Danny and Brandon were cut from the baseball team. As their teacher, I thought maybe I could offer something to ease their heartbreak. So I stayed up late and designed a game for my English class.
Before class, I ____1____ Danny listening with focus and imagined Brandon joking but still playing the game. However, within minutes after class started, it fell apart: Danny pressed the buzzer (蜂鸣器) repeatedly and Brandon talked loudly with others while I was trying to ____2____ the game.
I paused and asked, “What’s going on?” I searched the room for a face that looked ____3____. No one met my eyes. When Danny pressed the buzzer again and Brandon laughed, I removed them from class in ____4____. They never knew I had built that game for them.
After class, I decided to talk to them, thinking if I said the right thing, something would ____5____. I said, “I know you can do better. But I can’t want it more than you do.” They laughed, “That’s not our fault.” “You’re acting like losers,” I said. The word ____6____. The air in the room changed. Danny’s laugh dropped. Brandon looked away. As an English teacher, I’ve always known words have ____7____. That day, mine hit harder than I meant.
After they left, I cried because I had said something I didn’t believe-and because for a second, I did. Teaching high school means the students who ____8____ you to the edge are those you care about most.
Several days later, Danny stayed after class. “Do you not like me anymore?” He said ____9____, like it was a joke. But his voice sounded uncertain. “People can have disagreements and still care about each other,” I said. He didn’t respond. But he nodded. It wasn’t an apology. But it was something.
Maybe ____10____ in a classroom doesn’t always look like inspiration. Sometimes it sounds like “You’re acting like losers,” said in defeat-and coming back anyway. Sometimes it sounds like “Do you still like me?” The answer is yes. It has always been yes.