Page 27 of Reasons We Break

Kiran sighs and brings the box over from the other side of the room. Simran takes it wordlessly and dabs at her eye. The makeup smears and makes her look like she’s been punched in the face. Jassa will be swooning, she’s sure.

Kiran picks up the makeup bag and starts taking products out to examine them. “TJ got you these? They’re nice brands, you know.”

Simran had no idea. Which reminds her she should probably return her cousin’s calls. Maybe by tonight she’ll feel normal enough.

Then Kiran comes at her with a brush. Simran jerks away.

“What’re youdoing?”

“Do you want your makeup done or not?” Kiran grips her chin. “I’m not as good as TJ, but I can make it halfway decent. Better than you, anyway.”

“If you’re going to insult me the whole time—”

Kiran rolls her eyes and lifts the brush again. “Okay, Simmi. I’ll shut up. Now close your eyes.”

And true to her word, when Simran’s eyes slide shut, it’s a ceasefire. At least until Kiran knocks something over. Simran squints to see her Hillway schedule on the floor.

“You need to stop being such a slob, I can hardly work—” Kiran scoops it up. Her eyes go big. “You’re paired up with theRandhawakid? Didn’t he do some screwed-up stuff? I heard about him.”

Who hasn’t, apparently? Simran snatches the schedule and tosses it behind the dresser. “The program is full of people who’ve done stuff like that. That’s the point.”

“Well, you should be careful.” Kiran lightly dabs lipstick on her mouth. “Who’re you going to see tonight, anyway?”

“Jassa.”

A pause. Kiran stares at her.

“Wait, the guy Mom bit my head off about this morning?” Kiran sighs. “Simran. What. The. Hell.”

In those words, Simran can tell her older sister has seen right through her.

“Do you even like him?” Kiran tosses the lipstick back into the bag. “Or are you going out with him becauseMomdoes?”

“I’m not going out with him,” Simran snaps, sliding her glasses on. “And of course I like him. That has nothing to do with Mom.”

“But the reason you’re doing thisnowis...” Kiran half laughs, shaking her head. “This is so screwed up I don’t even know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything.”

“You’ve never been on a date before, Simmi.” It’s a statement, not a question, even though Kiran hasn’t lived at home for nearly ten years. “You’re too inexperienced to be going in like...this. You should be doing the whole thing. Play the field. For yourself, not them.”

Kiran is making Simran feel about five years old, and she doesn’t like it. “Just because that’s the way you do it doesn’t mean I have to. Breaking Mom and Dad’s hearts isn’t my hobby like it is yours.”

A silence. So long, it’s more than enough time to remember the reason for Kiran’s long absence from the household. Kiran announced last year she wasn’t ever planning to get married. Her parents wanted to see hersettled. Kiran shouted back that she wasace. Their parents didn’t know what that meant, and Kiran refused to explain. That was what led to The Fight.

Simran draws breath to apologize. But then Kiran stands to leave with a soft, condescending laugh.

“Stop worrying about our parents’ hearts. If you’re going to start dating boys, you need to start worrying aboutyours.”

JASSA’S LATE.

Which is a shame, because Simran is quite proud of herself for beingonlyfive minutes late to the university café they agreed on. She texts him and claims a table.

But twenty minutes pass, and he’s still not here. She wishes she’d brought some study material. To occupy herself, she buys a black tea instead.

Thirty minutes in, she calls him, but it goes straight to voicemail. Have his errands gone longer than expected? Did she even get the time right?

The sun is lowering, peeking through the window and into her eyes, when her phone pings. She nearly drops her cup in her eagerness to pick up.