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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

“If you’re up for it, meet me by my car after ninth. It’s parked in spot 28,” he says, finally stepping away. “See you later, Ahmed.”

He walks off, leaving me to stare after him and wonder how my school life turned upside down within the span of a week.

13

T-MINUS 23 DAYS

The main reason I end up in front of Ace’s car after gym is because Cora and Nandini both threaten to brutally murder me if I don’t go. I have a few regrets, the biggest one being telling them at all. But if I didn’t, I’d probably start screaming incoherently into the void and never stop.

I call my grandma first, nervously pacing in the parking lot while waiting for her to pick up. My anxiety is returning in anticipation of the conversation, and I have to repeatedly wipe my hands on my jeans to get rid of excess sweat.

I think if I tried to write my thoughts down right now, I’d break my pencil.

“Myra?” Dadu says, after our customary greetings. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I say quickly. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. “I might get home a little later than usual today. I have to finish up something for school. Is that okay?”

I brace myself for the blowback, expecting to be reprimanded. There’s silence and then, “That’s fine. Do you want me to leave your food in the fridge, sweetheart?”

For some reason, I keep waiting. Surely that can’t be it.

There has to be more. There’s always more.

“Myra, did you hear me?” Dadu asks. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I shake my head and lean against Ace’s car, trying to gain a hold of myself. “Yeah, I’m fine, Dadu. I’d love if you left my food in the fridge. I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, if that’s okay?”

“Of course, Myra,” Dadu says, her voice warm. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll see you later.”

“See you later,” I echo.

I stare at my phone after we disconnect, more shocked than I should be. My grandma has never reprimanded me, but I still thought there would be some resistance. Easy acceptance is the last thing I expected.

Then again, maybe I should have. It’s Dadu, after all.

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

Better. Not perfect, but better.

I look down at the hand not holding my phone, then immediately jump away from Ace’s car, realizing I’m leaving smudge marks on the exterior.

The car is far too ostentatious. It’s some sort of Mercedes, black and sleek. It probably cost as much as my future student loans.

I try to wipe away the smudges but only make it worse, so I give up and resign myself to apologizing when he shows up.