I make a face at the screen. “They should’ve just played the animated version if they were going to go this route.”

“Right?” Rosie looks up at the coffered ceiling, holding her hands out in front of her. “God, if you’re out there, please stop letting our principal make decisions best left to film club.”

“You’re not even religious,” I say, but something settles in my chest at her airy attitude today and the easy way she smiles at me.

“Not yet,” Rosie says, tapping her cheek. “But if Principal Khan keeps this up, I might have to adopt Jesus into my life.”

I snort and lean back in my seat as they dim the lights, and the movie flickers to life.

After the movie, I barely have a chance to speak to Rosie. I plan to during lunch, but she meets me by my locker, fluttering anxiously. When she explains she’s going to the library to study for an AP Calc exam, I offer to join her, but she shakes me off, promising to catch me later.

By the end of the day, I exhale in defeat and accept that I’m just going to have to let this go. Especially if Rosie is pretending it never happened. Maybe she just wants to put this all behind us. I’m all for it, but I can’t help but worry it’s going to blow up in my face.

Anam meets me in the front of the school, her eyes roaming my expression. “What’s wrong?”

I give her a warm look, immediately pulling her into a hug. “Nothing.”

She laughs, squeezing my waist. “Something is definitely wrong, but I’ll let you have it. Are you ready to go?”

I pull back, nodding. We made plans to go to Queens Center Mall a few days ago in preparation for midwinter break next week. Anam has a date—which she’s still being super secretive about, blushing deeply anytime I ask—and begged me to help her choose an outfit.

“I’m still waiting on a name,” I say as we walk toward the subway. Before we can get far, Emmitt appears in my line of vision.

He catches sight of me, his eyes quickly darting between me and my sister, before he grins obnoxiously and starts walking toward us.

Oh my God, absolutely not. I don’t even want to imagine the chaos of him and Anam meeting.

“Do not start with me,” I shout over Anam’s head, pulling her behind me. “Go home, dickhead.”

Emmitt falters halfway toward us, arching his brows. When I keep glaring adamantly, he raises his hands in surrender. “I just wanted to say hello to your beautiful—sister, is it?”

Anam peeks around my shoulder with wide eyes. “Is that Emmitt?”

I cover her eyes with one hand. “We have plans, remember?”