Popcorn: Chapters 7–8

by Rob Harrell
Anxious, lanky, middle schooler Andrew Yeager experiences his worst nightmare, a full-blown panic attack in front of his classmates, after encountering many misfortunes on the same school day. Friendship, humility, and humor help Andrew cope with his very difficult day, which ultimately results in freedom from a longtime bully, and receives the compassion of his peers.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–8, Chapters 9–10, Chapters 11–12, Chapters 13–14, Chapters 15–16,
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. kernel
    the inner and usually edible part of a seed, grain, or nut
    Anyway, here’s how anxiety feels. For me, at least:
    Imagine you’re a kernel of popcorn.
  2. devastating
    physically or spiritually destructive
    Honestly, the panic attacks I had were horrible and scary and messy and teary and devastating, and…No thank you. Having one of those at school would be a Very Worst Nightmare Scenario.
  3. scenario
    a postulated sequence of possible events
    Honestly, the panic attacks I had were horrible and scary and messy and teary and devastating, and…No thank you. Having one of those at school would be a Very Worst Nightmare Scenario.
  4. persona
    an image of oneself that one presents to the world
    I like Nurse Finnegan. I had to wait for my mom here once when I came down with a stomach bug, and even feeling barfy with a bucket in my lap, waiting with her was kind of fun. She seems like there’s a cool big sister hidden just under her nurse persona.
  5. ajar
    slightly open
    “Whoops. Sorry.” He laughs a little, awkwardly. “The door was ajar, so I didn’t think you had anyone—” He looks back at me, and I see him take in the bloody clothes, the icepack—all of it.
    “Wow. Andrew? You okay?” He sounds genuinely concerned. Mr. Kellerman is hands down the coolest, funniest teacher in the school.
  6. prognosis
    a prediction of the course of a disease
    Of course, when I open the gym door, everyone stops and turns. Coach Shephard has a basketball under his arm as he yells out, “Hey hey!! Yaeger lives! What’s the prognosis?”
    I yell back, just loud enough to be heard, “Just…she said to change clothes and…head back down there. More ice.”
  7. lurch
    move abruptly
    She’s still looking at me. “You keep tapping your finger. You’ve done it a bunch of times.”
    My heart lurches in my chest. I’m usually pretty good about hiding that. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it. “It’s just a thing. A thing I do.”
  8. abstract
    not representing or imitating external reality
    I knew she was watching me closely—like a brain detective. I looked around the room as I thought of how best to answer that. It was decorated tastefully, as my mom would say. Big leafy plant. Abstract print over the couch. Box of Kleenex at arm’s reach in case I started bawling.
  9. bawl
    cry loudly
    I knew she was watching me closely—like a brain detective. I looked around the room as I thought of how best to answer that. It was decorated tastefully, as my mom would say. Big leafy plant. Abstract print over the couch. Box of Kleenex at arm’s reach in case I started bawling.
  10. mercifully
    in a compassionate or fortunate manner
    “Oh, I hadn’t noticed!” She hopped up and grabbed a tissue and took care of it. Her eyebrows went up when she looked at me. “Better?” And mercifully, it was. The frame was straight. She looked down into the tissue and laughed. “Ah. Part of an Oreo. A client yesterday had her toddler with her. She was eating cookies and moving my stuff all around. Thanks for catching that.”
  11. dissect
    analyze by breaking down into components
    My eyes must have reacted, because she let out a silent laugh. “Everybody thinks I’m testing them. I hear it from all my new patients. How they feel like they’re a bug being studied. Analyzed. Dissected. But it’s really not like that.”
  12. taper
    diminish gradually
    “So…you know…it stinks. I worry all the time that I’m gonna freak out again, especially while I’m at…”
    I tapered off and tapped my finger five times on the armrest.
  13. sprawl
    sit or lie with one's limbs spread out
    “While I’m at school. I can’t…I can’t even imagine that. Don’t want to.” A Panic Attack at School was now my Number One Biggest Fear in the Universe. Still is. In my mind it looks like me sprawled on the floor crying and squirming around and who knows—maybe I pee myself—and the entire school laughing and pointing at me.
  14. sophisticated
    complex or intricate
    She’d stopped writing and was looking right at me. Completely still, like she was thinking.
    “Does that make me weird?”
    She shook her head. “Nope. Not at all. I’d say you have a pretty sophisticated take on the whole thing.”
  15. therapy
    the act of providing treatment for an illness or disorder
    But she said I’d done great. It was a great start.
    That’s when we called my mom in.
    For a while, it was just them talking about how therapy works. Dr. Cain said there might be times when my mom would join us, and times by myself.
  16. crisis
    an unstable situation of extreme danger or difficulty
    As we walked to the car, I actually did feel a tiny bit better. It felt like something had begun. It must be how people feel in a crisis when they know the paramedics are on their way.
  17. paramedic
    a person trained to give emergency medical treatment
    As we walked to the car, I actually did feel a tiny bit better. It felt like something had begun. It must be how people feel in a crisis when they know the paramedics are on their way.
  18. rogue
    unusually large, unpredictable, and destructive
    “Seriously, what happened?” She leans in to get a better look at my eye.
    I sigh. “A rogue basketball happened.”
    “Wait.” She sits back again. “That was YOU?? I heard some kid got nailed in the face in gym and had to…How? A basketball??..."
  19. gig
    a job, especially a temporary job
    “Hello, Ms. Bayer,” Mr. Espinosa says in a bright, cheerful voice. He’s our slightly round, friendly, overly polite principal. He’s just this year bumped up to principal from assistant principal and he’s very enthusiastic about the new gig.
  20. intervention
    care provided to improve a situation
    “Hello, Andrew. I’m genuinely sorry to bother you in class, but the events of earlier today were brought to my attention, and I felt the situation required an immediate intervention.” This is how he talks, I swear.
  21. nonexistent
    not having being or actuality
    “Okay. So…” The principal puts his warm, damp hand on my shoulder. “We’ve discussed this, Andrew, and we’ve left messages with both your and Gene’s parents, as neither answered. We’ve explained that Gene here will be purchasing a new shirt for you. A replacement. The same shirt, Gene. Are we clear?”
    Gene stares off down the hall and gives an almost nonexistent nod.
  22. commensurate
    corresponding in size or degree or extent
    Mr. Espinosa seems pleased. “There will also be a commensurate punishment—although I haven’t yet decided quite what that will be. I’ll inform you by the end of the day, Gene.”
  23. transpire
    come about, happen, or occur
    “Thank you, Andrew. I’m so terribly sorry this all transpired.” Seriously, he said “transpired.” “Gene, I’ll be escorting you back to your class now. And then I’m trying your dad again.”
    I could swear I see Gene wince at that.
  24. intent
    giving or marked by complete attention to
    Five seconds later, I’m back in my seat and I can feel the eyes of the class on me.
    My eyes would be on me too. I sit back, cross my arms, and stare straight forward—intent on looking at nothing and no one.
  25. riveting
    capable of arousing and holding the attention
    Finally, after ten minutes of riveting political talk, I chance a glance over at Jonesy. She’s looking right at me and has the paper from a straw crumpled up and hanging from one nostril. And she’s making this face she makes where she lets one eye go partly cross-eyed.
    I can’t help it—it gets a laugh out of me.
Created on Sun Apr 06 12:49:41 EDT 2025 (updated Mon Apr 14 14:01:21 EDT 2025)

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