Everyone was there. Of course, it was the first dance of 8th grade. Ezekial watched from the corner. He held his hands behind him, occasionally bouncing them to the rhythm of the band. When laughing couples passed him, he dropped his eyes and held his breath. The author uses Ekekial's behavior to show that he is...

answer: inference

explanation:

an inference can be understood as a conclusion to which a person is able to get based on reasoning. it is the same as a deduction, a guess, an assumption.   in the sentence presented, the conjunction "but" gives the readers an idea of contrast, and, therefore, allows them to induce that despite the opponent's characteristics, andrea had something different that made her win.