It turns out I don’t have to say anything because Ace swings his bag around front and pulls out a small gift bag. “I, uh, bought you some candles. I Googled anxiety a few days ago and saw that aromatherapy can help. When I was here the other day, I noticed you were using some, so I thought maybe... I got lavender-scented ones, because they’re supposed to relax the body and mind.”

My lips part but nothing comes out. He looked up anxiety? He bought me candles?

Ace doesn’t seem to mind my lack of response, focused on pulling out an envelope from the gift bag. “It’s a CD mixtape,” he says at my incredulous expression. “I wrote down the Spotify link, too, in case you wanted to listen on your phone. It’s songs that remind me of you. I just thought you should have it. Maybe it’ll help relax you, too.”

“Thank you,” I say, looking down at it, utterly mystified. No one has ever bought me candles before, much less made me a playlist.

He stares at me, expression wistful, before he looks away. “Okay. I’ll see you next week. Bye, Karina.”

“Bye,” I whisper, holding on to the gift bag with tight fingers as he walks away.

I close the door behind him and stare down at the bag, my breath caught in my throat.

Ace Clyde is an anomaly, and I have no idea what to do with him.

A Karina Ahmed Mixtape

“Light”—Sleeping At Last

“Bones”—Lewis Watson

“Almost (Sweet Music)”—Hozier

“Call Me Out”—Sarah Close

“Come Into The Water”—Mitski

“Hypnotised”—Years and Years

“Fuck Em Only We Know”—Banks

“Trust”—Alina Baraz

“Get You The Moon (feat. Snøw)”—Kina

“Your Hand In Mine”—Explosions In The Sky

**Bonus: because I know how much you love pop music.

“Adore You”—Harry Styles

“Levitating”—Dua Lipa

“Treacherous”—Taylor Swift

“Euphoria”—BTS

“We Made It”—Louis Tomlinson

“Oh my God,” Cora says in disbelief, looking at the handwritten letter Ace put inside the CD case, with each song title accompanied by underlined lyrics. “Karina, oh my God, he’s literally in love with you.”

“He’s not in love with me,” I say, but my voice is weak. “It’s been like half a month.”

“So?” Cora says, waving the letter in my face before gesturing to the expensive candles laid out in front of us. “Do you see this shit? Do you need glasses?”

Nandini finishes pulling the Spotify playlist up on my smart TV and we all silently stare at the title. Lionheart.

“What does that mean?” Nandini asks, poking me sharply.

I gape, unsure how to provide a proper definition right now. Ace made me a playlist titled Lionheart filled with love songs?

Cora starts typing rapidly into her phone before she looks at Nandini with wide eyes. “A person of exceptional courage and bravery.”

“Karina.”