I no longer sleep in.

Instead I head to the pool—

Stahr sometimes joins me.

We dive in

and practice.

Easy for Owais,

but not for me.

I do it anyway.

You need to work on your

technique,

says Coach Kelly.

I learn to slice through the water

not slap it.

I learn to make my feet

flutter into a kick.

I learn to breathe

every 3 strokes.

I learn toextendmy arms,

catch the water at the top of my stroke,

rotate as I breathe.

I learn the perfect flip turn

to streamline off the wall.

I learn to reach forward

into the blue.

Afternoons

On a day

when the sun peeks out,

after Stahr and I swim,

we head to Baskin-Robbins

for scoops

of ice cream.

Stahr gets pistachio

one day,

strawberry

another day,

chocolate

another day,

and I get cookies and cream

all the days.

At Baskin-Robbins

Aidan works

behind the counter

sometimes.

Hi, Nurah!

he says with a crooked smile.

Who is that?

Stahr asks.

I whisper to Stahr about how

Aidan chooses me

in science class.

Stahr tries

to whisper

how she chooses

Mason in math class.

Even though I have never

heard his name

I know he must be important

because Stahr actually whispers

when she says his name.

When I am with Stahr,

secrets spill out

in seconds,

secrets I didn’t even know

that I had.

By the time I have

talked

talked

talked

to Stahr,

My cookies are all melty.

No longer hard

mixed with soft.

Maybe that’s what moving is like:

all the hard bits

eventually go away.

Help

Ammi’s eyes are no longer foggy

but clear and focused.

So when Penelope comes over for tea

freshly bruised and watery-eyed,

Ammi serves steaming chai and questions.

What are you going to do?

Too long a silence.

A heaving sob.

I’ve been saving for a place.

Ammi puts two hands around Penelope’s hands,

whispers

I’m going to help.

Delayed Teatime

While Stahr’s dad works,

Ammi helps Penelope.

I help Stahr

fold and pack their clothes

and dreams away . . .

for later.

Getting Better

Sometimes my dives

are crooked.

I close my eyes

wince

before diving in.

A broken dive.

When I race,

sometimes the water

is not my friend,

even though I try so hard.

You’re bringing your arms

out of the water

too soon.

Follow through with your strokes.

Trust the water,

says Owais.

So I do.

Slowly,

slowly,

I am getting better.

I know this because

Owais high-fives me

Stahr hugs me

and Coach Kelly

smiles wider when I finish

my laps quicker

beating the clock

second by second.

Coach Kelly tells me

if I keep it up,

I will start winning soon.

I am the water,

buoyant with hope.

Part Six

Bullied

Now that Ammi

is herself again,

she is back to what she does best:

worrying.

Ammi worries about us,

too much.

She buys us brand-new swimsuits