BooksBarbecue
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 isn’t popular. He might be infamous, but he’s not popular. My classmates might be looking at me now, but I doubt it’ll last longer than a week. I’m pretty sure he’s never dated anyone in this school, so he doesn’t have any exes out to make my life miserable. The only person who might cause issues is Xander, but what can Xander really do to *me*? He graduates within three months, and then I never have to see him again.

Which means the real problem is my family. Samir’s head is stuck up his robotics club’s ass, so I doubt he’d even realize I’m “dating” Ace. Plus, he’s a freshman and I’m a junior...would this wave of gossip even reach him? Why would any of the freshman care who Ace Clyde dates? With 2,000 kids in our school, I think the freshmen have more to worry about than Ace’s dating life.

But still, I should be careful and keep an eye out for Samir when I’m with Ace. Though, I *could* say I’m his tutor. I am his tutor. It’s not technically a lie.

Maybe I should tell Samir right now...my brother’s a dumbass, but he’s not *evil*, and he wouldn’t rat me out on purpose.

But accidents happen. If I bring this situation to Samir’s attention, is it more likely he’ll slip up and tell Ma and Baba without realizing? Is it better to leave him in the dark? We don’t talk about our social lives with each other, so bringing it up unnecessarily might raise a red flag...

Maybe I should keep that disgusting can of worms closed. I’ll just briefly mention I’m tutoring Ace, so if he sees us around it’s not a big deal. If I keep my head down, I’m sure I can make this work somehow—

It takes me a second to realize the direction of my thoughts and my pencil halts. I groan, dropping my head into my hands. I might as well have agreed already if I’m planning out contingencies.

Writing out my thoughts didn’t help my anxiety either, so I guess it’s time to move on to the next technique on my list. Maybe I’m destined to ping-pong between coping methods until one lands.

By the time I sit down in English class, I’ve resigned myself to helping Ace. At least until my parents come back. When he drops into the seat next to me, I’m contemplating whether I can submit myself as a Nobel Peace Prize applicant.

Ace looks at me. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I—”

“Yes.”

His mouth snaps shut. “Really?”