Chapters (93)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Forty-Nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-One
- Fifty-Two
- Fifty-Three
- Fifty-Four
- Fifty-Five
- Fifty-Six
- Fifty-Seven
- Fifty-Eight
- Fifty-Nine
- Sixty
- Sixty-One
- Sixty-Two
- Sixty-Three
- Sixty-Four
- Sixty-Five
- Sixty-Six
- Sixty-Seven
- Sixty-Eight
- Sixty-Nine
- Seventy
- Seventy-One
- Seventy-Two
- Seventy-Three
- Seventy-Four
- Seventy-Five
- Seventy-Six
- Seventy-Seven
- Seventy-Eight
- Seventy-Nine
- Eighty
- Eighty-One
- Eighty-Two
- Eighty-Three
- Eighty-Four
- Eighty-Five
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
- Books by Kelly Yang
- Back Ad
- About the Publisher
“Yes!” Zach jumps up and high-fives the other clarinets, and I cover my face, trying to shield my disappointment. As he scoots away from me, triumphantly holding his clarinet, I realize he has no idea how I feel about him.
This is ridiculous. I should just tell him. The next time we’re alone. If Ming can tell her parents about Florence, I’m brave enough to tell Zach my feelings.
Fifty-Nine
Claire
Jay finally gets through to me on my cell later that day.
“Where the hell have you been?” Jay asks. “I’ve been calling you like a hundred times.”
“I’ve been busy,” I say.
“Well, get unbusy,” he replies. “My dad’s coming to town next week and—”
“I don’t really want to meet your dad. . . .”
Jay sighs into the phone. “Please, Claire,” he says. “It’s important. I don’t want to do this alone.”
Oh, but when it’s my parents, it’s okay to bail on me? Jay tells me to be at his house on Tuesday night and wear something nice. After he hangs up, I stare at the ceiling and groan.
On Tuesday, I don’t go over to Jay’s house. Instead, I head over to the pool after school. Zach’s there, as usual, waiting for me. It’s become our thing, swimming together after school and grabbing dinner afterward. Sometimes I paid, sometimes he paid. I’ve come to like American diners, especially the free lemonade refills. So far we’ve had five dinners together. During our conversations, I tell him about my life in Shanghai. He says he has a tough relationship with his mom too. He tells me he’s here on a scholarship, which I think is really amazing. I guess that’s why he takes swimming so seriously.
The more we talk, the more I find myself drawn to him. He’s so different from Jay. The way he talks about swimming. Getting a full-ride scholarship somewhere. I love his passion and his drive. Even the way he talks about pulling up his grades. It’s clear he has a lot of respect for Dani. He swears up and down they’re just friends. And I believe him, even though I thought I detected a trace of something when I walked in on the two of them watching Titanic. But maybe I was wrong, I think as we work on the butterfly stroke.
Zach helps me get into position. Gently he puts his hand on my stomach. It tickles, and I giggle.
“Quit squirming,” he says.