabella and Luke's romance, Trevor was introduced as her old friend. A subtle rivalry emerged between Luke and Trevor as they both subtly vied for Isabella's attention.
While Luke and Megan fetched snacks, Trevor revealed that Isabella was a vegetarian, to which Luke joked that she was merely changing her tastes for their amusement. As other teenagers joined their group, conversations flowed freely. However, a spat erupted between Luke and Trevor when Trevor recounted Isabella's abrupt departure without saying goodbye. Isabella explained that her parents' decisions left her little choice in relocations, and a tense atmosphere enveloped the gathering.
Trevor brought up an incident from the previous summer, prompting Isabella to confess that she had once been arrested in Ibiza for public intoxication and urination after getting drunk. She revealed that Trevor had bailed her out, but this led to her being expelled from school. The group chuckled at the anecdote, but Trevor remained unimpressed. He accused Isabella of being capable of anything and requested a private conversation. In private, Trevor confronted her about abandoning him without a word and replacing him with Luke, accusing her of a pattern of pursuing boys close to her best friends.
Isabella countered that Megan was incredibly close to her and that she trusted her implicitly. She admitted that she wished she could return to the previous winter and undo their mistakes, expressing her willingness to do anything to alter their fateful turn of events.
Isabella claims her affection for Trevor and plants a kiss on him, only to find themselves caught in a repetitive loop of conversations. Megan, witness to their lip-lock, is left utterly astounded. Yet, Trevor abruptly breaks away from the embrace, seeking clarity from Isabella. She urges him to reconsider, reminding him of his predetermined stance towards her.
Post-Trevor's departure, Megan confronts Isabella, accusing her of betraying Luke with whom she's currently dating. Megan probes if Isabella still harbors emotions for Trevor. The conversation is abruptly halted by Luke's arrival as they're making their way back home. Luke proposes a trip to the cabin, and Megan suggests she could figure out a way back. Alternatively, Isabella offers to catch up with Megan later in the evening.
Inside the cabin, Isabella and Luke engage in passionate kisses, which soon segues into a heartfelt discussion about Trevor. She confesses that her chapter with him has closed, and her feelings for him are crystal clear. Isabella then inquiries if Luke is prepared to consummate their relationship, leading to an intimate encounter. Upon waking from his slumber, Luke reminisces about his maiden voyage with Isabella, revealing it to be his first sexual experience. Isabella echoes that it holds immense significance for her too, despite her prior experiences, and they bond over how much has changed since her arrival in their town. Isabella invites Megan to join them but excuses herself to spend the evening with her friend, citing prior plans.
In her bedroom, Megan scrutinizes the fake ID she crafted for Luke, when a message pops up from her mystery correspondent. The enigmatic figure unmasks himself as Ned, who had offered to teach Megan coding. Megan inquisitively asks if Ned has ever delved into the Federal Bureau's databases, but he responds cryptically.
Isabella pays Megan a visit, sparking a profound conversation. Isabella elucidates her intentions to support Trevor and reassures Megan she wasn't being disloyal to Luke. Megan confides in Isabella, trusting her as a cherished friend. However, she retracts her confession, realizing her feelings for Luke.
Later in the night, Isabella confesses to Megan her uncertainty about her feelings for Luke after encountering Trevor again. She encourages Megan to confess her true feelings to Luke, believing they share a soulmate bond destined to be together.
December 25, 1999
Megan presents Isabella with a Christmas gift—a nostalgic scrapbook documenting their summer memories. Conversely, Isabella's return gift, a state-of-the-art computer, creates an awkward disparity in their present-giving. Megan attempts to mask her failing grades using Photoshop, but Isabella catches her in the act.
The girls deliberate on the stark contrast in their gift values, and Megan admits she can't compete with Isabella's generosity. The air thickens with tension, prompting Megan to avoid spending time with Isabella due to her claimed workload. Isabella spends time with Debbie instead and learns she's spending Christmas alone after taking a break from Steve. Borrowing Debbie's car, Isabella embarks on a solo mission to admire Christmas lights. Ironically, she tails Megan's car, discovering her destination wasn't work but somewhere else entirely.
Isabella trails behind Megan, tracing the crimson marks etched into the bark of the trees, until they lead her to Ned's rustic cabin nestled deep within the forest. Peering through the window, Isabella watches as Megan presents Ned with a festive Christmas gift upon entering his abode. Once Megan is indoors, Isabella reaches for her phone and beckons Luke to the Landry house, where they find themselves in solitude.
She unfolds to Luke the tale of her growing estrangement from Megan, tracing its origins back to the fateful night at the Chambers' residence. Isabella confesses to shadowing Megan and catching a glimpse of her stepping into Ned's house, sparking her suspicion that Megan's recent aloofness stems from a mysterious jealousy over the bond she shares with Luke.
At that precise moment, Megan returns home, weaving a tale about her alleged whereabouts at work. A flicker of curiosity crosses her face as she inquiries about Luke and Isabella's private rendezvous, wondering if she has inadvertently interrupted something significant.
Meanwhile, inside the trailer, Debbie stumbles upon a startling discovery: Isabella has yet to dispatch any of the postcards she had painstakingly crafted for Lisa over the past six months. Isabella concedes that Lisa is still aboard her Caribbean-bound vessel and intends to mail them all in one fell swoop upon her return.
She unveils that exchanging postcards is a cherished tradition between her and Lisa, but Debbie counters, pointing out that she hasn't intercepted any missives from Lisa to Isabella during her tenure here. Isabella clarifies that indeed, Lisa's letters do arrive, but she collects them discreetly from the mailbox before Debbie has a chance to lay eyes on them.
Over time, Lisa had blossomed into her closest confidante, while Megan had transformed into a sisterly figure within their shared household. As she poured her heart out to Debbie about the subtle shifts in their dynamics over recent days, Debbie urged Isabella to confide in Megan, asserting that Megan would grasp Isabella's perspective with empathy.
In the sanctuary of her bedroom, Megan was engrossed in a gripping murder mystery novel when Isabella sought her out. Their conversation wandered into Megan's fascination with crime thrillers, culminating in Megan casually mentioning that 'lye' could efficiently dispose of a corpse—a statement that left Isabella momentarily startled. Feeling guilty for presenting Megan with an extravagant gift, Isabella attempted to engage in a heart-to-heart, but Megan dismissed the moment with a shrug of indifference.
Later that evening, Isabella ventured into the Landry abode, drawn by the inviting glow of its lights. There, she and Megan exchanged warm words about their thoughtful gifts, mending any fences that might have arisen, and bidding each other goodnight with renewed camaraderie.
July 25, 2000 dawned with Isabella scanning the newspaper, her heart sinking as she discovered that Megan's pregnancy had been publicly revealed. She rushed to her lawyer, Rebecca, expressing her dismay that Rebecca had informed the authorities without consulting her first. Rebecca, steadfast in her conviction, explained that it was necessary, given the discovery of Isabella's money in the cabin—a find that could have implicated Isabella rather than Megan.
Isabella solemnly vows that her words are true, further alleging that someone had deliberately planted the money in the cabin, aiming to implicate her. She harbors suspicions that she has been set up, but Rebecca reassures her with confidence, hinting that she's already one move ahead of the perpetrator.
Later, Isabella encounters Megan outside her residence and offers an apology for the turmoil surrounding the public disclosure of Megan's pregnancy. She reveals that she stumbled upon the pregnancy test in Megan's bathroom trash. Megan is astonishment strikes her as Isabella admits to searching through the trash, though Isabella justifies her actions by saying she only wanted to alleviate Megan's distress, adding that her lawyer had inadvertently leaked the news.
Megan remains unconvinced, but Isabella insists that their fortunes are intertwined; any harm inflicted upon one will inevitably rebound on the other. Megan, unable to contain her emotions, declares their friendship over, stating that nothing Isabella can do will change her stance. Megan then informs her mother that Isabella was the one who disclosed her pregnancy.
Debbie is deeply wounded by Megan's refusal to communicate with her. Megan accuses her mother of neutrality, unable to decide between supporting her or Isabella. She urges her mother to take her side this time and ask Isabella to leave their home.
In the afternoon, Debbie confronts Isabella, who blames the mishap on her lawyer's error. Isabella requests permission to stay elsewhere temporarily, acknowledging that her actions have caused hurt to their family. Already prepared to leave, Isabella directs Debbie to search under her bed in the trailer, believing there's something Megan is trying to discard.
With tears streaming down her face, Isabella asks Debbie to intervene on her behalf with Megan, then heads to the trailer to continue packing. Meanwhile, Rebecca receives a call from Paris, informing her that Sheriff Meyer is scrutinizing Isabella's past, specifically what she did last summer. Isabella urges her lawyer to manage the situation discreetly.
The episode concludes with Debbie presenting Megan with a letter from Trevor. The letter contains newspaper clippings detailing Lisa's fatal drowning incident during the summer when Isabella stayed with them.
