Unlikely Allies

Chapter 2

One rainy afternoon, Riddie heard Nadia crying in her room. He was very concerned, so he knocked on her door.

A few seconds later, he heard a barely audible voice answer, “Come in.”

As he walked into the pitch-black room, he turned on her night-light. When he approached Nadia’s bed, he saw a grip of tissues scattered all around her. It looked like she was lying on a field of snot rags. He could hear her try to stifle a sob here and there. She immediately slid over for him to sit down beside her. It tugged at his heart to see her in so much pain. She blew her nose and wiped her mahogany eyes. It took her awhile to face him, but she did eventually.

“What’s wrong Nadi?” he asked with so much concern in his voice.

“Oh, nothing Riddie,” she replied.

“Don’t give me that, Nadi. “Nothing,” wouldn’t have you bawling your purrty little brown eyes out like this. So, tell me the truth, or I’ll start cracking some skulls,” he said with a little playfulness.

“It’s…the kids at school. Well, it’s mostly Nya Mitchell. She’s the most popular girl in school. All the kids know that Don is my foster brother and they tease me about it all the time. She says that since Don likes to bully kids around, that maybe I like to be bullied. So, she’d knock my books out of my hands or try and trip me when she sees me. It’s awwwwwful Riddie….just awwwwwwwful,” she said sobbing on his shoulder.

Riddick clenched his fist and tried to suppress his anger. He knew right then, it was all about Nadi. He’d let out his anger when he wasn’t in her presence. He knew about Don’s wrath at the school, but he never thought that Nadia would pay for it. Once he calmed down some, he started to speak.

“Nadi, I’m so sorry babygirl. You shouldn’t be getting teased for what that ass has done. I assure you that this Nya Mitchell won’t ever bother you ever again,” he promised as he wiped a tear from her left eye.

“Oh noooo, Riddie. What are you going to do?” she asked concerned.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll just have a lil ‘talk” with her is all,” he said with a slight smirk.

Dang, I knew I shouldn’t have asked, she thought.

“Thank you, Riddie. You always know what to say to make me feel better. I love you soo much,” she replied while embracing his neck.

“No problem, Nadi. I’d do anything for you. I love you too,” he said while embracing her back.

He kissed her forehead. He then told her that everything was going to be okay. As he began to walk towards the door, she silently prayed that he’d stay. She wanted to scream and ask him to stay with her just a dab longer. Once the door closed, Nadia began to rock back and forth.

“I...Hate…You…D.B!!! You’re going to pay for what you’re doing to me,” she proclaimed as she curled up like a baby and bawled. No one heard the silent cries of pure terror in Nadia’s room that night. All wasn’t well in the Blackwell house.

The Blackwells were so consumed with Don’s troubles at school, that they didn’t see that their own daughter was in trouble too. They didn’t see that Nadia was hurting so badly. They were good people, but just failed to see the other problems that were going on.