Riley

Chapter seventeen: The idea of the century

The next day, they met again in the art room. Same time.

"I have to tell you," Zoe began in a surprised voice almost as if she was holding back from laughing, "I don't know how you did it, but Toby was upset when he came back to class. Can you tell what the heck you said to him?"

On the other side of the table, a smile of pride showed on Theo's face. On the one hand, he did not think he could succeed in leaving a stranger speechless; on the other hand, he had impressed Zoe. For a moment, he felt better than Toby Marlowe.

"All I did was tell the truth," replied Theo. "He must have been impressed with the way I expressed myself."

The friend smiled. "Let's get straight to the point: what did he tell you?"

"He told Nella," the 11-year-old revealed bitterly. "He hadn't thought to keep quiet when she caught him. And that makes me angry."

Same story, Zoe thought. So Toby told me the truth! What a relief!

"He didn't tell you anything else?"

Theo shook his head. "No, only that. While what did he tell you?"

"Same story," replied Zoe. "I see my rant was good for something!"

Theo was interjected, what do you mean her "rant"?

He was reminded of what she had told him the day before. Everything was clearer now. Zoe had told him about it before their meeting in the bathroom, which explained the immediate response about Nella.

Girls have a strange power over boys, he told himself.

Zoe asked, "What's the plan?"

"What plan?" spoke the four-eyed boy dispiritedly.

"The plan to make those stupid bullies pay!" exclaimed Zoe enthusiastically as she stretched out on her stomach on the table, lifted her legs and swung them. "It's time for action!"

"There is... no plan," revealed Theo with uncertainty.

On Zoe's face, the pleading smile and the desire to hear the strategy of the century vanished in a second. She assumed an astonished look. She exclaimed, "What do you mean you don't have it?"

"W-we don't have it!" retorted Theo.

Zoe got off the table being careful not to make any bold moves, then sat down on a stool she had next to her. "You guys look bad."

"Very bad," commented the young boy realistically. "Maybe we'd better go back to our classes."

Zoe nodded and stood up.

A few moments later, Theo and Zoe walked out of the art room and headed for her classroom in silence. Neither of them understood how that tension-filled silence came about, yet moments earlier they were talking as if they had not seen each other in forever.

Theo thought back to his last two words. Very bad - the sad, hard truth. He and his peers did not stand a chance against Katrine and her minions; not even their teachers could stop them. Perhaps they too were afraid of her and her group? The answer, unfortunately, he knew (or was certain): yes, they were terrified of them.

They waved goodbye to each other, then went their separate ways. Zoe had to brush up on science for the test, while Theo had to prepare psychologically for Mrs. Towers' art history class.

They both had to grit their teeth. A new challenge was approaching, and they had to meet it in the best possible way.

—

In Riley's room, silence reigned supreme. None of the trio felt like talking or, oddly enough, doing anything exciting.

Riley and Theo were lying on the floor, both wearing diapers - only she was wearing pull-ups - and looking up at the chandelier. Their heads were failing in the simple task of coming up with ideas to make their meeting interesting and fun. "No way... our brains won't cooperate!" said Theo defeatedly.