Riley

Chapter eleven: That's what friends are for

They did not meet behind the supermarket. Theo preferred to wait for Sally in front of the entrance, risking unwanted attention from passersby who, curious as crows ready to pounce on a dead carcass, cast fleeting glances toward Riley. Good thing she was wearing a jacket that covered the beginning part of her jeans, otherwise....

Sally blurted out as soon as she saw them. "Why are you here!"

Theo decided to approach in calm and quiet, not intending to burden their stress on Riley.

"There were bad people back there," Theo lied. "I got three bus tickets, there's a stop near her house."

The rocker did not say a word. She looked around. Few passersby, few people with children, no acquaintances of theirs in sight. "No, too risky," she thought. "Many of us play today!"

"If we take the bus we might run into the soccer people," said Sally agitatedly. "Frederik... Dennis...what are their names?"

"By now, they're already playing," retorted Theo testily. "Either follow us or stay here bamboozled as she is!" he told himself.

"I have three bus tickets," he said straightforwardly, but restraining himself from externalizing his frustration. "There's a stop within walking distance of her house, are you in?"

At that moment, Sally turned her gaze to his right. A bus was coming across the street, the time to decide had run out. "And you're asking me? Of course I'm in!"

They crossed the street quickly, completely ignoring the crosswalk ahead. They got on and stamped, as fate would have it there was not a soul on that bus at that moment. They chose a seat with four forward-facing seats, Riley sat next to Sally, facing Theo on the opposite side.

The bus departed, making the kids gasp.

Riley groaned, the abrupt departure reminding her that her underwear was wet with her own pee. She pulled up her nose, placed her feet on the seat and hid her head between them. She wanted to be invisible, not to be seen by the world, to cease to exist until this whole nightmare was over.

"Are you all right?" asked her cordially, Sally.

Her friend raised her head and looked at her sadly.

"Yes... it will all work out," Sally hesitated in a thoughtful tone. "What can cheer you up?"

Riley pointed to her bag with her gaze.

"Wow... that's..."

"Weird?" interrupted her, then pulled her nose up again. "Almost, Mom and Dad didn't use that word."

"It's not strange. It's..." stopped Sally. "It's... nostalgic, in a way."

"It's more than that..." began Riley, then silence.

"Don't be afraid," Theo reassured her. "I'll remind you that I wear it too, but not like you."

Sally remained interjected. "You too?"

"I wet the bed," Theo hastened to say embarrassed.

Riley smiled at him, but sadly.

Sally changed the subject. "Do your parents know that..."

"Yes."

"Do you think they will ground you?"

"Maybe... I don't know!" Riley warmed up and put his head back between his legs. "I'm hopeless!"

"No! You're not!" interjected Theo suddenly. "Don't even accidentally say that!"

"You're not the one with wet underpants," his friend growled at him in a low voice.