Max Howard - The Water Year

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Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Howard, Max.

Title: The water year / Max Howard.

Description: New York: West 44, 2020.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781538385111 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538385128 (library bound) | ISBN 9781538385135 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Emigration and immigration--Juvenile fiction. | Immigrants--Juvenile fiction. | Human rights--Juvenile fiction.

Classification: LCC PZ7.1.H693 Wa 2020 | DDC [F]--dc23

First Edition

Published in 2020 by

Enslow Publishing LLC

101 West 23rd Street, Suite #240

New York, NY 10011

Copyright 2020 Enslow Publishing LLC

Editor: Caitie McAneney

Designer: Seth Hughes

Photo Credits: Cover (dirt) Nopi Mohd Nor/Shutterstock.com.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Printed in the United States of America

CPSIA compliance information: Batch #CW20W44: For further information contact Enslow Publishing LLC, New York, New York at 1-800-542-2595.

O, yes,

I say it plain,

America never was America to me,

And yet I swear this oath

America will be!

- Langston Hughes

Chapter 1

Dear Mom,

Lucas Ross is a dung heap with a tongue ring. How is my best friend in love with him?

He gets Doritos stuck in his braces. He clicks his tongue ring against his teeth when other people are talking.

Amy and I usually see eye to eye, but whenever Lucas raises his dumb eyebrows, she laughs. Hes always raising his eyebrows. Or else he repeats what you say in a sarcastic voice. Hes like a walking meme.

A mean meme.

The worst part is, I hardly ever see Amy anymore.

I miss her.

And you.

Love,

Sophie

Sophie, you have to go to the Sato twins Fall Bash, Amy says. She swirls her french fries in ketchup. Her boyfriend, Lucas, nuzzles her neck. Pretty please? I never get to see you anymore.

I dont know. Its weird the partys on a weeknight, Sophie says. She looks down at her lunch. Limp, slimy school pizza slumps on her tray. I have to go study for my history quiz.

Lucas slides his mouth off Amys neck. Uh, Sophie? Whats a weeknight?

His voice is serious, but his face is mocking. He clicks his tongue ring against his teeth.

You know. Like a school night, Sophie says.

Heres the thing: I dont think weeknights exist, Lucas declares.

Hes right, Amy pipes up. The days of the week are just a social construct. You know. Just something humans made up.

Weekends are as made-up as Santa Claus, Lucas says. He crunches a fry. You dont still believe in Santa, do you?

I have to go, Sophie says. Santa might not exist, she thinks. But Mr. Orr is a real bear. History quizzes are the worst.

Come to the party. Theres going to be a bonfire. In the desert! On a full moon, Amy says.

A full blood moon, Lucas adds.

If you come with us, Ill sleep over Friday and Saturday. Ill help you take care of Violet, Amy promises.

Whos Violet? says Lucas.

Sophies sister, says Amy. Shes in second grade. Shes so cute. Shes obsessed with that cartoon movieIce Fairies.

That cartoon one about the fairy princesses? With the song about snow

Amy and Sophie burst out singing Here I Am, the hit song from Ice Fairies.

Lucas scoffs. I cant believe you guys like that princess stuff.

Its about sisters who rescue each other! Amy says. And theres no kiss at the end. Its feminist!

Lucas shrugs. Is it feminist? Or are they just trying to sell little girls T-shirts?

And tutus, Sophie says.

What? says Lucas.

Yeah, says Amy. They sell tutus, too.

Violet only wears Ice Fairies T-shirts and tutus, Sophie says.

Whatever, says Lucas. Lets focus. Sophie. You going to the party? He clicks his tongue ring, making a ticktock sound.

Yuck. Imagine driving to the party with Lucas and Amy. How long would the car ride be? Would his tongue click the whole way?

But going to the party might be worth it, Sophie muses.

Maybe Amy really would sleep over.

Violet misses Amy, Sophie thought. Amy puts fancy braids in Violets hair. She teaches her dance moves. She microwaves mint ice cream and calls it dinner swamp. But yesterday Violet asked, Did Amy move away? How come we never see her?

OK, Sophie says. If you sleep over on the weekend, Ill go. The only thing iswhat will I tell my dad? Hed never let me go to a party on a school night.

Just tell your dad that were going stargazing, Amy says. You wont be lying. Well see some stars. The deserts nothing but sky.

Chapter 2

Dear Mom,

After school, I took Violet with me to work at the restaurant. Dad worried. Keep Violet away from the soup warmer. Soup is at 180 degrees. Maybe you should take her home.

You let me help out at the restaurant. You showed me how to roll silverware in napkins. You taught me how to fill salt shakers.

Back then, Dad made up songs about food. He sang while he flipped burgers. He changed the words to Old MacDonald Had a Farm. He sang, Old McDonalds Serves You Horse.

He doesnt sing anymore.

Instead, he worries.

I let Violet put placemats on the tables. Dad snapped at me. Whats your sister doing running around out there? Do you want someone to spill hot coffee all over her?

I took a quiz online. My emotional intelligence score is off the charts, so I know Dads not really angry. Hes scared. Hes been scared ever since you died.

I still dont like it when he yells at me.

Violet liked rolling silverware. She said, Its like making a napkin taco.

I also let her count cupcakes. I tried to stop her from licking her fingers, but I got distracted.

Love,

Sophie

The phone rings in the restaurant kitchen. Sophies dad picks it up. Fresh Ranch Restaurant, Breakfast All Day. He flips pancakes while he listens. Yep, thats right. All our desserts are from Velez, the best bakery this side of the Mississippi. You want a dozen cupcakes? We should be getting a delivery any minute can you come by around 4: 30 and pick them up? He hangs up and turns to Sophie.

Why dont you take Violet out of here and go stock the bakery case? The kitchens too dangerous. The delivery guy should be coming soon, her dad says.

Sophie blushes. Could he tell shed been waiting all day for the bakery guy to show up?

Rubn Velez has delivered treats to Fresh Ranch for three years. He used to carry the bakery boxes on his bike. When he turned sixteen, he started driving the green Velez Bakery van.

Whenever she sees Rubn, Sophie tries to shoot pink laser beams of love out of her eyes at him. She wants to melt his heart.

She aims her love lasers at his chest. She cant look him in the eye. It makes her stomach flip.

So far, though, his heart seems unmelted. It seems as frozen as the castle in Ice Fairies.

The bell above the door jingles. Is it him? Its him. Its definitely him!

Sophie spies Rubns wild, brown curls poking up over the huge stack of white bakery boxes. He has great hair. Even Amy agrees. Plus, he always smells like dessert.

When Rubn passes them in the halls at school, Amy teases Sophie. She sniffs loudly and says, I smell something. Oh, I smell sugar. Ooh, sugar, sugar. (Ooh, shut up, shut up, Sophie always says.)