parish copeland is 14 and has a slightly weakened right leg that he needs a brace to support. he is curious, optimistic and sympathetic to others’ problems. he loves to play cards and board games, and often likes to seem older than he really is. he and thatcher share a room, and they are besties >:)
earnest livingsby is 13 and needs two crutches for his legs. he is quiet, perceptive and observant. he is also selectively mute, so he needs to become very comfortable with people before he finds the courage to speak to them. however, he still communicates quite a bit through writing notes and drawings on looseleaf paper.
jesse st. john is 16 and arguably the smartest person on the ward. he is very quick with a joke. he likes to laugh and enjoys comedy. he is also a good teacher and likes explaining things to people. most of the boys go to him for advice.
alexander adkins is 16. he is your token spoiled rich kid who finds everybody annoying and only considers his roommate, jesse up to his standard, although they barely tolerate one another. when alexander leaves saint margaret’s, they may or may not have a party.
ruben sandoval is 15 and a bit of a know-it-all. he hates it when other people use his stuff. he is sort of emotionally stunted and doesn’t understand why people get upset or cry, and he is getting better at trying to understand.
daniel wade is 14. he is very idealistic and sees everything around him as a grand story in a novel, in which he is the protagonist. he is a little slow on the uptake, although when he does get a joke, he thinks it’s hysterical and won’t stop repeating it until it gets annoying. he and ruben are besties although nobody can possibly understand why.
gene jenkins is 12 and a little bit of a rascal. he is desperate to be seen as “one of the boys,” although the older kids think he’s a brat. he’s pretty gullible and will fall for most anything, although he’d never admit it. he takes all of what eddy does, turns around and does it right to joel.
joel o’leary is 11 and the biggest scaredy-cat you will ever meet in your life. he is also quite gullible, although pembroke usually intercepts any lies he is fed and instead tells him the truth. joel thinks gene is completely all-knowing and follows him around like a lost puppy, no matter how brutal gene is to him.
aaand those are some of the other boys on the ward at saint margaret’s!
