Chaos Theory: Phase 2

by Nic Stone
In Peachtree Corners, Georgia, high school senior Walter Andrew Criddle struggles to uphold the terms of a signed friendship agreement that outlines how he should support Shelbi Camille Augustine through her troubles.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: April 5–Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, Phase 4–Epilogue
40 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. crotchety
    having a difficult and contrary disposition
    When Andy got home—after being trapped in the car, completely sober, with crotchety Congresswoman Cris Criddle for forty-eight minutes—he read book two in the White Gangsta series, Rich White Chocolate, as a pick-me-up.
  2. bastion
    a stronghold for shelter during a battle
    “You can’t call him that, Mama!” Shelbi yells from somewhere within the recesses of the bastion.
  3. threshold
    the starting point for a new state or experience
    Andy gulps and sticks his hand out like he’s nowhere near the threshold of wetting himself.
  4. immaculate
    without error or flaw
    Her hair is out and big, she’s wearing a billowy strapless dress thing that goes down to her ankles, and she’s barefoot (blue toenails). She looks…immaculate is the word that pops into Andy’s head.
  5. accost
    approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently
    She’d come down to breakfast the previous morning and immediately been accosted: “So Shels, Becky tells me there’s a new boy in your life?”
  6. unfounded
    without a basis in reason or fact
    She knows her dread isn’t totally unfounded: these “family meetings” typically only occur when she’s in trouble.
  7. ideology
    an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group
    I’ll admit I’m still a tad wary about his mama’s ideologies seeping in and poisoning his brain cells—
  8. awry
    away from the correct or expected course
    If we notice anything awry with you, it’s on and poppin’, you hear me?
  9. excursion
    a journey taken for pleasure
    Which means Shelbi will not only be *out* with Walter on their first one-on-one, non-volunteer-nor-exercise excursion since deciding to be friends, she’ll also be introducing him to the only other person their age she has a healthy relationship with.
  10. extremity
    that part of a limb that is farthest from the torso
    Becky. Squeezing the life out of Shelbi now.
    “You scared the crap out of me, I just want you to know,” Shelbi says to her cousin. “Also definitely cutting off the circulation to my lower extremities.”
  11. effusive
    extravagantly demonstrative
    Andy has no doubt that their effusive PDA contributed to the weird, electric-ish thing zipping around and between him and his (gorgeous) not-date.
  12. constituent
    a citizen who is represented in a government by officials
    “Oh, and your constituents. We know you care a whole heck of a lot about them.”
  13. defile
    spot, stain, or pollute
    He was also feeling protective of Emma’s space and felt he needed to stick around just to make sure Monster Mom didn’t defile it in any way.
  14. obscure
    make unclear or less visible
    He’s a full head and some change taller, so it’s not like his view was obscured or anything—he could see right over the top of her.
  15. smorgasbord
    an assortment of foods served as a buffet meal
    But with her that close, he could smell her over the smorgasbord of food fragrances.
  16. backfire
    return with an undesired effect
    Because he had to tell her, right? Showing up like this with no warning certainly doesn’t seem like the thing to do. But neither does not showing up at all. Hopefully the honesty doesn’t backfire.
  17. vendetta
    a blood feud between members of opposing parties
    “Okay, so you remember how I told you the last ‘friend’ I had did a very unfriendly thing?”
    “Sure do. I think it’d be impossible for me to forget considering the vendetta I now have against this mystery person.”
  18. pertinent
    having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand
    I’ll spare you the ugly details, her name included, because I don’t think any of it is pertinent to the story.
  19. naive
    marked by or showing unaffected simplicity
    Well, being a naïve fifteen-year-old who was still getting used to my diagnosis and medications, on top of being at a new school, I kind of ignored it.
  20. resounding
    unmistakable; clearly revealed to the mind or judgment
    If your question is “Will Walter miss me while I’m gone?” the answer is a resounding yes.
  21. strenuous
    characterized by or performed with much energy or force
    They begin a strenuous piloga session as the sun rises.
  22. ornery
    having a difficult and contrary disposition
    She’s still got her bonnet on, which makes her pretty adorable even though she’s clearly real ornery even first thing in the morning.
  23. sequester
    set apart from others
    Once everyone is awake and has eaten, the ladies sequester themselves in Bibi’s bedroom to get ready for the wedding they all came to attend.
  24. lavish
    characterized by extravagance and profusion
    Dr. Augustine tells Andy that Bibi’s sister’s grandson will be joined to his Nigerian American college sweetheart in a lavish, multitraditional ceremony.
  25. dashiki
    a loose and brightly colored African shirt
    Wedding attendees trickle in, literally all of them in brightly colored saris and scarves and tunics and dashikis and kente-print dresses and skirts and head wraps.
  26. potpourri
    a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
    Soon the beach looks like it’s been scattered with a bag of potpourri.
  27. billow
    rise and move, as in waves
    So with the sari billowing and the hair blowing and the smile gleaming as they lock eyes, Andy feels like he’s in a cheesy romantic comedy.
  28. thrall
    the state of being under the control of another person
    The colors and the music and the dancing…she had no idea Walter could move the way he did. Homeboy held everyone in thrall on that reception dance floor, and the wedding was totally dry—not a drop of alcohol in sight—so it was all him.
  29. conglomeration
    combining miscellaneous things into a rounded mass
    Walter seems fascinated, so she continues to move through conglomerations of stars—Ursas Major and Minor, and Leo and Scorpio and Boötes.
  30. initiate
    set in motion, start an event or prepare the way for
    Unfortunately, watching Shelbi wave to him as they pulled off was the last time he felt anything remotely positive because she hasn’t spoken to him much since. And it’s not like he hasn’t tried to initiate.
  31. neutral
    having no personal preference
    He had to admit it to himself then: he, Walter Andrew Criddle, is totally in love with Shelbi Camille Augustine.
    Maybe she could sense it in the messages he sent—even though he thought they were pretty neutral.
  32. retainer
    a fee charged in advance to secure the services of someone
    She and Andy met when Mom was first elected to Congress and on the hunt for “reputable legal counsel to keep on retainer.”
  33. lilting
    characterized by a buoyant rhythm
    “It’s going well, Andy,” Steph replies, and her voice is just as lilting and twangy as he remembers.
  34. wispy
    thin and weak
    Andy can almost see the wispy strands of his comb-over lift in the breeze of the reference as it flies over his head.
  35. concede
    acknowledge defeat
    If she happened to come back to her guests without Andy in tow (and she would), she would have to concede defeat. And Congresswoman Cris Criddle would rather pretend she’s perfectly fine standing inside a burning house than concede defeat.
  36. suppressed
    held in check or kept back with difficulty
    “Sorry I couldn’t come in to get you, by the way. Party settings trigger a number of memories and behaviors I prefer to keep suppressed when I’m in my right mind.”
  37. unprovoked
    occurring without motivation or incitement
    Walter frowns at the thermos like it just kicked him in the shin unprovoked, and Shelbi laughs…again.
  38. dub
    give a nickname to
    The remainder of the drive passes in silence—with Walter occasionally taking large gulps of what he dubs “anti-inebriation awful-juice”—and then they’re parked in Bibi’s driveway and getting out of the car.
  39. capitulate
    surrender under agreed conditions
    And I just capitulated like Mommy’s Little Golden Boy. Even went along with her decision not to tell my dad.
  40. unwieldy
    difficult to use or handle because of size or weight
    That felt big and unwieldy.
    But it was her feelings that scared her. Not his.
Created on Mon Jan 22 10:44:20 EST 2024 (updated Mon Jan 22 16:15:41 EST 2024)

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