We need to talk
A. Gautam
Stacia was unable to sleep because she wanted to end her friendship with Tasha. Clearly the girls had grown apart over time. Tasha liked cheerleading while Stacia loved ballet. Tasha liked crafts and baking while Stacia loved music and books. It was more than having different interests, Tasha had become a whole different person—someone Stacia didn’t like. They would often work on projects together, and Tasha took all the credit. Stacia didn’t want to put up with it anymore.
Stacia couldn’t choose any day to break the news to Tasha that they needed to find new best friends. Every holiday was Tasha’s favorite, and Stacia didn’t want to spoil Tasha’s mood. This had gone on forever. Stacia finally decided that the day before Halloween would be the day. They would go to their last trick-or-treat walk together, and Stacia would talk.
Tasha came over as salt to join Stacia the pepper. Stacia had come up with the easy costume ideas which Tasha claimed as her own as if she forgot the origin. Off they walked while Tasha thanked everyone who loved her costume idea.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Tasha said, noticing a change in Stacia.
“Was it you who thought of salt and pepper shakers?” Stacia spoke up.
“Wasn’t it me? Maybe you mentioned it, but I planned the whole thing. What does it matter anyway?” Tasha said, confused.
“It does to me. You had to announce that you saw the watch that Tom would like, when I had told you about the store. You had to present at the science fair project when I wrote all the points. You take the credit for everything,” Stacia said it all and stopped walking.
“What are you saying? I thought you never wanted any attention, so I spared you. Wait, you think I do it to take credit,” Tasha said, standing really close to her friend. Her heart was beating fast, and she was afraid she was about to lose the person she loved the most in the world—even more than her mother. This cannot be happening, she thought. “We need to talk, and I need to listen,” Tasha managed to say.
Which best describes the influence of the setting on the plot?
Responses
A Tasha is upset because Stacia chooses holidays to bring up problems Tasha is upset because Stacia chooses holidays to bring up problems
B Stacia is upset because Tasha takes credit for the Halloween costume idea Stacia is upset because Tasha takes credit for the Halloween costume idea
C The characters are tired because they have been walking on Halloween The characters are tired because they have been walking on Halloween
D The characters are ready to talk because they have had a good Halloween