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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 inch toward my phone slowly. I can’t help but feel like it’s a bomb that’s going to explode at any moment. When I pick it up, it’s blessedly intact, but Ace’s shirtless selfie is still looking back at me unanswered.

WHY are you shirtless? is the only response I can manage.

i was working out, Ace texts back.

I sigh. Ace might be a delinquent who separates himself from the rest of the high school crowd, but he’s as clueless as any other teenage boy. I save his contact in my phone and say, pls don’t text me shirtless pics of yourself dude!!! it’s weird!!!

Alistair Clyde:

u asked who i was

Me:

and I regret it dearly

Alistair Clyde:

haha ur a comedian

Alistair Clyde:

anyway don’t be mad. i’ll explain everything tmrw morning ok?

Me:

you mean if I don’t kill you first

Alistair Clyde:

I look forward to u trying ;)

I put down my phone and dig the heels of my palms into my eyes. My life is a mess.

“Myra, come down for food!” Dadu calls. “Samir’s friends are gone!”

“Coming!” I say and toss my phone aside in favor of a book. After breakfast, I always read to Dadu for a while. She says it helps improve her English, but I think she just likes hearing me read. Either way, I don’t mind—rather, I’m happy to do anything that puts her mind at momentary ease—but today, it has the extra benefit of giving me a chance to get out of my own head.

It’s something I need desperately if Ace is determined to keep up this charade.

18

T-MINUS 20 DAYS

For the first time in my life, I walk into school with my hood over my head, not wanting to attract the attention of my classmates. I don’t think anyone will stare if Ace isn’t by my side, but I don’t want to risk it. He still hasn’t changed his relationship status, and upward of a dozen strangers have requested to follow me on Instagram and friend me on Facebook this morning alone.

“Good morning,” I say to my friends, finally pulling down my hood. As I predicted, no one casts me a second glance aside from Nandini and Cora, who stare at me like I found the cure to cancer. “How were your weekends?”

“If you don’t explain what the hell is happening right now, I’m going to pour my orange juice down your shirt,” Cora threatens pleasantly. “I should not have to find out from Facebook that you got your first boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say, exasperated. “He’s just being stubborn.”

Nandini shakes her head. “I’m with Cora on this. What is going on, dude?”