One of the Boys: Part II

by Victoria Zeller
A lot has changed for Grace Woodhouse, a star kicker for her high school football team, since she came out as trans. Her senior year is a new start, and Grace forges a new path to unite her past and present.

Here are links to our lists for the book:

Part I, Part II, Part III.
15 words 12 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. mullet
    hairstyle that is long at the back but short on the top
    Scotty Bowen, who wore a beret over his freshly trimmed mullet for the occasion, painted what looked like a Mardi Gras parade, which, hey, at least he had the spirit.
  2. Mardi Gras
    a carnival held in some countries on Shrove Tuesday
    Scotty Bowen, who wore a beret over his freshly trimmed mullet for the occasion, painted what looked like a Mardi Gras parade, which, hey, at least he had the spirit.
  3. subtext
    a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
    I hoped she understood the subtext there, that the last thing I needed was guys like Calvin Reagor thinking I was different.
  4. icebreaker
    an initial activity to relax a tense or formal atmosphere
    “I play soccer and softball. I like to work on cars. I think icebreakers should be classified as a crime against humanity under the Geneva Convention.”
  5. inductee
    a person admitted into an organization or social group
    A first-ballot inductee to the Pro Feelingsball Hall of Fame, he was.
  6. precariously
    in a manner affording no ease or reassurance
    Around me, North Pageland’s old houses leaned precariously like they always did, the wind rattling their shutters.
  7. illustrious
    widely known and esteemed
    “You’re telling me the illustrious Dray Fulton, star quarterback of the Pageland High Druids, has a secret boyfriend? And this secret boyfriend doesn’t want to associate with him in public?”
  8. fathom
    come to understand
    The problem was that none of them knew what it was like to be me, couldn’t fathom how hard it would be for a trans person to play college football.
  9. monotony
    the quality of wearisome constancy and lack of variety
    Monday brought the beginning of Homecoming Week, which plowed through the monotony of October...
  10. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
    Monday film study was all hushed playoff speculation, running through the various scenarios (assuming we clinched the 1-seed against Hutch Tech) in between Rutkowski’s cries for us to shut the hell up.
  11. periphery
    the outside boundary or surface of something
    I hung on the periphery while everyone talked Bonfire Night and HoCo plans before festivities migrated outside, where we ate hot dogs off the grill and the guys organized a game of touch football under fluorescent lights.
  12. concede
    admit or acknowledge, often reluctantly
    She’s curled up in a chair with a big shaggy blanket; you concede that she looks cozy.
  13. scrutinize
    look at critically or searchingly, or in minute detail
    I parked Lorraine halfway down the block, took a deep breath, and flipped the visor mirror down to scrutinize my makeup.
  14. understated
    exhibiting restraint, especially in regards to taste
    I’d run home after the school bonfire to clean up, and I’d opted for a basic look: understated red lip, a flannel shirt under my denim jacket, my favorite jeans.
  15. unassailable
    without flaws or loopholes
    Say whatever you want about Ahmed Nassar, but his hug game was unassailable.
Created on Tue Mar 17 05:54:37 EDT 2026 (updated Thu Apr 23 19:25:35 EDT 2026)

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