BooksBarbecue
Back Counting Down with You Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Booklist
  5. Dedication
  6. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  7. Part 1
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. Part 2
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. Part 3
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. 45
  55. 46
  56. 47
  57. 48
  58. 49
  59. 50
  60. 51
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I march into the hallway and fish it out of the otherwise-empty bin, staring at it incredulously. He threw out my study guide? I know it was a little unrefined, but this is ridiculous.

Nandini and Cora meet me in the hallway, looking between the study guide and my face.

“Jesus. I guess they’re both assholes,” Cora says, shaking her head. “At least they make good eye candy. Whatever. On the bright side, that means you’re free after school today, right? I know we were going to work on our Italian project over FaceTime this weekend, but since we’re already here...”

I blink at them, still grappling with the fact that Ace tossed my study guide away. “I—but my parents...”

“They’re not around,” Nandini says, bumping hips with me. She steals the study guide from me, unzips my bag, and unceremoniously shoves it inside. “Plus your Dadu thinks you’re tutoring after school anyway, right?”

“I mean, I guess,” I say, licking my lips uncertainly. “But I—”

“Come on,” Cora says, pouting at me. “Shouldn’t we make the most of your time? We could even grab food afterward. It’s not like you ever go to Pre-Med Society anyway.”

“It’s not my fault it’s so boring,” I say, and realize they’re both laughing at me. I sigh, a smile tugging at my mouth. “Yeah, okay. It’s not like anyone will notice I’m gone.”

“Hey, maybe we’ll run into Ace,” Cora says, pulling me down the hall, in the direction of the cafeteria. There’s a sharp grin on her face. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“No,” I say and pray that Ace stays far, far away from the library today. “That would not be fun.”

6

T-MINUS 26 DAYS

At the library, the three of us split up to find different books for the Italian project. I’m in charge of books on the Italian economy, and I find them quickly, too used to navigating these aisles.

I sit down at our table, opening a fresh page and writing out the project’s requirements.

A shadow looms over me, taller than both Nandini and Cora. I turn around slowly, and my eyes almost bulge out of my head when I see Alistair “Ace” Clyde leaning against a bookshelf, watching me.

My first stupid thought is: Why is he so tall?

My second stupid thought is: Who wears a leather jacket with a designer sweater?

My third stupid thought is: Why is he looking at me like that?

Ace is as beautiful as everyone says he is. I’ve seen him in class and around the hallways, but I’ve never been the subject of his intense stare before.