A Very Large Expanse of Sea

Returning to school Monday after being out with fever, Shirin intends to keep her emotional distance from Ocean: “I wanted to go back to being acquaintances; I wanted us to be kind to each other and call it a day” (160). She must protect him from intolerant observers; she wants to protect herself as well, confident that eventually her parents will plan to move away. Shirin tries to leave Global Perspectives quickly to avoid Ocean, but he catches up and asks what he did wrong. Shirin sees that she will have to talk with him and tell him more directly that they cannot pursue a relationship. She tells him to meet her at her tree in the common area at lunch. When she arrives, however, Yusef is waiting for her.

Ocean arrives and both boys seem surprised to see one another; they greet each other amicably. Yusef, who knows Navid from classes, invites Shirin, Navid, and Shirin’s parents to his house for the first night of Ramadan for iftar (the evening meal that breaks the daily Ramadan fast). Shirin says she will have Navid let him know. She and Ocean go to his car in the parking lot, where she tries to explain that the racism and bigotry she experiences will affect him if they try to spend more time together.