The Henna Wars(16)

“Settle down.” Ms. Montgomery’s voice comes from the front of the room. The three of us manage to stifle our giggles and look up with smiles still tugging at the corners of our lips. “Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” we chorus back.

Ms. Montgomery smiles and slides behind her desk.

“Well, Transition Year Business … this is the best time to put your practical skills to use.” She raises an eyebrow like she’s challenging us. “So you guys can put your books away for the moment.”

The entire class exchanges glances with one another. This suddenly feels like a Defense Against the Dark Arts class in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. All that’s left is for Ms. Montgomery to whip out a boggart.

As I’m bent down, trying to stuff my heavy Business book into my bag, I catch a glimpse of the dark brown curls that have suddenly become so familiar to me.

Flávia.

In this class.

She’s sitting quite a few rows in front of us, though. Suddenly I regret not siding with Chaewon.

“Did your head get stuck to your bag or something?” Chaewon whispers, poking me in the ribs. I sit up, feeling a blush creep up my neck once more.

“—and so,” Ms. Montgomery is mid-speech, but doesn’t seem to have noticed my lack of attention. “We’re going to spend a significant portion of this year working on a business project.” She puts more emphasis than necessary on the word project, like it’s something fancy instead of something we’ve done for pretty much every class we’re a part of.

“And we have some real businesses involved, offering prize money.”

That has everyone’s attention. There’s a palpable shift in the mood of the class. While before it was Ms. Montgomery droning on about something, now it’s Ms. Montgomery droning on about something that has prize money.

She seems to sense our increased attention, because there’s a smile tugging at her lips as she peers down at us. She pauses for a beat. A long beat. Like she’s trying to draw out the suspense.

“So we’ll be developing our very own businesses,” she says. “Groups or individuals. It’s your business, so you have to make the decision. And it will count for a large percentage of your Christmas exams.”

The class breaks out into a groan as she says this, but the ghost of a smile remains on Ms. Montgomery’s lips. Because, of course, she’s still holding back the information that we really want to know.

“The prize money … donated by the sponsors hosting this competition will be …”

We’re all holding our breath. Well, I am, at least. But I can feel the anticipation of my classmates in the air.

“A thousand euros.”



“A thousand euros is a lot of money,” Chaewon says by our lockers at the end of the school day. “Like … can you imagine winning that? You could do a lot with a thousand euros.”

“I could buy all of the video games I want,” Jess says in a half whisper, like an endless supply of video games is her idea of heaven.

“I think I’d put my money in a bank account and use it for when I really needed it, you know,” says Chaewon.

Jess and I sigh simultaneously.

“You have to be a little more creative than that. You have to treat yourself,” I say.

“Yeah, you’re not allowed to be such an adult yet. All this talk of banks and saving,” Jess adds.

“You sound like you’re forty.”

“Maybe even fifty.”

“Saving up is important,” Chaewon mumbles.

“Okay, but these are our fantasies, Chaewon. And fantasies can be anything you want them to be.”

“I guess, if I was being wild,” Chaewon begins thoughtfully.

“Really wild.” I nod encouragingly.

“Like, really, really wild,” Jess adds.

“… I would go on a holiday, maybe,” Chaewon says. “I mean, I’d want to go back to Korea. To visit, you know. But with a thousand euros … I’m not sure if that would be possible.”

“You could go on a holiday to somewhere in Europe,” Jess chirps happily, somehow unaware that a trip to Korea would be far more than a holiday. Even though Chaewon and Jess are best friends who keep no secrets from each other, Chaewon catches my eye this time. Like this is a secret we’re sharing that Jess has no inkling of. It’s only a moment.

Then Chaewon chuckles and says, “Yes, and I could bring the both of you, obviously.”

“That would be the best holiday,” Jess agrees

I’m thinking about how one grand would barely be enough for a trip to Bangladesh, too.



Priti has after-school study, which Ammu and Abbu cajoled her into doing, even though she doesn’t really need it. She studies enough at home.

But it means I get to wait at the bus stop all by myself The bright orange letters of the real-time screen announce ten minutes, eleven, then back to ten again in the space of just a few seconds. Dublin bus is as unreliable as ever.

“Where’s your sister?”

Flávia’s voice has the usual effect on me—it sends my heart into a rhythm that shouldn’t be humanly possible. What is she doing here?

If she’s at the bus stop, she’s probably also waiting for a bus home.