Red Flags and Butterflies: Chapters 17–22

by Sheryl Azzam
Tenth-grader Lexie is applying to a fine arts high school, but her unsupportive father and a confusing new relationship leave her searching for a way to make everyone else happy at the cost of her own dreams.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1–7, Chapters 8–16, Chapters 17–22, Chapters 23–31, Chapters 32–41
15 words 9 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. preoccupation
    the mental state of being obsessed by something
    “His name is Maverick. Remember him? I’m pretty sure it was you that had a hand in creating the preoccupation you claim I’m stuck in.”
  2. tousle
    disarrange or rumple; dishevel
    Using her fingers, she tousles my hair.
  3. sodden
    wet through and through; thoroughly wet
    My butterflies, their wings sodden, flap clumsily about.
  4. sidle
    move unobtrusively or furtively
    Zara sidles up next to Nate.
  5. pronto
    in a punctual manner
    “I’ve been looking for you two everywhere. We have to go. And Nate, you need to move your car, pronto.”
  6. divot
    a small dent, hollow, or depression in a surface
    His words drop from his lips like stones, their weight practically makes divots in the snow.
  7. vicariously
    indirectly, as, by, or through a substitute
    She was the one who said she was going to live vicariously through me, so why can’t she be happy for me?
  8. awry
    away from the correct or expected course
    She hates it when her carefully made plans go awry.
  9. delectable
    extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
    I have to admit that my stomach grumbles at all the delectable smells.
  10. legitimate
    in accordance with accepted standards or principles
    The perfect candidate showed up for the job, a guy who has a legitimate plumber’s license, and Dad didn’t like his professional opinion?
  11. stark
    complete or extreme
    His eyes take on a stark darkness.
  12. contempt
    open disrespect for a person or thing
    If his words were liquid, I’d be able to catch the contempt that dripped from them.
  13. taint
    contaminate with a disease or microorganism
    Happy memories of better, easier times with Dad come at me in pieces, but the last thing he said to me erases it all. Taints it.
  14. reiterate
    say, state, or perform again
    I heard her on the phone just now, talking to Dad, reiterating over and over that I was fine, that I’d rode around on the bus, that I was entitled to the way I was feeling, and to please just give me a bit of time.
  15. insistent
    repetitive and persistent
    “He’s pretty insistent.”
Created on Wed Feb 25 08:35:33 EST 2026 (updated Fri Mar 20 17:19:50 EDT 2026)

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