spoiler alert: (in a discussion or review of a film, book, television drama, etc.) a warning that an important detail of the plot development is about to be revealed.

vacate: leave. vacate the room

She’s into all that astrology crap.

horoscope: a forecast of a person’s future, typically including a delineation of character and circumstances, based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of that person’s birth.

yield: produce or provide (a natural, agricultural, or industrial product).

get someone to buy in: acceptance of and willingness to actively support and participate in something (such as a proposed new plan or policy) Without buy-in from his troops.

verbatim: word by word; being in or following the exact words.

pitch in: vigorously join in to help with a task or activity.

pervy: If you’re privy to something, you’ve been let in on a secret or know about something that most people don’t.

disrobe: take off one’s clothes.

Cologne, a 2,000-year-old city spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, is the region’s cultural hub.

come off: (of a person) appear or sound in a specified way; give a specified impression.

stalker: to follow and/or spy on someone you have feelings for.

detour: a long or roundabout route that is taken to avoid something or to visit somewhere along the way.

conundrum: a confusing and difficult problem or question.

pocket: to take something for yourself, especially dishonestly. pocket the money.

Hair has been tamed.

Duct tape has now become multipurpose and is used for general sealing, patching holes, packing boxes and repairs. Some duct tape can also stick to rough and uneven indoor and outdoor surfaces such as wood, stone, plaster, brick and metal.

orientation: position; the determination of the relative position of something or someone (especially oneself).

Forensic scientists use analytical and scientific techniques to examine evidence from crimes and prepare legal statements that summarise the results for court cases. 

slack off: to do something with less effort or energy than before.

nag: harass; badger; annoy or irritate (a person) with persistent fault-finding or continuous urging.

warrant: justify or necessitate (a certain course of action).

panhandle: beg in the street.

emaciated: abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food.

dial up the sympathy: increase sympathy.

seize the day: To enjoy the present and not worry about the future; to live for the moment.

wordsmith: a skilled user of words.

sign your cast: to a “cast” worn on a broken arm or leg.

sag: to droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness.

Her smile sags a bit, and she walks off.

ponder: think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion.

fidget: the condition or an instance of being nervously restless, uneasy, or impatient. shift and fidget

bold: (of a color or design) having a strong or vivid appearance.

casual stance: relaxed posture.

Hanging around requires confidence and the right clothing and a bold but casual stance.

keep my back to everything: to not go near something, or to prevent someone or something from going past a particular place.

A jock is a young man who is enthusiastic about a particular sport and spends a lot of time playing it.

make a pit stop: a short stop that you make during a long car journey in order to rest and eat.

carry around: to hold something or someone with your hands, arms, or on your back and transport it, him, or her from one place to another.

sparkler: a handheld firework that emits sparks.

precalc: a course, or a set of courses, that includes algebra and trigonometry at a level which is designed to prepare students for the study of calculus.

incessantly: without interruption; constantly.

gigantic: extremely large.

committed: feeling dedication and loyalty to a cause, activity, or job; wholeheartedly dedicated. a committed smile

wavering: becoming weaker; faltering.

have a history: to be well known for doing something because you have often done it in the past.

mitzvah: refers to a commandment commanded by God to be performed as a religious duty.

The acorn, or oaknut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives.

Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. 

ranger: a keeper of a park, forest, or area of countryside.

pathetic

bunk: sleep in a narrow berth or improvised bed, typically in shared quarters as a temporary arrangement.

capture the flag: a game in which two teams each hide a colored cloth, representing the team’s flag, and then try to find the other team’s flag and return with it to their home base.

pull off: succeed in achieving or winning something difficult.

beach bum: a person who loafs on or around a beach.

decent: of an acceptable standard; satisfactory.

claim/stake a spot: If you stake a claim to something, you say or show that you have a right to it and that it should belong to you.

I tend to claim a spot at a forgotten corner table with the other randoms, force-feeding myself the SunButter and jelly sandwich I’ve packed in my bag every day for a decade.

shroud: covering; a thing that envelops or obscures something.

cringe: bend one’s head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner.

thud: a dull, heavy sound, such as that made by an object falling to the ground.

permafrost: everfroast.

petrified: so frightened that one is unable to move; terrified.

weigh down: to make it difficult for someone or something to move by giving that person or thing a heavy load to carry.

sweep/carry/ knock off someone’s feet: overwhelm someone emotionally; infatuate someone; make a very favorable impression on someone. 

storm off: to leave somewhere angrily.

I sit up and lift my hands off the floor, the dust from so many sneakers clinging to my moist palms.

psychopath: persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits.

messing/fooling around: to behave in a silly and annoying way, especially instead of doing something useful.

She lets out a laugh.

overt: done or shown publicly or in an obvious way and not secret.

strap: a strip of leather, cloth, or other flexible material, used to fasten, secure, or carry something or to hold on to something.

I’ve watched her perform many times since. I’ve studied her. I know her guitar is eggshell blue. Her strap has lightning bolts on it and the cuffs of her jeans are covered in stars scribbled in pen. She taps her right foot when she plays and keeps her eyes shut tight, and this sort of half smile forms on her face.

atrocious: of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant.

I took not only flattened my already-thin ego but also my loyal SunButter and jelly sandwich.

Summer brought a new routine, and writing those letters just wasn’t part of it.

session: a period devoted to a particular activity.

Fantasies always sound good, but they’re no help when reality comes and shoves you to the ground. When it trips up your tongue and traps the right words in your head. When it leaves you to eat lunch by yourself.

squander: waste. squander the moment.

seep: (of a liquid) flow or leak slowly through porous material or small holes.

As I was writing it and as I was sending it to the printer, no hesitation, just one fluid motion.

flinch: make a quick, nervous movement as an instinctive reaction to fear, pain, or surprise.

scrawny: (of a person or animal) unattractively thin and bony.

Voilà: see!, look!

He spits the cap into his hand, slides it back onto the tip, and hands over the marker.

take (something) in one’s stride: to deal with (something difficult or upsetting) in a calm way.

menacing: suggesting the presence of danger; threatening.

stalk out: to leave (some place) in a haughty, stiff, or threatening manner.

weedwacker: A portable power tool used for cutting weeds and trimming lawn edges, consisting of a long handle and a motor that spins a short length of nylon string at high speeds.

curb: restraint.

squad: a small group of people having a particular task.

vague: of uncertain, indefinite.

All the days that were already an effort to get through become even more of a slog.

slog: a struggle.

sociopath: Individuals with antisocial personality disorder break rules, lack empathy, tend to show no remorse, and may even appear to enjoy manipulating other people.

aisle: a passage between rows of seats in a building such as a church or theatre, an aircraft, or train.

slink down: to move or act in a furtive or cringing manner from or as if from fear, guilt, etc.

lumber: move in a slow, heavy, awkward way. The bus lumbers forward.

execution: a putting to death especially as a legal penalty.

maniacal: exhibiting extremely wild or violent behaviour.

gawk: stare openly and stupidly.

unscathed: without suffering any injury, damage, or harm.

anticipation: prediction

Narcissistic personality disorder is a mental health condition in which people have an unreasonably high sense of their own importance.

nemesis: enemy.

varsity: a team represent a college or university.

repulsed: causes you to have a strong feeling of dislike, disapproval, or disgust.

physique: fitness of body.

dodge one bullet : to have a narrow escape; to avoid injury, disaster, or some other undesirable situation.

Lockdown drill means a drill in which the occupants of a building are restricted to the interior of the building and the building is secured.

elimination: the complete removal or destruction of something.

heinous: extremely bad or evil.

heed: pay attention to; take notice of. heed the warning, heed the advice.

fend off: prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening.

cumulative: increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions.

humiliate: make (someone) feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity and pride.

oblivion: the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening around one.

blown out of proportion: to make something seem more important or serious than it really is.

outcast a person who has been rejected or ostracized by their society or social group.

asylum: A sanctuary, as a temple, where criminals, debtors, etc. were safe from arrest.

amp up: to make something stronger, more extreme, or more exciting.

confide in: to share a secret with; to talk of sensitive and personal issues with (someone).

bode well: to show or suggest that future developments or events will be good or favorable.

batshit: completely mad or crazy.

classy: stylish and sophisticated.

gorgeous: beautiful; very attractive.

provocative: intended or intending to arouse sexual desire or interest.

The National Parks Service, for example, employs park rangers who serve as certified law enforcement officers.

Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study.

pitch-dark: completely dark.

hunker down: to lower the body to the ground by bending the legs.

out and about: engaging in normal activity after an illness.