In her latest YA release, Mary Pascual explores what it would be like to grow up in a family that is able to look into the future at will through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Naya, whose biggest dream is to break the family’s artistic mold and become a doctor.
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Walk The Web Lightly by Mary Pascual, which is out May 7th 2024.
Naya’s family cares deeply about their art, their traditions, and most importantly, their secret ability to see time. She’s expected to carry on the family business making art and clothes, but what she really wants more than anything is to become a doctor.
When a chance to go to a medical science camp arises, her grandmother gives her a challenge: if she can complete her soul wrap before camp begins, she can go; otherwise, she has to give up her science dreams forever. Naya is sure she can win–but she doesn’t know there’s someone outside the family influencing events and willing to do anything to uncover their secrets.
Chapter 14
Short Shorts was out of school with the flu. Marisol and Sarai had gone by her house with her homework, and her mother said it would be at least a week before she would be back. A vicious rumor spread that Short Shorts had been poisoned. Naya only half paid attention to the gossip, as ridiculous as usual. It wasn’t until Sylvia made sure to talk about it near Naya’s locker that the full weight of the rumor hit her.
“I’m not saying it was on purpose. I mean, food poisoning can happen anywhere when you’re not . . . hygienic. It’s a wonder we aren’t all sick!” Sylvia looked around before adding in a stage whisper, “It just seems kind of suspicious to me. Holding an event like that? Great way to take out your competition.”
Shock coursed through Naya. What? The rumor was Short Shorts had been poisoned at the Spring Tea? They would never poison anyone, accidentally or otherwise! Wait, was Sylvia saying they were dirty?!
Her head shot around, and she gaped at Sylvia. The girls were laughing. At her. At Short Shorts. But worse yet, a number of other kids were giving Naya suspicious looks.
Her cheeks burned like fire.
“But, you know, maybe it will do some good, help Short Shorts lose some weight,” Sylvia snarked.
The shock turned into an anger so thick, Naya’s vision blurred. The lines popped into focus automatically, and she battled through the images and a narrow tunnel of black until she found Sylvia’s sly face. “You’re just jealous!”
Heads turned in the hall at her shout.
“Just because she looked better than you, doesn’t mean you have to be such a rotten bitch!”
Sylvia’s face pinched tight with anger, but she smirked at Naya. “You would try to deny it. It was your house, after all.” Then she snickered with her friends.
Naya started to stomp off, then whirled back. “You know what? I’d be real careful of rabbits if I were you!” she hissed.
The confused looks on the girls’ faces was worth it.
###
She was still mad when she got home. Naya walked into the kitchen and threw her backpack on the table. She tried hard not to, but she knew she was pouting a little. She could feel the corners of her mouth turned down, felt the tightness in her jaw. It was stupid, really. There wasn’t an ounce of truth in what Sylvia had said! Clients had called after the tea, and no one had gotten sick. She shouldn’t get so upset.
But she was upset. She was furious! And . . . and offended! For herself. For her family. For Short Shorts. She’d never thought Sylvia was that smart, but somehow she’d come up with a rumor Naya couldn’t escape. Either they had poisoned Short Shorts on purpose, or it was an accident because they were dirty! Even if Short Shorts denied it when she got back to school, Naya knew Sylvia would twist it.
Mama walked in with an armful of fabric. Grandmother must be using the table downstairs, so Mama needed to cut her pattern in the kitchen.
Naya buried her face in the fridge. She could tell Mama. Then Mama would tell Grandmother, and Grandmother would tell Portia, and then Sylvia would probably get in trouble. Her chest ached to tell someone.
But she wasn’t sure she wanted Mama to know. She was still trying to wrap her head around the meanness, decide how she felt about it, whether it was worth talking about. Would repeating it out loud make her feel better? Or would she just be passing on the hurt?
And . . . somehow . . . she also felt ashamed. As if she had done something, something to make people think she was dirty or would poison her friends. Sylvia’s comments churned in her gut. What if other people saw her as the type of person who would do stuff like that? What did they see that she couldn’t see?
Also . . . there was what Mama had said, about her being young. Did other people think she was immature too? How do you fix something if you don’t know where it’s broken? She leaned farther into the fridge, hoping Mama would finish her cutting quickly.
Mama could tell, of course. She always could tell. She had a way of listening to silence the way other people listened to conversations. “What’s going on, my love?”
It’s because she worries so much, Naya thought miserably. Every bad thing that could happen is already in her head. Well, maybe not this one.
“Nothing.”
“It doesn’t sound like nothing. Was someone mean at school?”
Damn it! How did she know?
Mama’s warm embrace wrapped around Naya from behind. She turned and hugged her back. Mama’s hugs felt like the whole world was glowing, a warm bubble where all the bad stuff got just a little less . . . bad. For a minute, Naya let the day fall away, like she was five years old again with a skinned knee, like she could tell Mama anything. The story trembled on the tip of her tongue.
Then Naya stiffened. She wasn’t a little kid anymore, and she didn’t want to be treated like one! She needed to figure things out on her own.
She pulled away abruptly. “I’ve got homework,” she muttered, and rushed to her room.
