Hello

Chapter One:The Unexplainable Bruise

Clare Edwards looked at Alli. "What?" She asked of her friend.

"That bruise. The one on your arm. How did you get it?" Alli asked her,staring at the black and blue mark that stood out against the inside of her friend's arm. It clashed horribly with the tone of her skin.

"Oh." Clare said that single word in what seemed to be complete puzzlement. Truth be told,she had no clue as to how she'd acquired the bruise on her arm. She didn't remember slamming into anything hard,nor did she remember even hitting into something. And she was certain that it hadn't been there yesterday. "I guess I must've hit my arm into something while I was asleep. I don't remember any other way I could've gotten it." She told her dark haired friend carefully,tracing the marking with the tips of her short,slim fingers.

Alli's brown eyes narrowed worriedly. She'd have to check the internet for any sort of explanation. Somehow,she didn't think that an explanation for the bruise could be so simple. She shrugged one shoulder and turned her attention to the board where Mr Armstrong stood.

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Clare walked into her bedroom afterschool,completely forgetting Alli's question about her arm as she pulled her hair out of the twist it had been styled in and then peeled off the t-shirt that she wore. She went to her dressed to pull out a long t-shirt that she slept in. She froze when she caught herself in the full length mirror across from the dresser. The long shirt dangled precariously in her hands as she stared at her reflection. She was so pale! Paler than her natural skin tone and there was a bruise on the lower part of her back,right above her rear. She frowned as her hand went to touch the bruise. She didn't remember getting this one either. This was getting so odd. Slowly,Clare pulled the shirt over her head as her hands,her shaking hands went to unzip and unbutton her skinny jeans as she stepped out of them and pulled a pair of hot pink,cotton pajama pants on as well.

She went to her bed and got her copy of Romeo and Juliet out of her bookbag and began to read. She was already halfway through when a soft knock and then her door opening caught her attention.

Mrs Edwards stood there and smiled at her daughter. "Hey sweetheart. Dinner will be ready in an hour." She said softly.

Clare smiled. "Okay mom. I just gotta finish reading this. It's a really good story." She said with eager,blue eyes.

Mrs Edwards laughed and walked over to the bed,running a hand through her daughters hair. "Ahh. I read that when I was your age."

"Alli loves it too. KC rolls his eyes at it." Clare giggled as she mentioned her friends. Her laughter stopped when she saw her mother eyeing the bruise that stood out on her arm. "Mom?" She inquired worriedly,waving her hand infront of her mother's face.

Her mom shook her head and gave her daughter a smile,patting Clare's knee. "I'm going to check dinner."

"Okay." Clare said in answer,feeling suspicious.

As she shut the door behind her,Mrs Edwards closed her eyes and leaned back,feeling as if she might cry. Her daughter was showing the same signs that her mother had shown when she was a little girl. Going over to the phone,she picked it up and dialed. "Hello? Dr Rinaldo? I have to make an appoitment for Clare."

Next Chapter:Doctor's visit,Alli learns,results