Chapter summaries Counting Down with You Tashie Bhuiyan

Counting Down with You – Chapter 25: Breakdown and Comfort

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

After gym class, Karina wanders away from her tutoring session with Ace and ends up in a staircase, overwhelmed by thoughts of her parents' expectations. She reflects on a lifetime of compliance—giving up television, friends, and personal choices—yet never feeling it was enough. The pressure to become a doctor, to be a perfect daughter, and the disparity between how she and her brother Samir are treated lead to a full anxiety attack. Ace finds her, calms her breathing, and offers her Sour Patch Kids, a callback to their earlier banter. He walks her home, refusing to let her protest, and they hold hands. On her porch, Ace kisses her forehead before leaving, leaving Karina with a fragile sense of hope.

Key Events

  • Karina skips tutoring and isolates herself in a staircase.
  • She experiences a severe anxiety attack triggered by guilt, anger, and fear.
  • Ace discovers her, talks her through breathing exercises, and offers comfort.
  • Ace reveals his father took his car keys due to a conflict with his brother Xander.
  • Ace walks Karina home and gives her his leather jacket.
  • The two share a tender moment: Ace kisses her forehead.
  • Karina returns home exhausted but with a glimmer of optimism.

Character Development

Karina
This chapter marks Karina’s most raw and vulnerable moment so far. She confronts the internalized belief that she is selfish for wanting a life different from what her parents expect. Her anxiety attack is a release of years of suppressed pressure. By accepting Ace’s help, she allows herself to be seen in a state of weakness, which is a significant step in trusting someone outside her family. The final line—"maybe in the dust of lingering defeat, there’s room for some victory"—shows her tentative embrace of the happiness that her friends and dadu have encouraged.

Ace
Ace’s gentle handling of Karina’s panic attack reveals a depth of empathy and patience that contrasts with his reputation. He remembers her favourite candy, offers his jacket without hesitation, and stays until she is calm. His admission about his father taking his keys hints at his own family struggles, making him more relatable. The forehead kiss is a quiet act of affection that doesn’t demand anything in return, solidifying him as a safe presence for Karina.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Parental Expectations vs. Personal Desire
    Karina wrestles with the impossible choice between pursuing what she loves (English) and meeting the rigid expectations set by her immigrant parents. She asks, "Why am I selfish if I want to do what I love?" This question encapsulates the book’s central tension.

  • Anxiety and Mental Health
    The chapter offers an honest portrayal of an anxiety attack—the inability to breathe, the racing thoughts, the shame—and shows that being supported by a trusted person can help. Ace’s calm breathing guidance mirrors real coping techniques.

  • Mythological Allusions
    Karina compares herself to Atlas and Icarus. She is not strong enough to carry the world’s weight (her parents’ expectations), and she fears she will "explode when I fly too close to the sun" if she pursues happiness. These allusions reinforce the theme of seeking balance between duty and joy.

  • Small Acts of Care
    Sour Patch Kids, the leather jacket, the hand-holding, the forehead kiss—all are understated gestures that speak louder than grand declarations. They symbolize a love that is pragmatic and tender.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 25 is the emotional core of the novel’s middle act. It brings Karina’s internal conflict to the surface in a way she can no longer ignore. The anxiety attack is a turning point: she stops hiding her pain and allows Ace to see her without pretence. This vulnerability deepens their relationship, moving from flirtation to genuine intimacy. Moreover, the chapter solidifies the book’s message that happiness is not a betrayal of one’s family—it is a right. Karina’s final glimmer of hope suggests she is ready to fight for that right, setting up the conflicts ahead.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Karina feel that she cannot “have both” a fulfilling career and her parents’ approval?
Karina believes that pursuing an English degree would disappoint her parents, who expect her to become a doctor. She feels their love is conditional on her meeting their standards, and that choosing her own path would mean losing their pride and affection. This binary thinking traps her in a cycle of guilt.

2. How does the author depict an anxiety attack in this chapter?
Karina’s panic is described through physical sensations: a lump in her throat, tears, heaving breaths, loss of control. Ace’s intervention—guiding her to breathe in and out while watching his chest—mirrors grounding techniques used in cognitive-behavioural therapy. The scene validates the experience of anxiety and shows that support can come from unexpected people.

3. What is the significance of Ace’s line, “I’d never forget anything about you”?
The line shows that Ace pays close attention to Karina’s small preferences (Sour Patch Kids) and values her as an individual. It contrasts with her parents, who see her only in terms of their ambitions. It also foreshadows that Ace’s memory and care will play a role in future chapters as Karina learns to trust her own desires.

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