scrunched down in her
seat, trying to be less noticeable. "What did you hear?" she
whispered hoarsely.
"Just that Brian is telling everybody that since he's
the only rider in the teen taxi, the two of you have gotten really well
acquainted. He's making it sound as if something's going on —if you know
what I mean."
"Of course I know what you mean!" Melanie said angrily.
"And it isn't true! And you can tell everybody that I said so!"
Sara shrugged. "Sure," she said, and then she
giggled and turned around.
Melanie could feel tears stinging her eyes and anger welling
up inside her like a volcano ready to blow. She was reaching forward to tap
Sara on the shoulder and give her a large piece of her mind when Mr. Bell
walked out on the stage to begin the assembly.
"Boys and girls," he began, "today we are privileged
to have a very special program. We are going to see a karate demonstration put
on by ten students of Mr. Hayashida's School of Karate, who also happen to be students
right here at Wakeman Junior High."
Mr. Bell paused and there was thunderous applause. Melanie
clapped, too, thinking that most kids would applaud for anything that would get
them out of class. She glanced at her watch, wondering how long the assembly
would last and if Brian would do something weird to embarrass her in front of
the whole school.
A tall, thin Asian man walked to the center of the stage,
where a large mat had been placed, and introduced himself as Mr. Hayashida. He
bowed respectfully to Mr. Bell and then gestured to direct the audience's attention
to ten teenagers, all wearing the traditional white pants and shirts with belts
ranging in color from yellow to brown, who were filing onto the stage. Melanie
recognized all of them, although she only knew three by name. Brian wore a brown
belt. He was the biggest and also the last one in the line, which stopped
behind the mat and then bowed to Mr. Hayashida.
Melanie drew in a deep breath and crossed her fingers for
luck. Then she looked at her watch again. Only two minutes had passed. She
half-listened as Mr. Hayashida explained that karate was a Japanese word
meaning "the empty hand" and that the reason it was called that was
that people who practice karate face the world without any kind of weapon
except for their disciplined minds and their skill. Then he announced that it
was time for the demonstration to begin.
Two boys and a girl came forward and showed the basic
exercises that prepared the students for more advanced moves. Next came a
demonstration on punching techniques, followed by four students who did
incredible kicks. Each time, the students bowed to Mr. Hayashida and then to
the audience before they began, and then they bowed again when they were
finished. While they were going through their routines, Melanie's eyes roamed
around the auditorium. She was too nervous about Brian's performance to be able
to watch the others. What if he wanted her to come up on the stage with him?
What if he asked where she was sitting? She'd be so embarrassed that she'd
probably die.
Finally the moment came that she had been dreading. Mr.
Hayashida bowed to the audience and said, "Now for the most important
moment of our demonstration. You will see an incredible feat of discipline and
skill. Brian Olsen, an advanced brown belt, will demonstrate tameshiwara ,
the ancient art of breaking objects with his bare hands."
A ripple of surprise went through the audience, and Melanie
ducked lower in her seat. Next to her, Christie gave her a sympathetic look and
then reached across and squeezed her hand.
The crowd got quiet as Brian stepped forward and made his
bows. Then he carefully brought the bricks onstage and placed them in two
waist-high columns in front of him. Next he placed two boards across the top.
Melanie held her breath. So far he wasn't doing anything the least bit weird.
In fact, she had never seen such a look of concentration on his face. He
stepped back, holding his arm outstretched
seat, trying to be less noticeable. "What did you hear?" she
whispered hoarsely.
"Just that Brian is telling everybody that since he's
the only rider in the teen taxi, the two of you have gotten really well
acquainted. He's making it sound as if something's going on —if you know
what I mean."
"Of course I know what you mean!" Melanie said angrily.
"And it isn't true! And you can tell everybody that I said so!"
Sara shrugged. "Sure," she said, and then she
giggled and turned around.
Melanie could feel tears stinging her eyes and anger welling
up inside her like a volcano ready to blow. She was reaching forward to tap
Sara on the shoulder and give her a large piece of her mind when Mr. Bell
walked out on the stage to begin the assembly.
"Boys and girls," he began, "today we are privileged
to have a very special program. We are going to see a karate demonstration put
on by ten students of Mr. Hayashida's School of Karate, who also happen to be students
right here at Wakeman Junior High."
Mr. Bell paused and there was thunderous applause. Melanie
clapped, too, thinking that most kids would applaud for anything that would get
them out of class. She glanced at her watch, wondering how long the assembly
would last and if Brian would do something weird to embarrass her in front of
the whole school.
A tall, thin Asian man walked to the center of the stage,
where a large mat had been placed, and introduced himself as Mr. Hayashida. He
bowed respectfully to Mr. Bell and then gestured to direct the audience's attention
to ten teenagers, all wearing the traditional white pants and shirts with belts
ranging in color from yellow to brown, who were filing onto the stage. Melanie
recognized all of them, although she only knew three by name. Brian wore a brown
belt. He was the biggest and also the last one in the line, which stopped
behind the mat and then bowed to Mr. Hayashida.
Melanie drew in a deep breath and crossed her fingers for
luck. Then she looked at her watch again. Only two minutes had passed. She
half-listened as Mr. Hayashida explained that karate was a Japanese word
meaning "the empty hand" and that the reason it was called that was
that people who practice karate face the world without any kind of weapon
except for their disciplined minds and their skill. Then he announced that it
was time for the demonstration to begin.
Two boys and a girl came forward and showed the basic
exercises that prepared the students for more advanced moves. Next came a
demonstration on punching techniques, followed by four students who did
incredible kicks. Each time, the students bowed to Mr. Hayashida and then to
the audience before they began, and then they bowed again when they were
finished. While they were going through their routines, Melanie's eyes roamed
around the auditorium. She was too nervous about Brian's performance to be able
to watch the others. What if he wanted her to come up on the stage with him?
What if he asked where she was sitting? She'd be so embarrassed that she'd
probably die.
Finally the moment came that she had been dreading. Mr.
Hayashida bowed to the audience and said, "Now for the most important
moment of our demonstration. You will see an incredible feat of discipline and
skill. Brian Olsen, an advanced brown belt, will demonstrate tameshiwara ,
the ancient art of breaking objects with his bare hands."
A ripple of surprise went through the audience, and Melanie
ducked lower in her seat. Next to her, Christie gave her a sympathetic look and
then reached across and squeezed her hand.
The crowd got quiet as Brian stepped forward and made his
bows. Then he carefully brought the bricks onstage and placed them in two
waist-high columns in front of him. Next he placed two boards across the top.
Melanie held her breath. So far he wasn't doing anything the least bit weird.
In fact, she had never seen such a look of concentration on his face. He
stepped back, holding his arm outstretched
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