Counting Down with You(19)

“Hey,” Cora says, frowning. “Don’t feel bad. You’re doing your best.”

“And if nothing else, at least it distracts you from worrying about college,” Nandini says.

“Oh God, don’t remind me.” I can’t even open the Common App without wanting to jump out my window.

“No, but seriously,” Cora says, reaching forward and tugging one of my dark waves. “Maybe Nandini is right and this is good. You can focus on this instead of worrying about your parents. A win for everyone!”

“It’s not that easy.”

Nandini joins Cora in frowning. “Karina, you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. You know that, right?”

“Yeah.”

They both look skeptical at my reply. I don’t blame them.

“Karina—”

“Let’s just go to class,” I say, ushering them toward the main staircase. “I’ll see you guys in English.”

“We’re not finished with this conversation,” Nandini says. “Right, Cora?”

Cora nods. “Right.”

I sigh. “I hate when you two team up against me.”

“We do it out of love,” Cora says, reaching forward to flick my nose. “See you later, alligator.”

My mouth quirks into half a smile. “In a while, crocodile.”

We both expectantly look at Nandini and she shakes her head. “Screw you guys. I don’t have a response that rhymes.”

I laugh and reach forward to hug them both around the neck. Their arms wrap around me in return, and we stand like that until the bell rings, spurring us into action.

Maybe my friends are the worst, but they’re also the best.

As usual, I’m the first to arrive to English. I take my seat in the back corner and pull out my notebook.

I’m writing down the date when someone drops into the seat beside me.

“Don’t start with the marriage counselor thing again,” I say without looking up.

“You wound me. Does our love mean so little to you?”

My head snaps up and I see Ace sitting next to me, spinning a wrapped lollipop between his fingers. I open and close my mouth, unsure what to say, and he raises an eyebrow at me. “Cat got your tongue, Ahmed?”

“Why are you sitting here?” I ask, glancing around for my friends. Nandini walks through the doorway and stops in her tracks, seeing Ace next to me.

She gives me an incredulous look and mouths, What’s going on?

I hope my flustered expression lets her know I have absolutely no clue. There’s no reason for Ace Clyde to be sitting next to me outside of our tutoring sessions. Not a single reason.

Cora walks in and falters at Nandini’s side. Her eyes nearly pop out of her head and she shakes Nandini’s arm. “Nandini,” she says, loud enough that I can hear it from where I am, which means Ace can, too.

I wince and look back at Ace, who’s sucking on his lollipop now. When he notices me looking, he produces another lollipop from his leather jacket and holds it out in offering.

“No thanks,” I say. “I prefer Sour Patch Kids.”

“Your loss,” Ace says before leaning back in his seat, slouching into his usual lazy posture. He doesn’t even have a notebook on the desk. No wonder he’s failing.

“Do you really not have even a single piece of loose-leaf paper?”

“Forgot my bag.”

“As in...your book bag? You forgot your book bag?”

He shrugs and smirks in a way that’s completely infuriating.

I sigh and face forward. Maybe my good work ethic can rub off on him through proximity. Osmosis and all that. Inshallah.

Miss Cannon finishes writing our opening activity on the board and turns around, but she falters at the sight of me and Ace in the back row together.

And then she grins. Like, beams. I’ve never seen her that happy in my life.

“Would you look at that?” Ace whispers.

Without thinking, I smack his arm. As soon as I realize what I did, I open my mouth in apology, horrified, but he’s smiling, too. His dimples are on display, and he’s never looked more annoying or beautiful.

mouths are strange and peculiar

they can be happy, they can be sad

a curve of a lip here, a downturn there

My classmates are staring at us in disbelief. Well, they’re staring at him, and I’m more of an afterthought. I’m pretty sure Ace has never smiled in public before, so this is an anomaly for everyone.

It doesn’t help that the person he’s choosing to smile at is me.

I have no idea what’s happening, but I do know I want to sink into the ground.

“Please stop looking at me,” I whisper to him and untie my hair, trying to curtain my face from view. My heart is beating too fast, but at least I know I haven’t done anything wrong, which helps significantly. Still, I don’t like being looked at like I’m a spectacle.

“Juliet would never say that to Romeo,” he says, quiet enough that I doubt anyone else can hear. “I’m appalled, Ahmed.”

“Don’t you start,” I say, nearly hissing. “Focus on the lesson.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.