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Back Counting Down with You
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

Ace’s family accepted everything he told them. They sat down and tried to understand his side of things. I don’t know if that will ever be in the cards for me.

I want to be lionhearted, too. Not because of Ace, not because of my friends. I want to be a lionheart for me. I want to apply to Columbia for English and go on to have the future I’ve always wanted.

With six days left until my parents’ return, desperation claws at my chest, begging me to save myself. But I still don’t know if I have it in me to try.

43

T-MINUS 5 DAYS

Inspired by Ace, I decide to talk to Samir the next day. I don’t know what I’m going to do about my parents yet, but maybe if my brother understands what I go through, things will be a little easier around here.

After I come home from school, Ace dropping me off with a kiss to the side of my head, I knock on Samir’s door.

Wednesday is one of the rare days my brother doesn’t have an after-school activity or work at the deli, so he opens the door a second later.

“Can I talk to you?” I say, trying to push down the nerves. I can be brave. I can do this. “It’s kind of important.”

Samir furrows his brows but opens his door wider for me to come inside.

I make a face at the dirty wrappers, empty bottles, and clothes tossed around. “Astaghfirullah.” I seek forgiveness in Allah. Throwing the word around callously is probably bad, but I think only a prayer can help Samir fix this mess.

My brother rolls his eyes. “You’re the one who came to my room.”

“Right, right, sorry.” I take a seat on the one clean part of his bed. Jane Eyre sits beside me, and I run my finger along the edge nervously. “I wanted to talk about what happened the other night. With Ma and Baba.”

Samir looks at me with wide eyes. “I already said I was sorry. I helped you the other night. I thought we were good.”

“We are,” I say, licking my lips nervously. “I’m not mad at you. I just want to talk about it.”

“What about it?” Samir asks, scratching his arm as he sits down at his desk.

“I...have you noticed how differently Ma and Baba treat us?”

He blinks at me. “Just because of one time?”