Words on Bathroom Walls

Adam likes to cook and prides himself on the delicious chicken pad thai he made recently. He has fewer hallucinations when he cooks because it “takes too much of my concentration” (66). At school, Maya sees Adam’s recipe notebook. She tells Adam about her home life: Her mom often works extra shifts at the hospital and her dad stays home to take care of Maya’s twin younger brothers.

Maya comes to Adam’s house for dinner one night, and Adam cooks for her. The food is amazing, and the conversation isn’t as awkward as Adam feared. After dinner, Adam and Maya study for the Academic Team, and have a more personal conversation. They have fun together, and Adam realizes “I really like her” (74).

At Adam’s first Academic Team practice, Maya and Dwight answer most of the questions. Despite this, Adam gets in a few responses, usually to movie or literature questions. While his contribution isn’t as large as Maya or Dwight’s, he feels good about it because “I serve a purpose” (79).

Later that night, Maya texts Adam to ask about when he saved her from drowning. They banter about the incident and the fact that Maya doesn’t know how to swim.