Counting Down with You(73)
“I could never be mad at you, Myra,” Dadu says, patting my cheek. “If you killed someone, I would help you bury the body. If this is what you want, then I’ll help you. Life is so short... You shouldn’t have to spend it being unhappy. None of us should.”
“I know but I thought—they... I don’t know,” I finish weakly.
“The older I am, the more I realize it’s not worth it to prioritize things that make you miserable,” Dadu says. “I don’t want that for you. We’re going to figure this out, okay? One day at a time.”
I turn my face into her hand, nodding. This is the most comforted I’ve felt about this subject in a long time. Maybe ever. I don’t know if I’m going to tell my parents, if I can ever be that selfish, but it’s good to know that if I do, Dadu will help me. “One day at a time.”
PART 3
Inferno
34
T-MINUS 13 DAYS
“Wait, but do you really think it’d work?” Cora asks, her mouth stuffed with popcorn.
“You’re the one who came up with the idea,” Nandini says, raising a pointed eyebrow.
Cora shrugs. “Yeah, but I don’t even know my own name half the time.”
I laugh, nudging her foot with mine. It’s the first day of our break and we’re sitting together in my living room, Netflix on the television and snacks littered on the floor.
We had plans to see the new Marvel movie later in the evening, but we decided to forego the theater to stay in and spend time together. Mostly because Nandini’s manager has gotten worse, and she can barely stand being under the same roof as her.
Cora and I are nothing if not supportive.
“I just don’t know if the luggage approach is viable,” I say. “I feel like you’ll need something bigger if you’re going to illegally sneak me into junior prom.”
“What if we just stuff you in a car trunk?” Cora says with a grin and offers me the bowl of popcorn. I take a handful and pass it back.
“I sincerely hope the FBI doesn’t actually monitor our phones,” Nandini says, shaking her head. “Otherwise all three of us are about to go to jail for attempted kidnapping.”
“Is it really kidnapping if I consent to being taken?” I ask, stroking an imaginary beard.
We’re all still laughing when Dadu wanders through the living room on her way to the kitchen, her expression somber, still carrying the weight of yesterday on her shoulders. When she sees us, she pastes on a smile. “Do you need anything?”
“No,” I say, offering a dismal smile back. “But thank you.”
“Of course. If any of you beautiful girls need anything, I’m just upstairs. Let me know.”
Then Dadu looks at Nandini and says something in Hindi, which she’s fluent in. Nandini grins and says something in return.
When Dadu leaves, Nandini says, “Your grandma is honestly the best.”
“I agree,” Cora says. “But what did she say?”
“She just told me she liked my hair.” Nandini pets her short curls. “I love her.”
I smile faintly. “Me too.”
“She really is the best.” Cora reclines against the couch. “Anyway, where were we? Oh, yeah. So, I kind of want to ask Holly Harrison to junior prom. It’s three months away, so there’s still time. I know we said it was going to be a solo affair, but since Ace took the plunge, I thought maybe...”
“Don’t mention Ace,” I say halfheartedly.
Cora offers me an apologetic grin, tapping my knee. “Sorry, K.”
“Holly is the cute girl from our chemistry class last year who shaved her head, right?” Nandini asks, moving the conversation along. “Is she into girls?”
“I have no idea,” Cora says, her lips pursed. “I want to say yes. My gaydar is going off.”
“I think I’ve seen her on the GSA Instagram,” I say, reaching for my phone to verify it. “That’s not a guarantee, but it definitely raises the possibility.”
“She’s so pretty,” Cora says, flopping into my lap. I smile down at her as I continue to scroll through our school’s GSA Instagram page. “I just want to kiss her face.”
Nandini snorts. “You’re so weird.”
“I embrace that,” Cora says, and sticks out her tongue.
I hold out my phone, presenting the picture of Holly and a few other members of the club. “See?”
“Should I ask her then?” Cora says, looking between Nandini and me. “I won’t mention you-know-who, but I’m assuming you two are still going together...?”
“Bold of you to assume I’m going at all,” I say under my breath before nudging Nandini. “If my parents miraculously give me permission, you can be my date instead.”
Nandini bites her lip. “Someone might have already asked me.”
“What?” Cora and I say at once. Cora nearly knocks her head into my jaw in a rush to sit up and stare at Nandini.
“Since when?” I ask.
“And who?” Cora adds.
Nandini shrugs, looking self-conscious for once. “Timothy Chen. He came to the movies last week and we got to talking and...yeah.”