Cherry (Blossom) On Top

3 - My best friend Naomi

After we went home yesterday, we told Jughead about the adoption and he was very happy. The rest of the way he walked with a huge smile on his face through the trailer park, yelling: „Guess what! I have a sister my age now!" Sweetie and Fangs are happy too, because they say everyone who lives here is part of this whole family. It's huge. Fangs dad, Sweet Peas mom. Several adults I don't know. Daddy, Jug, Jelly. I already love them. With a smile on my lips I take one of Jugs bag, filled with food for me. Jug has his own. Basically, FP wants to but me own things, but I don't want them. I want Juggies clothes. We sleep in the same bed. We use the same bathroom. We wear the same kind of clothes by now. I still have my old changing clothes, but they're hidden in the corner of his room. So, I grabbed my back, packed my lunch, did I forget something?
I check the room. The same messy place as a week ago. Dad calls me and I run to the kitchen. He gives me a bowl of chocolate cereals with milk and I start spooning them.
After breakfast we walk over to daddy's motorcycle. „Are you sure you can fit us both?" Jug asks. His dad nods. „You're small, so one in front of me, one behind."
I look unsure of what he wants to do. Slowly I look between Dad, Jug and the bike. „Okay Honey, you stand here" he points in front of him. „Hold tight to the handlebars" I do it but I'm still insecure. Jug climbs behind him and puts his arms around his father. FP drives us to preschool. When we go inside the parents from yesterday are there holding Betty and Archie in their arms. They put their arms around their moms/dads neck and rest their heads on their parents shoulders, obviously tired. Daddy takes my hand and I look around, Juggie's walking besides Dad already smiling at his best friends. I bite my lip and look at my father. He smiles at me in support and greets the woman and the man with a smile. They put their kids down and they start talking with my brother. I still hold daddy's hand and look at Bettys mom. I don't know. I feel like she could be my mommy. I put my lower lip over my upper lip and look between them. „Alice, Betty has grown so much" she chuckles. „Jug has too" now FP smirks. „Haha Archie looks like a toddler should. But he got the genes of his mom..." „I'm so sorry Fred" Alice puts her hand on his shoulder. He shrugs his shoulders. „It'll be fine..just...he should have a mother." FP nods im agreement. I still look at them. „Archie no mommy?" I ask. Daddy squats in front of me. „No honey...no mommy" Fred looks sad. Alice squats down too and puts both of her hands on my shoulders. „Sometimes you doesn't need a mommy to be happy, Toni" she smiles at me.
I look at Fred and he nods slowly. „Look, sometimes, mothers have to go away for work or because they don't want to live with the man the kids are from. Then she leaves and the rest of the family is alone. But you still can be happy. Meeting other women, or wait. Wait. Wait." His eyes look so sad but he tries to hide it. „You'll have fun with your brother, your little sister and your dad. Have fun and enjoy life. With, or without a mommy" Alice says calmly. I nod slowly. Then some woman shouts: „Kids, come in!" Betty, Archie and Juggie run in. I just look at the parents who give me supportive looks. I walk to the door slowly, facing Mrs Adams. „Hello Toni! Come in! I'm sure the others want to meet you." I look back and daddy smiles at me and nods. I look back into the class and go in slowly, looking at Jughead straight. He, Betty and Archie smile at me, some kids look at me curiously, Cheryl and her weird brother stare at me. I drop my bag on one free seat and sit down. „Do you want to introduce yourself?" I look at my left where Betty is sitting. She nods with a smile. My feet manage not to stumble walking to the board. „Uhm..my name is Toni and I'm new here. I'm five years old and live with my brother Jughead and my sister Jellybean." I turn my head to the teacher who nods smilingly. „Say hello to Toni" she says. Now the whole class says it, most of the kids smile at me but Cheryl roles her eyes saying it. I smile a little and walk back to my seat, sitting down now and taking my notebook and a pen Jug had given me.

We have a break now and I unpack a cold burger FP gave to Jug and me that morning. Well I sit next to Betty and Archie but I'm not listening to the conversation they have. Someone taps my left shoulder and I turn around. A girl with black hair and darkened skin like I have stands behind me, having a smirk on her face. „Hii. Um I wanted to ask you if you wanted to be friends with me?" I look at her in surprise but then smile a bit „I'd loved to!" I say and get up, walking with her to some bookshelf they have in here. „What's your name?" I ask, pulling out a book about some detective boy solving some cases. „Naomi, Naomi Sandler"
She smiles at me and I smile back. I take the book again and try to read the first sentence. I raise my eyebrow. „Kel count some kids?" I'm confused. Naomi chuckles. „No, it's Kel found some hints" she laughs and I chuckle.
„The break is over, everyone sits down please" Mrs Adams says and I put back the book, running back to my chair and sit down.

After Preschool I'm waiting with Naomi at her seat. She's telling me about her older siblings Sierra and Charles who are twins and already eleven years old.
My back is turned to the door so I don't see daddy walking in. Suddenly Jug runs to him, yelling his name and jumping in daddy's arms. I turn around and smile big. The few things that still are on my desk gets slidden into my back by me and then I hug Naomi. „See you tomorrow!" My new best friend nods and I go to FP. „Hi daddy!" I say, grabbing Jugs jacket and pull it over me. Together we leave and Jug already started talking about his day.