Samir is on the floor in front of me with a biology textbook cracked open and his phone in his hand, his fingers moving rapidly. It must be his friends.

“Are you going to get that?” I ask.

Samir groans dramatically. “Okay, you don’t have to whine.”

I roll my eyes and turn a page.

“It’s for you,” Samir says as he comes back, a set of matching footsteps following him. “That dude you tutor is here.”

I look up and freeze at the sight of Ace standing in my house, holding a bouquet of flowers. His leather jacket is missing, replaced by a fancy mustard coat overlaying a cashmere navy sweater. Even his hair is combed through, although a few dark waves slip free, falling into his sea-colored eyes.

“Oh my God,” I say under my breath. Is he out of his mind? Showing up at my house with flowers? I’m going to die. My family is going to legitimately strangle me. I should’ve taken Fatima’s warning more seriously. “What are you doing here?”

“Is your Dadu home?” he asks instead of answering. I contemplate walking over and shaking him, but that would make the entire situation worse.

This is my fault. I should’ve said something last time he showed up unannounced, but I didn’t think there would be a repeat occurrence.

At the sound of her name, Dadu appears in the kitchen doorway. She looks at Ace and then at me, eyebrows raised.

For a moment, sheer panic overcomes me. Only Allah knows what kind of assumptions Dadu is going to draw from this.

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

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

Dadu is still staring at me, so I shrug helplessly. I have no idea why he’s here.

Ace holds the flowers toward Dadu. “I brought these to say thank you for hosting me the other day.”

I’ve never seen Dadu shocked before, but I’m pretty sure I’m seeing it now, her eyes wide and lips parted. I don’t think she understands what he said or why he’s offering her flowers. To be fair, I barely understand. I glance at Samir, but he doesn’t seem to find any of this strange, which is the only source of relief among all the screaming white noise in my head.

“Myra, what’s going on?” Dadu asks me.

I hold my hands out defensively. “He wants to thank you for feeding him.”

“Oh.” My grandma softens and takes the flowers. “You’re welcome.”

Ace looks over at me and my brother hopefully. “I was wondering if you both would like to join my sister and me. We’re going bowling, and we’d love some company.”

“Both?” Samir and I say at the same time. His tone excited, mine horrified. Of all things, why did it have to be bowling?