Page 49 - SpringBoard_ELA_Grade6_Flipbook

aCTIvITy 1.5
continued
He Said, She Said: Characterization
my Notes
13 Bryce wasn’t really doing much of anything. He was more hanging back, watching his father move boxes onto the liftgate. I remember feeling sorry for Mr. Loski because he looked worn out, moving boxes all by himself. I also remember that he and Bryce were wearing matching turquoise polo shirts, which I thought was really cute. Really nice.
14 When I couldn’t stand it any longer, I called, “Hi!” into the van, which made Bryce jump, and then quick as a cricket, he started pushing a box like he’d been working all along.
15 I could tell from the way Bryce was acting so guilty that he was supposed to be moving boxes, but he was sick of it. He’d probably been moving things for days! It was easy to see that he needed a rest. He needed some juice! Something.
16 It was also easy to see that Mr. Loski wasn’t about to let him quit. He was going to keep on moving boxes around until he collapsed, and by then Bryce might be dead. Dead before he’d had the chance to move in!
17 The tragedy of it catapulted me into the moving van. I had to help! I had to save him!
18 When I got to his side to help him shove a box forward, the poor boy was so exhausted that he just moved aside and let me take over. Mr. Loski didn’t want me to help, but at least I saved Bryce. I’d been in the moving van all of three minutes when his dad sent him off to help his mother unpack things inside the house.
19 I chased Bryce up the walkway, and that’s when everything changed. You see, I caught up to him and grabbed his arm, trying to stop him so maybe we could play a little before he got trapped inside, and the next thing I know he’s holding my hand, looking right into my eyes.
20 My heart stopped. It just stopped beating. And for the first time in my life, I had that feeling. You know, like the world is moving all around you, all beneath you, all inside you, and you’re floating. Floating in midair. And the only thing keeping you from drifting away is the other person’s eyes. They’re connected to yours by some invisible physical force, and they hold you fast while the rest of the world swirls and twirls and falls completely away.
21 I almost got my first kiss that day. I’m sure of it. But then his mother came out the front door and he was so embarrassed that his cheeks turned completely red, and the next thing you know he’s hiding in the bathroom.
22 I was waiting for him to come out when his sister, Lynetta, saw me in the hallway. She seemed big and mature to me, and since she wanted to know what was going on, I told her a little bit about it. I shouldn’t have, though, because she wiggled the bathroom doorknob and started teasing Bryce something fierce. “Hey, baby brother!” she called through the door. “There’s a hot chick out here waiting for you! Whatsa matter? Afraid she’s got cooties?”
22 SpringBoard® English Language Arts Grade 6
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