Forever Is Now: Part II

by Mariama J. Lockington
Worrying about all the possible things that could happen, sixteen-year-old Sadie Dixon has difficulty leaving her house in Oakland, California, especially after she witnesses a violent injustice.

Here are links to our lists for the novel-in-verse: Part I, Part II, Part III
40 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. ruffle
    disturb the smoothness of
    I smile and ruffle Charlie’s mop of curls.
  2. assumption
    a statement that is held to be true
    Jackson and I haven’t really interacted since
    I followed him back on Ruckus,
    but I don’t like how Mom is making assumptions about him—
    calling him “strange” and all that.
  3. pensive
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    We don’t even know him,
    but I can tell, somehow, that there’s more to
    uncover with him.
    That maybe, like me, people underestimate him
    because he’s quiet, pensive
    but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
  4. viscous
    having a relatively high resistance to flow
    oh, night
    please do not let me fade away
    sometimes I feel more like an inkblot
    than a girl
    all my limbs viscous and heavy
    my memories seeping
    into one-dimensional half dreams
  5. superimpose
    place on top of
    I’ve never read one of my poems LIVE like that.
    Sure, I read my work out loud to other students
    in workshops at the WRITE! Center, to Evan
    or superimposed my edited words over a video with images
    but I’ve never shown my face like that.
  6. tentative
    hesitant or lacking confidence; unsettled in mind or opinion
    Jackson tilts his head in the direction of the fence and his yard
    I take a few tentative steps and peer over.
  7. endurance
    the power to withstand hardship or stress
    Now that we live somewhere
    with a mild climate, I can camp outside year-round.
    Build up endurance, you know? Prepare
    for what it’s going to be like out there on my own.
  8. vicariously
    indirectly, as, by, or through a substitute
    I’m not a “venture into the great outdoors” kind of girl.
    I’m more of a “bring me back a gift and take lots of pictures” girl
    A “live vicariously through you” kind of girl.
  9. feign
    give a false appearance of
    Is this the “errand” you had to run?
    I thought that was code for one of your little dates.

    Evan feigns offense.
    Why they gotta be “little” dates?
  10. righteous
    characterized by accepted standards of morality or justice
    But I do know that my anger is righteous and that
    I can’t sit around and do nothing.
  11. intercept
    seize, interrupt, or stop something on its way
    But instead of a delivery person,
    Jackson is standing there holding the pizza.

    Hey, he says.
    I intercepted the delivery person.
  12. nonplussed
    filled with bewilderment
    Hey, Jackson, Charlie says, nonplussed
    as he grabs the pizza box
    sets it on the table and grabs a huge slice.
  13. mortified
    made to feel uncomfortable because of shame or wounded pride
    Once I get to know you better, we need
    to talk about your Ruckus presence.

    I am mortified, but Jackson just shrugs.
  14. thrive
    make steady progress
    Our generation THRIVES on social,
    you must join us in this century.
  15. in earnest
    in a serious manner
    Charlie is flipping through pictures on his phone,
    showing Jackson dishes he’s made so far at camp.

    And Jackson is nodding in earnest,
    asking questions about flavors and egging him on to see more.
  16. inevitably
    in such a manner as could not be otherwise
    Every dish I put away
    as she watched me
    I made sure to let fall roughly
    into the cabinet.
    Each fork I picked up
    I thrust into the drawer and let it rattle.
    And when I inevitably broke a bowl
    that was it.
  17. oblige
    provide a service or favor for someone
    JUST SEND ME BACK WHERE I BELONG.
    I LOVE MY ROOM.
    HAPPY TO OBLIGE.
  18. ravenous
    extremely hungry
    All day—a beast had been inside of me
    growling and growing hungry—
    irritable and ravenous for comfort.
  19. tempest
    a violent commotion or disturbance
    Our beautiful, sunlit house
    transformed into a tempest of bad moods.
  20. intact
    undamaged in any way
    a dream where
    my limbs stop working
    where my eyelids go heavy
    droopy
    where I lose all function
    and strength
    but my will
    my will is intact.
  21. lucid
    having a clear mind
    Nobody ever talks about
    how dreams can cause
    physical hurt.
    How they can mirror
    the panic
    of lucid hours.
  22. ideal
    model of excellence or perfection of a kind
    Perfectionism is rooted in white supremacy,
    and it’s an ideal that is set up to
    make us—Black people especially—
    feel like we will never be
    good enough
    productive enough
    rich enough, etc.
  23. confront
    deal with head on
    I have to confront the steps.
    The nine steep steps down from the front door
    into our street lined with thin sidewalks
    crammed with cars parallel parked
    this way and that.
  24. buffer
    someone who shields you from something harmful or annoying
    I’m not sure I can do it again, without them.
    Charlie and Evan were like a buffer—together
    for the ten minutes it took to get around the block
    we were invincible.
  25. straddle
    sit or stand astride of
    My sight clears, and I see that it’s Jackson.
    Standing in the open doorway of our garage,
    straddling his bike, backpack slung over his shoulder.
  26. banter
    converse in a playful or teasing way
    Are we bantering?
    Are we flirting?
    What is happening?!
  27. palpitate
    beat rapidly
    A palpitating heartbeat
    nausea that makes me so dizzy
    doing anything but lying still is hard.
  28. a cappella
    without musical accompaniment
    But I, um, I love to sing and write songs—so I thought I’d share a song I wrote. Is that cool? It will just be a cappella, I don’t have like an accompaniment—
  29. intricate
    having many complexly arranged elements; elaborate
    After Bella, we hear from Jax from Portland
    who shows us an intricate peplum sweater they are knitting
    out of fine mint-green wool yarn, and their fingers fly
    as they explain that each stitch is a promise of warmth
    of a garment that will hug them close
    make them feel secure.
  30. casual
    appropriate for ordinary or routine occasions
    The dress code is casual! Charlie yells.
  31. queasy
    causing or able to cause nausea
    My head whirring whirring whirring
    with that familiar, queasy hum.
  32. funk
    a state of nervous depression
    The funk of the weekend has blurred
    into a new week.
    It’s the last Tuesday in June.
    Charlie is still mad-ish
    But speaking to me a little.
  33. downplay
    understate the importance or quality of
    It’s your experience—Jackson—
    your truth.
    You don’t have to downplay
    how not knowing where or who
    you come from
    has affected you.
  34. withdrawn
    tending to be reserved, quiet, or introspective
    Jackson’s face is blank—
    or is it withdrawn?
    I’ve seen more emotion from a rock.
  35. brooding
    deeply or seriously thoughtful
    Jackson’s face betrays him just a little
    as he swallows hard
    something dark and brooding
    flashing through his eyes.
  36. lanky
    tall and thin and having long slender limbs
    Mr. Sweet is your stereotypical
    tall, lanky white man with deep brown eyes
    a crew-cut haircut.
  37. noble
    having high or elevated character
    Jackson, just eat the steak.
    The cow is already dead. You’re not being noble
  38. delicate
    exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing
    Charlie is bringing out the dessert he made:
    a blackberry cream cheese lemon cake roll, made of delicate sponge
    rolled into a pinwheel and dusted with powdered sugar.
  39. truffle
    a highly prized edible subterranean fungus
    Well, you’re in for a treat.
    Come on, let’s make some truffle popcorn.
  40. elaborate
    add details to clarify an idea
    I know I should ask him
    to elaborate more about his #notallcops stance.
Created on Wed Mar 20 08:56:51 EDT 2024 (updated Wed Mar 20 15:22:44 EDT 2024)

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