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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 stop in the hallway and take out my phone. There’s an unanswered text from my mom, and I click on it first. She must be jet-lagged if she’s sending messages at this ungodly hour.

Myra, call us when you get home. Your Nanu and Nana want to say hi.

I grimace. That conversation is going to be...fun.

Okay, I text back and move on, shifting to the NCK group chat.

Me:

I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU LEFT ME ALONE?? now ace wants to go study in some bakery and it’s ALL YOUR FAULT

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

HE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP BITCH WHAT WERE WE GONNA DO??? STAY THERE??? in this house we do NOT cockblock our friends

Nandini Kaur:

back up a sec did you say BAKERY... ARE YOU JOKING WTF

Me:

NO I’M SERIOUS PLS HELP ME INSTEAD OF YELLING

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

oh my god oh my god oh mY GOD KARINA

Me:

H E L P

Nandini Kaur:

SAY YES GIRLIE WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR OMG

Cora Zhang-Agreste:

OK BUT THIS IS BASICALLY A DATE GO SAY YES OMG GO GO GO

Nandini Kaur:

YEAH STOP TEXTING US AND GO GET UR MANS???

Me:

he is NOT my mans!!!!!!!!!

I put my phone on Do Not Disturb and lean my head against the wall. That was absolutely no help at all.

With a sigh, I dial my home phone number. After two rings, my grandma picks up. “As-salaam alaikum!”

“Wa-alaikum salaam,” I say. “Dadu, I might be a little later than usual today. Is that okay, or do you need me to come home?”

“Oh, Myra!” my grandma says happily. “I’m glad you called. What do you want to eat tonight? Vegetable pulao or khichuri?”

“Khichuri,” I say before reining the conversation back in. “Dadu, did you hear what I said? Can I stay late, or do you need me to come home? Do you need help cooking?”

“No, no, Myra,” my grandma says. “Focus on your education. You have your club today, yes? Don’t worry about me. I’ll make dinner and have it ready for you when you come home. Stay safe.”

“Okay, Dadu. Love you.”

“Love you,” she says. “Khoda hafiz!” Goodbye.

“Khoda hafiz,” I say, before slumping against the wall, staring down at my phone. Part of me was seriously hoping she’d say no. My parents definitely would’ve, and it’d be a good excuse to give Ace.

Now? I’m out of options. I’ve cornered myself.

With a sigh, I head back into the library to tell Ace we can go to the sweet shop.

7

T-MINUS 26 DAYS