The Breakup Lists

1

Even though I m the Theatre Kid, my sister s the dramatic one.
Ugh, Jasmine says as soon as she sees Nick, three lanes over in the parking lot. She rests her head against her car s steering wheel, then jolts back up when her nose sets off the horn.
You okay?
Jasmine mutters something into the wheel. It s got a pink fuzzy cover on it.
I can t hear you.
She sits up, sighs, and faces me. Sorry. It s just hard seeing him.
It s been months.
He broke my heart. You don t know what it s like.
I ve had my heart broken before. Maybe not as often or as hard as Jasmine, but still.
Can you do his list again?
Jasmine . . .
Please?
Nick is Jasmine s m i l l i o n t h  latest ex-boyfriend. They dated all summer before Nick broke up with her because he didn t want to be tied down senior year. But now she s stuck sitting behind him in Pre-Calculus.
I ve repeated his list so many times I ve basically got it memorized. Still, I reach into my backpack, pull out my black stage manager binder, and flip to the end where I keep my lists. Given how many of them there are and how often Jasmine needs them repeated I have to keep them close.

Man Bun Nick s Breakup List:
A c r u s t y s o c k i n h u m a n f o r m
Too much Axe Body Spray
N o t e n o u g h t o c o v e r t h e w e i r d s m e l l
Smacks his lips at the beginning of each sentence
Doesn t like pickles
A l w a y s l o o k s l i k e h e s h o l d i n g i n a f a r t
Bad man bun

It barely even qualifies as a bun. More like a little man garlic knot or something.
Plus there s the whole thing where he broke up with you, I point out.
Right. Right.
And you said you wanted to focus on yourself senior year.
Jasmine gives me a sharp nod. She takes a deep breath, redoes her ponytail, and squares her shoulders. Thanks, Jackson. What would I do without you?
I slip my binder into my backpack and shrug it on, grab my shmoodies, and follow her into

Adib Khorram lives in Kansas City, Missouri. When he isn't writing, you can probably find him trying to get his hundred-yard freestyle under a minute, learning to do a Lutz jump, or steeping a cup of oolong. His debut novel, Darius the Great Is Not Okay, earned several awards, including the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor. He is also the author of Darius the Great Deserves Better, Kiss and Tell, and the picture book Seven Special Somethings: A Nowruz Story.

 "Khorram nails it once again with this page-turning romance about giving oneself a chance to celebrate one s true identity. In a nod to the theatre kids, especially the techies, this story comes to life...Jackson realistically models a person who s part of the Deaf and hard of hearing community...Liam s taking on the learning of ASL will melt hearts, as well as show what true intention looks like in building connections...A heartwarming romance where creating authentic connections takes center stage."  School Library Journal, starred review

  An irresistibly readable novel that builds on the tropes of a traditional rom-com. It has a carefully constructed empathetic and fully realized characters and sensitive treatment of Jackson s disability. We're already putting this on the list of the year s finer novels. Booklist, starred review

  This sweet, slow-burn sibling love triangle with an added sprinkling of family drama rivals Alice Oseman s Heartstopper in its cuteness and appeal Love deserves a standing ovation in this multilayered exploration of what it truly means to feel seen.  Kirkus, starred review

In this emotionally complex rom-com, Khorram (Kiss & Tell) winningly captures Jackson s struggle finding himself amid the chaos of high school theater. Jackson s first-person POV recounting his growing crush and his frustration with those around him is both sharp and sincere, making this a wholesome and hilarious tale.  PW