Nametags

Chapter 1

                You know, choosing friends, enemies, and crushes is a lot easier when you can see their best and worst traits. I smiled, looking over at my BFF Jadee in the desk next to me. I looked again at her familiar name tags that read "I'm good at remembering names" right next to "I have asthma". She smiled back. I hadn't chosen Jadee. she chose me! I am an introvert, she is an extrovert, she liked me, and adopted me. I folded a small piece of paper in fourths and tossed it to her desk. A grave mistake. Our teacher, Mr. Liss, slammed his had on my desk. His name tags said the obvious: "I'm amazing at math", and "I have a horribly short temper". Jadee looked at me sadly. "Cherry, did you or did you not just pass a note to Jadee after I told you not to for the third time this year?" he looked angry, and tired. I decided today wasn't the day to put up a fight. "yes, sir." I mumbled, knowing what was coming. "Well, Cherry. You know the drill. Hand it over." Jadee tossed it over to me and I handed it to Mr.Liss. He stood up and read it in front of the class: "I'm stupid!" The class broke out in laughter. I chuckled cautiously. Embarrassed, he ripped the note in two and tossed it in the trash bin next to his desk. i wasn't embarrassed at being caught. everyone hated Mr.Liss, and he knew it. But the poor Scrooge couldn't help it. Once a name tag was written, it never changed. The bell rang,  and every student stood up and eagerly headed out the door. It was the end of a long day at Singbed High. Jadee and I met up at my locker as the familiar stamped of students pushed past us in the current of teenagers just wanting to go home. "We still on for tonight?" I asked, shoving books and papers into my bag until candy wrappers and pencils fell out of the abyss that was my locker. "yeah! I'm looking forward to it!" she answered. My parents where a strict no-crap Mormon couple, so I wasn't allowed to have sleepovers. After doing chores upon chores to help my reputation, and waiting 3 days until they where both in a good mood, I asked if I could sleep over at Jadee's. They said no, and after a 30-minute discussion, we came to a compromise. I would go over after my homework and chores where done, then stay until 10:00 that night. At that time, Mom would pick me up from her house and take me home to sleep. then, at 7:00 that morning, Dad would take me back over on his way to work. That way, I slept at home, but still got to hang out with Jadee. "See ya!" She waved and left for the buses. We didn't have the luxury of living close to each other. It was a 15-minute ride on an ATV just to get to her house. It was well outside of the 1-mile bike riding perimeter set by my parents. but at least she didn't have a perimeter.

          I stopped by the office at the front door, and said hi to the school councellor, Ms.Rose. for an introvert, she was an angel. Her pink cardigain held her name tags, that read: "I am super compassionate" and "I'm scared of driving" Stepping into her office, I told her about my day and about my late night plan with Jadee. She laughed and complimented my compromising skills. "Better get to the bus, hon. Take a mint!" I laughed and grabbed a peppermint swirl. As I turned to leave, I ran right into the principal. She was the kind of person who was the most popular cheerleader in her school, so, naturally, she just didn't get us unpopular kind. Her school colors shirt held two name tags, one saying, "I'm super popular" and the other saying "I have OCD bad". "Heeeeey, Christina!" She patted me on the head. I kept myself from rolling my eyes, and replied, "Actually, I'm Cherry. You're thinking of my older sister, Christina." She nodded. "Oh, yes! Cherry! It's just so hard to remember who is who is your family." I could tell she didn't care that she got it wrong. "OK, go catch the bus, Cherry!" I hoisted my bag on my shoulder, and walked past her.

          Out in the courtyard, I saw my family's BMW. It was unmistakably my ride, and I could tell by two things: the bumper sticker reading "BWM= Big Mormon Wagon" and the chorus of talking and yelling drawing every student's attention. I put my hoodie over my head to mask my identity as I walked to it. It was bad enough that I had 8 siblings, 2 foster siblings, and 2 foreign exchange students living at home, I didn't need the publicity about it. I was quiet and kind, so I tended to fade into the back round in my family, which was completely ok with me. Jadee was all the attention I needed. I was the third oldest in my biological family. And I almost had to strain my mind to recite all of their names. Hannah, 20, biological. she lived at home, but worked mostly; name tags: "I have great memory" and "I barf when I see blood" Next, Andre ("I'm great with kids" and "I have a swearing problem" and Valentina ("I'm great with kids"and "I'm a picky eater)  the 17 year-old twins, and our foreign students. they where cool, but mostly hung out with the little kids. they spoke minimal English, and loved babies. then there was me, Cherry, 16. I'm quiet and don't like attention. but you knew that already. my name tags say "I am the best secret keeper" and "I can see people's nametags". After me there was Luke, 14,"I'm an awesome football player" and "I'm addicted to TV", who was annoying to everyone except me. Another perk of being invisible. Taylor was next, she was the oldest foster kid at 12. "I'm super loud and hyper." and "I'm never mean." And, one day I was reading and heard her say on the phone that she had a crush on Luke. True to my name tag, I've never told anyone. The twins, Cara ("I am an amazing singer" and "I have horrific temper tantrums") and Gina ("I'm an amazing dancer" and "I have horrific mood swings"), where after her at 9. they stayed together, mostly, their passion is making music videos where Cara sang and Gina danced. They weren't bad, ether. Anna, Taylor's little sister, was also 8. Her nametags havn't developed yet. She was Valentina's best friend, and they where always playing with each other. Jack is 6, and my symmetry buddy, meaning he was third youngest, and I am third oldest. He is probably my favorite sibling. After him is Miley, who is 3. she is always at Mom's hip. Then, the youngest, Joshua. he is 18 months. My parents where Magnus ("I'm a super good worker" and "I'm critical of everything") and Noel ("I am amazing at handeling chaos" and "I have Dislexia"). They fell in love at a dentist appointment, and decided it was their dream to have a huge family. Here we are, the ''Living Proof", as we are called around town. There we are. The Lakes family. The huge, crazy, chaotic Lakes family.