Nadine and Adele

New Swings

Adele's running down the sidewalk, when she hears a little girl's voice call out from the playground as she's passing by.

"Adele; come swing with me!"

Adele stops, grasps onto the chain link fence with both hands, and closely leans into it while looking into the playground. "I can't now, Rebecca. I gotta get to school."

"Aw, come on; just a few minutes...please! They're new swings."

Adele leans in a little closer, pressing her forehead against the fence to get a better look, and whispers aloud to herself, "New swings?" She looks down at her Hello Kitty wristwatch, and gently bites down on her lower lip before calling back, "Okay...just a few minutes."

She enthusiastically enters the playground, hastily throwing her backpack on the ground by the fence; then immediately runs to the vacant swing next to Rebecca and begins swinging.

A passing car stops in the street in front of the playground, and a teenage male leans out of the back seat window to taunt Adele. He uses mimicking baby talk as he yells out...

"Oooh...wook at the baby playing with the wittle kiddies." Then he uses his normal voice as he shouts, "Retard!"

He leans back in, and the car peels away.

Both Adele and Rebecca stop swinging. Adele immediately looks down towards the ground; while Rebecca looks at her.

"Adele...are you a retard?"

Adele slowly looks back up and faces Rebecca. "I don't know..." she shrugs her shoulders, "maybe."

Adele returns to staring at the ground. Rebecca reaches out and places her hand on Adele's shoulder.

"That's okay...I still like you."

Adele looks back to Rebecca and gives her an appreciative smile; though still unable to fully mask the hurtful pang felt from that ridiculing.

"Thanks. I like you, too." Adele looks down at her watch, then quickly jumps up. "I gotta go...I'm gonna be late for school. Bye!"

She runs to the fence and snatches up her backpack.

"Bye, Adele!"

 They wave to each other as Adele dashes off.