Booked (11 page)

didn't want it to end.

I give it

an 8.6.

Sorry

For the long text.

Hey, what are you reading next?

I'm glad you get to go home

tomorrow, Nicky. Sending

you a pic of our next book.

It's 9:30 a.m.

Checkout day.

You've been up

for four hours

'cause you couldn't sleep

after thinking about

April and

the baseball book,

so you read it again,

but not the whole thing,

just the parts

you dreamed about,

and then the sun

came out,

and the remote

needed a new battery

and you were bored,

so you picked up,

get this,

his dictionary

and you were finishing

the
Y
s, when

in walked Mom

and Dad.

Shotgun, you yell.

How much TV did you watch?
Mom says

from the back seat.

A lot. Read a book, too.

Really?

Yep.

And you liked it?

Uh, yeah, you say. Can we

stop by the library?

I need to get another one.

Sure, and after lunch I can beat you

in Ping-Pong,
Mom answers.

Naw. I mean no, I'm gonna

just chill out in my room.

I'm a little tired, you lie.

is a story

about a lanky

piano-playing girl

named Billie Jo

whose mother

is gone,

whose father's heart

and soul

are disappearing

into the dust

that blankets

their Oklahoma town,

and even though

the first 59 pages

rain down

hard on you,

when you get

to page 60

the monsoon comes

and the book is

unputdownable.

six times, but each

time you hang up

before it rings

because you're nervous

and don't know

what to say,

so before

the seventh time

you decide to write down

a list of everything

you want to say

to her,

but you don't plan

on her father

answering.

Uh, hello, Mr. Farrow, is uh, April available?

Who is this calling?

It's me, sir, Nicholas, her friend from school.

Her friend from school. I've never met you.

Uh.

Well, what do you want, son?

I'd like to speak to her, please, sir.

About what?

About a, uh, a book that we're reading.

Oh, really, and what book would that be, Nicholas?

It's called, um . . . It's called
Dust,
um, it's—

Dad, give me the phone. Stop,
you hear April scream in the background.

Well, Nicholas, you have ten minutes to speak to my daughter about this book that you're reading, you understand?

Yes sir.

Hi, Nick, my dad can be so lame sometimes,
she whispers.

It's okay.

What are you doing?

I have just completed
Out of the Dust,
you answer, reading from your notes.

Sweet! What did you think?

It was stellar, and I was quite moved by its contemplation of the human spirit.

Why are you talking like that, Nick?

Like what?

You sound like a robot?

I am very much looking forward to the next book we are reading.

Stop acting silly, Nick.

. . .

I was thinking that you could pick the next book, Nick.

Me?

Yeah. The book club needs to mix it up a little.

But, uh, I'm not in the book club.

Well, you kinda are now, Nicky.

Okay, you say, laughing a little.

I'm serious, you're official now.

No, it's not that. My mom calls me Nicky.

Oh, I'm sorry.

No, you can call me that.

Okay. How is your mom doing?

She's fine.

She's still here?

Yeah, I think she's gonna stay.

Very cool!

. . .

So, you're gonna pick a book.

Yeah, I guess.

Maybe we can discuss the book at your house or something.

Uh, I don't know about that. My parents probably won't let me do th—

Maybe you could ask your mom, Nicky?

. . .

So what are you doing now?

I am presently folding my clothes and preparing to clean up my room.

Oh, Nicky, you're cray-cray.

. . .

Dear Know it All
Percy Jackson

If You're Reading This, It's T
O
O
L
A
T
E!

Planet Middle School

May B.

C
A
T
C
H
I
N
G
F
I
R
E!

BECAUSE. OF. WINN-DIXIE.

SMILE,

I Will Save You

When You Reach Me

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Until We Meet Again,

Peace,
L
O
C
O
M
O
T
I
O
N
,
Darius and Twig:

The Outsiders

P.S
.
Be Eleven

Ms. Hardwick's moving

to another state to teach

The twins got kicked out

for the rest of the year

April's coming to your house

Your family is back together

And you start back soccer soon.

Finally, normal seems possible

again.

when he got back from Dallas.

Asked you to come over.

You said no, told him

you had to clean up,

which was half true.

You didn't
have
to,

you
wanted
to,

'cause Mom said

the only way she'd let April

come over

was if you cleaned

the refrigerator,

your bathroom,

and your room,

and organized the closet.

So you limped around

and did just that

happily.

Your mother answers the door,

and you hear April's voice, but

wait: she is not alone. ARGGGH!

Thanks for inviting us, Nick,
April says.

US?

Mom shoots you a look like you knew all these people were coming.

You didn't!

Saida and Maisha

are behind April,

followed by

Annie, Kellie,

and,

get this,

Winnifred.

I can't even imagine living in a dust storm,
says Kellie.
I really felt like I was right there with Billie Jo.

Yeah, me too,
says Saida, '
cause my dad is sad a lot too.

He's sad because he lost his job, Saida,
Maisha says to her sister, and then we're all quiet, 'cause that
is
sad.

Well, I like that Mad Dog likes her,

but why doesn't he just tell her?
Annie says.

You mean like you wish Robbie Howard would tell you?
Kellie giggles.

And that's when you realize you're in a book club

with all girls, which is insane.

April smiles at you.
What do you think, Nick?
she asks.

Just then, your mom comes out

of the kitchen

with a tray of cookies,

and,

get this,

tea, and

now you're sipping tea

with a bunch of girls, and

so glad

that no guys

are here

to see you.

What were you about to say, Nick?

Uh, I was just gonna, uh, say

that I liked it, I guess.

Did you have a favorite part?
she asks.

You know your mom's listening

from the kitchen when you say, Yeah,

on page 205

when Billie Jo

tells her dad,

I can't be my own mother . 
.
 .

At the end of the meeting

Winnifred starts

blabbering

about some book

we
MUST READ NEXT

because

her older sister says

it's hauntingly beautiful

and gut-wrenching

and it's based

on a true story

about boy soldiers

in Sudan

and she gave it

five stars

and
blah blah blah

and April interrupts with:

I think Nicky has a suggestion.

Can we please choose

a book with a boy this time—

Weren't you listening?
Winey interrupts.
It is about a boy.

Preferably in this time period, you continue.

I need a break from history, I'm just sayin'.

Like what?
Winnifred whines.

Like
Peace,
Locomotion,

an epistolary novel, which

means a—

I KNOW WHAT EPISTOLARY MEANS,
she shouts, still frowning.
IT'S A BOOK WRITTEN IN LETTERS.

Great choice,
April says, and winks

at you.

Thanks for hosting the club,
she

says, and hugs you.
Tell your mom

I can't wait for tomorrow.

Huh?

Why'd you go and do that?

I thought you'd like it, Nicky. It'll be fun.

What if I need my crutches? My ankle's still a little sore.

You'll be on a horse—why do you need crutches?

MOM, IT'S NOT FAIR. You can't just be setting up a date for me.

It's not a date. It's just me, you, and April riding horses.

. . .

Well, I like her. She's a nice girl.

Yeah, I know.

I was thinking that for the wedding, we would—

Stop making fun!

What's all the commotion?
Dad says, coming in through the garage.

Well, your eighth grade son is afraid of a girl.

I'm not afraid, Dad. She's just setting up outings and whatnot without my permission.

I'm afraid this is grounds for a family meeting. Meet me in the living room.

We're already in the living room, Dad.

Right! Okay, well, present your case.

You start talking and Dad interrupts—

Ladies first, sir.

Thank you,
Mom says, all prim and proper-like.
Well, I met his girlfriend—

She's not my girlfriend. I object.

So noted,
says Dad.
Carry on, Milady.

I figured he might want to hang with her outside of school, and I thought since he's so good at riding—

Nicholas, are you good at riding?

Dad, this isn't about—

Just answer the question, please.

Yes.

Do you like this April girl?

Uh, I guess.

Yes or no answer, please.

Yeah.

Will you have fun with her?

Probably, but I'm not fully recovered, and—