For once in her life, Shelly was not looking forward to school being over. Being in school gave her a chance to get away from her parents' arguments, which were becoming more and more frequent. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take it; she just wanted it to stop. Her grades were being badly affected, which was yet another thing her dad could use against her when they got into fights. They had never been close, but Shelly had always tried her best to please him, though it wasn't easy. They were totally different people, and sometimes she found it hard to believe that they were related at all.
When the bell rang, she gathered her books and her thoughts and made her way out to be collected by her mother. Only a few months until you'll be able to drive yourself, Shelly thought to herself. She could easily spot her mother's tangerine people carrier through the mass of conservative black and grey saloons. Her mom wasn't the type of person who wanted to "blend in" with the crowd, a trait that Shelly had inherited and another reason why she didn't get along with her dad. The saying that opposites attract was certainly true in the case of her parents. Her mother was a free spirited, strong woman while her father was an old fashioned, straight-laced businessman. Shelly was somewhere in between, with a dry sense of humour and a short temper. She was outlandish like her mother, but precise like her father. She looked a lot like her mother too; auburn hair, button nose, slim figure, though unlike her green eyed mother and father, Shelly had deep hazel eyes that were totally unique to her.
As she made her way over to her mother's car, she felt as though something wasn't quite right. Sure enough, when she got into the car, her mother's eyes were red and tears were streaming down her face.
"Oh Shelly", her mother sighed.
Shelly sighed too, wondering what had happened this time.
"Mom, let's not do this in my school car park please", Shelly said sternly, "We can talk at home."
Leslie respected her daughter's wish and began the short drive to their suburban home.