A Very Large Expanse of Sea

That evening, Shirin dissects what she heard about herself from Ocean and the crew. She considers how others’ potentially racist behavior and bigoted comments leave her wounded, vulnerable, and defensive: “I was so raw from repeated exposure to cruelty that now even the most minor abrasions left a mark” (110). She initiates texting with Ocean, asking why he missed biology that afternoon. Ocean requests they use Instant Messenger; once online, he indicates something negative happened that day but will not elaborate. Shirin asks if Navid was involved, but Ocean does not understand, prompting explanation on how Shirin told Navid about Ocean skipping with her. Next Ocean asks to talk by phone, which Shirin finds intensely intimate. He hints that he has “parental issues” and that his parents divorced when he was young. He asks if Shirin had a boyfriend; she explains her parents’ strictness and how Navid once scared off any boy she mentioned in her diary. Suddenly Shirin senses she is allowing Ocean to get too close and says goodnight. Once off the phone, she determines to “stop talking to Ocean […] Switch gears. And fast” (121).