Page 72 of Reasons We Break

Eons later, TJ’s mom says, “Well, let’s eat some of that ras malai Simran brought.”

Simran, who has gotten nowhere with the cipher, immediately rises. “I’ll get it.”

She doesn’t realize she’s been followed to the kitchen until TJ grabs her arm.

“TJ, I’ve got it—”

“Stop for a second.” TJ searches her eyes. “Is everything okay?”

Simran stills. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because you’re somewhere else. This whole time.” TJ gestures to the dining room. “You’re nodding, you’re smiling, but you’re not really here. IknewI wasn’t just imagining it on the phone.”

Simran’s silent. She thought she was doing an excellent job acting okay. What about her performance was lacking?

TJ goes on. “Did anything happen while I’ve been gone?”

Everything.Everything.

“My grades weren’t as good this semester as usual,” Simran says. “I didn’t get the academic award.” She spins another believable lie. “My parents weren’t happy.”

TJ winces. She gets what a big deal grades are to Simran. Well,were. “What did they say?”

“I’m grounded. I barely got out for this.” It’s not the first time she’s used the strict-parents excuse. Although she feels guilty painting them that way, especially when her father’s currently home caring for her sick mother, it’s the perfect way to get TJ off her back. “Don’t expect to see me much for a while.”

“What thehell?” TJ looks outraged. “Your parents need to chill out. No one tries harder in school than you. How long are you grounded?”

Simran shrugs. TJ looks even more indignant, but luckily, at that moment, her father pokes his head in. “Everything okay?”

TJ snatches the ras malai before Simran can. “Yep.”

They return to the dining room, but as TJ sets the bowl of ras malai down, she looks sharply at Simran again. “Oh my god. I totally forgot. Chandani told me you and her ran into—” she glances at her parents—“you’ll never guess—Rajan Randhawaa few weeks ago?”

Simran sits slowly. Honestly, she’s surprised this didn’t come up before. Of course Chandani told her. “Yes.”

“Randhawa?” her masi asks curiously. “I remember his mother. Shame, what happened to Arshdeep. No wonder her boys are so lost.”

Finally, someone granting Rajan leeway. But TJ waves it off. “Okay, but did you hear what he did? Chandani told me.”

“Well, yes,” her mother says. “Thatpart is horrible.”

Simran’s heart sinks. Charlie, meanwhile, sets down his spoon. “Why? What did he do?”

TJ turns to him with glee. “Apparently hekilledsomebody.”

Her mother tuts. Her father, who’s been helping himself to ras malai, pauses to shake his head.

TJ continues. “Plus he got charged with weapons possession and stuff. I heard he’s in a gang. He’s got the tattoo and everything.” She jabs her finger at Simran triumphantly. “Iknewthere was always something deeply wrong with that guy.”

“Yes, because you’re the most well-adjusted of all of us,” Charlie says. TJ rolls her eyes.

“Well, I haven’tkilled anyoneyet, Charlie—”

“He didn’t,” Simran says.

All eyes turn to her. Simran seals her lips, but it’s too late. Even Charlie looks somewhat bemused.Whydid she say that? How can she explain knowing the true story behind Rajan’s arrest? To give herself time, she takes off her glasses to polish them with her shirt. “I mean,” she mutters, “I’m pretty sure it was an accident, what happened.”

When she puts her glasses back on, everyone is giving her strange looks.