Counting Down with You(41)

I click into the first one and press play. The sound of piano notes fills the room, and it’s different from what I’m used to, but it isn’t bad. Just unfamiliar. Hopeful.

“Is that new, Myra?” Dadu asks from the other room.

“Yes,” I say, staring at my phone in consideration. “It is.”

“I like it,” Dadu says. I can almost see the smile on her face.

“Yeah, Dadu,” I say, closing my eyes and letting the music wash over me. My vehement protest of having a crush feels even flimsier now. “I think I do, too.”



21


T-MINUS 19 DAYS

“I’m telling you, my new manager is the devil incarnate,” Nandini says, scowling. “I told her I can’t work multiple shifts during the week because of school, but she keeps scheduling me in anyway.”

“Murder is always an option,” Cora says, filing her nails. “Say the word and I’m on it.”

“I’ll drive the getaway car,” I add, squeezing Nandini’s arm. “Are you sure you can’t get a job somewhere else?”

“I could, but I love my coworkers too much to quit,” she says, laying her head on the table. “This is the worst.”

“I bet I can get her fired,” Cora muses, turning her full attention toward us. “I’m not above throwing a tantrum in the movie theater.”

Nandini snorts, and I’m glad to see the shift in her mood. “At this rate, I might take you up on that offer.”

I smile faintly, running my hand through her short curls.

Ace shows up a minute later, dropping off coffee and a doughnut. I roll my eyes and pinch his arm with my free hand.

He grins down at me. “I need to ask you something later. I’ll walk you from AP Physics to English so we can talk about it.”

“What are you going to ask for now? My homework?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Very funny, Ahmed,” Ace says and leans down to kiss the crown of my head again before making his way out of the cafeteria.

I’m used to Nandini and Cora’s incredulous stares by now, so I wave it off. It’s a lot harder to wave off the rising warmth inside my chest, the sudden fluttering of my pulse. “It’s part of the facade.”

“This is ridiculous,” Cora says, shaking her head. “At least tell him to stop bringing you coffee. I already do that.”

Before I can stop her, she grabs the coffee Ace brought and takes a sip.

“He even got your order wrong,” Cora says, gesturing at the cup. “This is too sweet.”

I wince. This isn’t a conversation I ever intended to have. “It’s actually right.”

Cora stares in disbelief. “This is right,” she repeats.

I nod, grimacing. “I didn’t want to say anything! It’s so nice of you to even think of me in the mornings. I didn’t want to complain.”

“I keep telling you, you’re too nice,” Nandini says, flicking me on the forehead.

“Yeah!” Cora says, flicking me on the forehead right afterward. “I would’ve written it down so I didn’t mess it up. Why didn’t you say something?”

I shrug helplessly.

Nandini sighs. “Karina, you’ve got to stop letting life just happen to you.”

“I don’t let life just happen to me,” I say, jutting out my bottom lip. “I just don’t like making other people feel bad.”

They both look at me and I turn away, unable to hold their gazes. Even though I know I often let life pass me by, hearing it still stings.

Cora sighs, shaking her head. She shifts her gaze to my coffee cup. “He remembered, huh?”

“Yeah,” I say, scrutinizing the expression on her face. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No, Karina,” Cora says softly. “Not at all.”

As promised, Ace is waiting when I step out of AP Physics. “You’re like an annoying stray cat that won’t stop following me,” I say before wiggling my fingers at him. “Want a scratch on the head?”

Instead of shying away like I hoped he would, Ace just smirks. “If you’re offering, why not?”

“I was joking,” I say, brushing past him. My skin feels like it’s overheating, and I take a deep breath when he isn’t looking. “You take the fun out of things.”

“Me?” Ace asks, catching up to me. I nearly jump ten feet in the air when he throws a casual arm around my shoulders. “You’re the one that likes studying for fun.”

I give him an unimpressed look. “No one likes studying for fun. I like staying on topic during our designated study time so you can gain the most out of our sessions.”

I try not to be hyperaware of the fact that other juniors in our class are staring at us as we walk together. It’s hard, because I’m also trying not to pay attention to Ace’s fingers toying with the end of my braid. I don’t see Samir anywhere, so at least there’s that. It’d be just my luck to have him pass us in the hallway the day after I said I don’t have a crush on anyone. If he sees us now, he’ll never stop badgering me. And then it’s only a matter of time before he slips up to our parents.

Even still, I don’t like how my classmates are staring at me. I resist the urge to burrow into Ace’s side to hide but can’t help leaning closer to him. As if he can read my thoughts, he pulls us into a less populated staircase.