Nadine and Adele

Foreboding Shades

Nadine possesses a melancholic air about her, looking extremely pensive; as she waits on the sidewalk in front of the school for her mom to pick her up.

Cheryl's car pulls up, and Nadine listlessly enters it. As they drive off, Cheryl begins speaking to Nadine; who seems to be detached from her surroundings while remaining in her own world.

"Guess what...I finally sold the Donnelly house...which means I'm looking at a nice, big commission soon. So, I was thinking; since you missed out on seeing the movie last week...what do you say we go to the mall this weekend for a little shopping spree?"

There's a brief lingering of silence before Cheryl looks over at Nadine; who still appears to be deep in thought.

"Okay; what's the matter?"

Nadine suddenly emerges from her trancelike state. "Huh?"

"I asked you what's wrong."

Nadine unconvincingly replies, "Nothing's wrong."

"Oh really...because I mentioned the words mall and shopping spree; and I got no reaction from you whatsoever...you just sat there like a bump on a log. So spill it... what's going on?"

Nadine hesitantly begins to respond, "It's nothing; really. It's just..." She becomes silent again.

"Just what?"

"Remember when I told you how the kids at school are always picking on Adele?"

"Yeah."

"Well...some of them are starting to give me a hard time about being her friend. Even Sarah thinks that I should stop hanging around Adele because I'm becoming 'less popular' because of it."

"I see. And what do you think?"

"I think that they're wrong...and I really don't care what they think. I like being Adele's friend...and I'm going to stay friends with her; no matter what."

Cheryl proudly smiles at her daughter as she tells her, "And that's what makes you the special person that you are. That's one of the reasons why I love you so much."

A partial smile emerges on Nadine's face. "Thanks, Mom."

"So, that's it then...that's what was bothering you?"

Nadine sullenly admits, "Actually...no...that wasn't it...really..." there's a lull in the conversation before she continues, "Today in gym, Christy Rosenberg hit me in the back with a volley ball..."

Cheryl exclaims, "That little...well, what else would you expect from her. You know; her mother was the same exact way back when we were in high school, and..."

Nadine cuts off Cheryl. "Mom..."

There's another brief moment of silence as Cheryl looks at an apparently distressed Nadine. She asks her mother...

"Can you pullover for a minute?"

With growing concern evident in her voice, Cheryl asks, "Why; what's going on, Nadine? You're starting to scare me now."

"Mom...please...just pull over, please. I have to show you something."

Cheryl pulls the vehicle over the first chance she gets. There's a worrisome look on Cheryl's visage as she watches her daughter, who remains solemnly sitting in silence, for a couple of minutes before finally asking...

"Well?"

Moving very slowly; Nadine turns her back towards Cheryl and pulls the back right side of her blouse down far enough to reveal a large, dark-bluish bruise covering part of her upper back. Cheryl's eyes shoot open and immediately begin tearing up as she instantaneously draws both hands over her mouth and gasps...

"Oh God, no!" She begins to slowly shake her head in disbelief. "No."