Nametags

Chapter 27

          I didn't go to school the next day. My Mom woke me up and asked me if I wanted to go. I said I was feeling better, but not good enough to go to school yet. But I was lying. I only told her I was feeling better so she didn't take me to the doctor's. In all honesty, I felt worse. By now the sadness had settled in. I was out of tears, and I was beginning to feel really sick. But mostly because I hadn't eaten in over 24 hours, and all the crying dehydrated me. But I wouldn't get up. In fact, I once again stayed in bed all day. The twins came in and made a video in the room, but I just buried myself under the blankets and ignored the singing. Once, Valentina came in and gave me Saltines and Gatorade, the sick person starter pack, And even volunteered to make her family soup for me. I told her I didn't want any. I took a drink and a few crackers just to make her leave, then went back to sulking. It was really hard, feeling alone again. 

          Once everyone returned from school, and the noise started back up again, Luke came into my room and stood right in front of my face. "Hey! Sulky! We are all changing our beds and you have stolen every single blanket in the house!" I sniffled and said "Sorry, I got my sick all over them, you'll have to use sheets." He huffed and stormed out. I curled up again and found myself on the verge of tears. Not quite enough for any tears to come out, just enough that it refreshed my sadness and hurt my thought. I wished I could push over the edge and just let it out, cry. I also noticed I stunk. I smelled like sweat. I wasn't surprised, since I had a jacket on and about a dozen blankets on me. So, I got up and changed my hoodie, just to burrow into my bed again. 

          At dinner, Mom made me get out of bed and come to the table, even if I didn't want to eat. I put up a fight, but I was too exhausted to fight much. So, I dragged my sad butt out of my cave and slugged downstairs in a blanket. I sat at my usual spot and put my head on the table. "Look who's out of their cave!" Christina said to me. "Shut up." I muttered into my arm. She shut up. After a while, Things got quiet. Then Cara started talking. 

"Mom?"

"Yeah, Cara?"

"How old do you have to be to have a boyfriend?"

I choked. What!?

"Well, 18, I suppose." Mom replied. 

"Well, you wight wanna tell Cherry that." Gina said, judgingly. 

My face turned white. I looked up in horror at everyone staring at me. Dad looked angry. I had nothing to say. 

"Care to explain what Gina is talking about, Cherry?"

I croaked like a frog, choking back tears. "Uh, What? I don't have a boyfriend, that's crazy!"

"Nuh-Uh! You do! His nave is Tony!" Cara said, pointing. 

"What?! No, I-"

"Yes, too you do! I read it in your diary with my own eyes!"

My heart stopped. My thoughts screamed. They WHAT!? They read my diary!? Which means- No!

"And, Mom, I bet you didn't know that Cherry has a secret hideout! In a VENT in our ROOM!!" 

I listened in horror. How had they found out? I had never been lackadaisical in trips in and out of my vent! How had they possibly found out? Then, all at once, anger built up inside of me. Not only anger at Cara and Gina, but anger also powered by Tony. I stood up and stomped over to them. "YOU WHAT!?!?" They looked at each other, scared. Then, before I could even gain control over myself at all, My hand flew through the air and hit the both of them, soundly on the cheek. A stunned silence hung in the air for a moment as I realized what I did. Then, they both exploded in tears. "Cherry Lakes!" Mom stood up and and smacked me on my cheek. It startled me. I had seen my siblings get hit before, but I was so quiet that I never got into big enough trouble to get slapped myself. My eyes welled up in tears, not because it hurt, but because I knew I messed up. "Young lady, I know you are sick but this is unacceptable!" She gently rubbed Cara's hand-shaped welt. "You are NEVER allowed to hit people! And when where you planning on telling us about this "Tony"?" Dad stood up, angrily, as the first tear fell from my eye. I hated when Dad was mad. "You are grounded, Young lady. Phone." I looked up at him. No! Not my phone, No! My Dad just stared at me angrily with his hand extended. "No..." I whispered, but I knew better. I was in enough trouble. I slowly reached into my jacket pocket and held my cold phone for the last time. Then I put my head down and gave it to my father. "This is not over, Cherry. Go to your room and we will talk later." I wiped my eyes and ran to my room.

          I lost everything. My Best friend, my boyfriend, my siblings, my parents, my vent, and now my phone. I started crying again. What was I gonna do? I could just run away. But where would I go? I had nobody, nowhere! I just wanted to crawl deep into my bed and die.