BEHIND THE FACE
Joni Kuo 1
Words Checked: 2194 Words in Oxford 3000: 96%
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Author’s Note Joni Kuo is the author of the book, Behind The Face. This is her first novel. She wrote this novel when she was in the fourth year of college. The story is talking about a girl, whose facial expression is always pale and bland. However, she is a nice and warm-hearted girl. Facial expressions don’t always reveal everything about a person.
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Synopsis
Amber is a girl who always shows shadow on her face. gloomy and pale.
She looks
Her classmates
are all afraid of her and no one wants to make friends with her. Therefore, she is lonely and has no contact with others.
However, she
gets a chance to change herself. Her school life is no longer miserable
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Contents 1. A Senior High Freshman
1
2. Amber Volunteers to be Ghost
6
3. A Small Talk with Ryan
14
4. Someone Wants to Harm Amber
21
5. The Halloween Party
25
Acknowledgement
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1. A Senior High Freshman Amber is a sixteen-year-old senior high school freshman.
In
general, teenagers usually look youthful and active, but Amber is not. She is a girl who has very long hair, in quiet and seldom smiles. looks pale and gloomy.
She always She is a
normal student, nice, warm-hearted, no bad habits, just like others, but has difficulty to socialize with classmates. Her classmates think that she is too quiet and shy to be friends with her. 1
They even think that she is weird because of her gloomy look. Therefore, she has only a few friends. As usual, after summer vacation, she goes to school, and start a new school year.
She looks for her classroom,
opens the door, gets into the classroom, and then sits down on in a seat next to the windows. this in a silent way.
She does
She doesn’t look
at others in the classroom, and doesn’t want to interact with them. She is too 2
shy to do that, and she lowers her head all day long.
A few moments
later, two classmates arrive.
“Hello,
my name is Tracy,” said Tracy. “Hello, I am Gina.
What’s your
name?” said Gina.
Still not raising
her head, Amber replies in a very small voice,” My name is Amber. meet you guys.”
Nice to
Gina and Tracy look
at each other and then they leave. Amber just sits there and does nothing.
She doesn’t feel upset or
disappointed.
She knows that this 3
year won’t be any different than before.
A month later, Amber still
doesn’t make any friends. does everything alone.
She
She eats
lunch at her desk with no body.
She
doesn’t talk to anybody during the ten minute breaks between classes.
As
time passes, Amber is isolated and no one wants to talk to her.
Some of her
classmates even make up stories about why she is this way. Some say she is an evil girl, while others say she 4
has cancer.
She knows these stories,
but she doesn’t want to argue with anyone.
No one will talk to her, say
nothing of listening to her.
Thus, she
goes on like this, no friends and a little conversation with others.
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2. Amber Volunteers to be Ghost The next year, Amber became a second year student.
This semester,
her classmates decided to hold a Halloween Party. Everyone was
required to join the party.
The party
will be planned by a volunteer, who must oversee every detail of the party. Daisy, the class leader, volunteers for
6
this job.
Her best friend, Grace, of
course will help her.
“After school,
everyone should stay!
We are going
to discuss the details about this year’s Halloween Party,” said, Daisy. When it was four o ‘clock, everyone still sat in their seats, they was waiting for their class meeting, and to discuss the details of the party. ” Attention, please.”
Daisy said,
“Now, first, we
are going to decide where we will hold our party. idea?”
Does anyone have any
“I think, if you guys don’t mind 7
holding the party at my home, then we can have it there,” said Ryan.
“Yeah,
in front of Ryan’s home, there is a big yard.
Maybe we can rent the space
to hold our party,” said Grace. any one else?
No?
“Okay,
Then we will
hold our party at Ryan’s place.
Ryan,
don’t forget to let your parents know,” said Daisy.
“I will tell them, don’t
worry,” said Ryan.
“Good!
Now we
are going to discuss what we are going to do at the party.”
Grace asked, “Are 8
we going to have any program?” “Yes, that will be fun,” said some of the classmates.
“So, what kind of
program are we going to have?” asked Daisy.
“I can play my guitar,” said Bill.
“We can dance,” said Christine and Dora.
“Okay, we will have some
entertainment,” said Daisy.
“I think
we can have another special and exciting thing to do,” suggested Grace. “What?” asked Daisy.
“We can have
a haunted house since it will be Halloween,” said Grace. 9
“Hmm, that
sounds great,” said Daisy. “If Ryan’s parents allow us to do this, it will be great,” said Grace. Ryan replied, “That will be no problem.”
“Perfect!
I think this will be a lot of fun,” said Grace.
“If there are volunteers who
want to entertain everyone, they are welcome to tell me, and I will arrange that for you guys, too!”
“Next, we
need to decide whether we are going 10
to have a haunted house or not,” “Does anyone object?” asked Daisy. “No. OK, then we will have a haunted house.
Another question, what
should we do for the haunted house?” Daisy asked.
“We need someone to
be a ghost!!” shouted Grace. volunteers?”
“Any
When Amber heard
this, she came up with an idea. wanted to be the ghost.
She
She knew
that everyone said she was pale. “Ghosts have pale faces,” Amber thought.
Amber raised her hand 11
slowly, and that surprised everyone. “Do you really want to be the ghost?” Daisy asked confusedly. replied Amber quietly.
“Yes,”
“Amber will be
responsible for the haunted house. Does anyone wants to help her?” asked Daisy.
Everyone in the class
suddenly quieted down at the same time.
Amber knew that no one wanted to work with her.
She raised
her hand up again 12
and said, “I can do it by myself.”
“I
think it would be too much for you,” said Daisy. Ryan.
“I will help her,” said
Everyone was surprised to
hear Ryan’s respond. us should help her.
“I think one of
If there is no one
who wants to help her, I will do it,” said Ryan.
“Alright then, Amber and Ryan
will be responsible for the haunted house,” said Daisy.
“Now everyone
can leave. This is all for today,” said Daisy at the end of the meeting.
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3. A Small Talk with Ryan After Amber volunteered to do this work, she had been thinking about what she should do for the haunted house.
While she was
thinking, Ryan came to her and said, ”Hey, we are partners now.” “Oh, thank you very much, Ryan.
I
didn’t expect that someone would offer to help me,” said Amber.
“It is not a
big deal, and it is really too much for you to do all alone,” said Ryan. “Besides, it is my house, and I can give 14
you some advice,” said Ryan.
“Do
you have time after school tomorrow?” asked Amber.
“Sure!
What?”
“I
think we can stay at school and discuss what to do for the haunted house,”
“Of course,” replied Ryan.
“Then see you tomorrow,” said Amber. “See you,” said Ryan. school and went home.
Amber left On her way
home, she was thinking about what had just happened at school.
She
was happy but also nervous.
She
15
was happy that she talked to her classmates and could do something for her class.
On the other hand, she
was worried about not doing well. She didn’t want to disappoint everyone.
The next day at school,
Grace said to Daisy, “Can you believe what Amber said yesterday?” think she can do it.” but to say yes.
“I don’t
“I have no choice
She was the only
volunteer,” answered Daisy.
“Then
let’s just watch,” said Grace.
After
school, Amber and Ryan were 16
discussing how to decorate the haunted house.
“I think we need
ghosts. And I will be one of the ghosts,” said Amber. sounds like fun.
“Being a ghost
Count on me,” said
Ryan.
“But I think we need one
more,”
said Amber.
“Don’t worry, I
can ask Glen to do it. I think he would be glad to do this,” said Ryan with a big smile.
“That’s perfect.
Now, we
should start to build the house. take a lot of time to do this,” said 17
It will
Amber.
“Do you have any ideas?”
asked Amber.
“I have made a draft.
Here, have a look,” said Amber. “Wow, very impressive.
Amber, you
are good at painting?” asked Ryan. “I just like drawing and making something by hand, that’s all,” said Amber feeling a little bashful.
This is
the first time that she had received any kind of compliment from a classmate. She was so delighted, but she couldn’t show it on her face.
“Just tell me
what to do, then I will do it,” said Ryan. 18
While they were working, Amber asked Ryan a question, “Do you think I am odd?
Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Why?” asked Ryan.
“I know that
many people think I am weird. Because of my pale face, they think I am gloomy,” said Amber calmly.
“I
don’t think you are that kind of person. I think you are nice and are just too shy to be with others.
And now I k
now you are good at painting.
What
you need is just some confidence,” 19
said Ryan honestly.
“Really?
are the first one to tell me this.
You I
deeply appreciated and I will try to change myself,” said Amber with a grateful voice. until ten o’ clock.
They did their work “It is very late now, I
think we can continue tomorrow. “Alright, just let me put the finished things in the cabinet, said Amber. Then they left.
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4. Someone Wants to Harm Amber The next morning, when Amber came into class, her classmates were all looking at something.
After a
while, Grace came to her and said, “Are these your things?”
Amber
looked at the things which Grace pointed at.
She was shocked.
Those torn black papers were her work which she made with Ryan yesterday. ruined it.
Someone must have “Yes, that is the decoration
of the haunted house, and I remember 21
that I put it in the cabinet,” said Amber very weakly.
Grace told
Daisy what just happened, and Daisy announced, “Everyone must stay after school,” said Daisy.
After
school, everyone stayed in their seats and waited for Daisy.
Daisy walked
onto the stage with a serious face and said, “Does everyone know what happened to the setting?” silence for a moment.
There was
“If no
one wanted to tell me the truth, then 22
we will cancel our party!” said Daisy angrily.
Ryan suddenly stood up and
said, “Amber and I spent so much time on doing this, how could you do this?” “Is there anyone who wants to confess?” asked Daisy.
Finally,
Doris, one of Amber’s classmate, stood up and said, “I did it.”
“Why did
you do that?” asked Grace. “I hate her. Doris.
I am also jealous of her,” cried “I don’t want any girl to be
close with Ryan, especially a weird girl,” said Doris furiously. 23
“What weird
girl?” shouted Ryan.
“How could you
say that to your classmate?
You
don’t even know her,” shouted Ryan. “I think there must be some misunderstanding, and maybe we can talk about it later,” Daisy said.
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5. The Halloween Party After a few days, Doris came to Amber and apologized to her.
Amber
forgave her and asked, “Can I be friends with you?”
“Sure, but you
cannot fall in love with Ryan,” said Doris smiling at her.
“OK.
I won’t,”
said Amber with a weird smile. “Are you smiling? in that way.
How can you smile
Do it again for me,
smile!” Ryan saw it and said, “Now I know why you looked pale and gloomy. It is because you seldom 25
smile.”
“Oh, no wonder!
smile more,”
said Doris.
You should “By the
way, today I will stay with you two and help you do the work. I want to make up for the problem I caused you guys,” said Doris. At the party, Grace told Daisy, “Did you go to the haunted house? really exciting. horrible.
It is
The ghosts are really
It seems so real!”
“I just
went in for a moment, but I really liked it. I think Amber must have worked 26
very hard on this.
We have to thank
her anyway,” replied Daisy. At the end of the party, Daisy said to everyone, “First of all, our party was great, wasn’t it?
And the haunted
house was wonderful.
We have to
thank Amber and Ryan for preparing all of this.
Thank you.”
Amber felt
really happy and responds with a big bright smile.
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http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/233 7716134_cd47e491a8.jpg (haunted house) http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a 185/mustache_/th_surprised.jpg (surprised) http://a1259.g.akamai.net/f/1259/558 6/5d/images.art.com/images/-/Hallow een-Greetings-Dancing-Couple--C1039 0920.jpeg (Halloween Party)
Amber is a girl who always shows shadow on her face. gloomy and pale.
She looks
Her classmates
are all afraid of her and no one wants to make friends with her. Therefore, she is lonely and has no contact with others.
However, she
gets a chance to change herself. Her school life is no longer miserable.
2