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1 The final expression, finally. Riley eagerly grabbed her trusty blue pen and transcribed the exercise into her notebook with absolute attention. She seemed like a fossilized scribe at her job, and there was nothing more satisfying than doing a good job. She felt sure she was getting the result from the book. Even though she didn't need to pee, the warm, loving grip of the diaper reminded her that no matter what happened, nothing would soil her clothes. She solved it by clenching her legs, a gesture that had become a habit. She closed the book, raising a slight gust of cold air. The homework for the next day was done. All of it! The same went for her friends and classmates who sat next to her. Pens dropped onto notebooks like raindrops, brief crystalline thunders announced the definitive end of study time. Sally, to her right, stretched her hands in front of her, satisfied. Following that, Ferg and Mark exchanged a final comparison before declaring victory. Finally, no less important, Luz leaned back in her chair and nodded at her. They had won the battle against math, but their journey was far from over. At least for now. She stood on the chair; luckily, her mother wasn't there to see her, otherwise, she would have pulled her down with a tug on her ear. She cleared her throat and announced: "I declare open the new session of the Super Secret Diaper Group! Get comfortable, we'll start right away!" Everyone couldn't wait to know what they would talk about in today's session. Riley captured several smiles, including her sister's, dotted with dark green plates. Luz took the floor. She planted both palms on the table, assumed a serious look, and began to speak clearly with a grave note: "Guys, Valentine's Day is coming up soon! This means only one thing: we have to work hard to make our sweethearts fall for us!" As she said it, her gaze crossed with Ferg's, then with a quick movement, she turned it to her. Riley held back an amused giggle; she had already figured out who her crush was. “Mrs. Mullins has given us an important task,” she continued, “to create something that can unite all lovers with the power of art!” She paused briefly. “We need to come up with an idea and get to work right away! Let's turn on our brains and think about what we could do!” Next to her, Sally's face hardened, and she raised her hand. “Valentine's Day is almost three weeks away, Luz. Why do we have to rush? We have all the time in the world, don't we?” “No.” Luz shook her head, troubled. “We only have six days to work on it. It has to be ready by Monday.” Riley widened her eyes and shot an incredulous look at her friend. She got goosebumps hearing those words. Six days to do it, not counting today. She reflected for a moment; they would have to dedicate several hours each day until Sunday to make sure it was complete and presentable! And since no one wanted to waste any more time… She raised her hand: “I have an idea to propose!” Her voice sounded like a mouse's squeak. Luz almost jumped on the table with joy. She was trembling, and her face was drawn with a beaming smile. “Really?” “I'll go get the computer and be right back!” Riley jumped to her feet and dashed away at the speed of light. Her heart was racing with agitation: it had to work. She tucked the brushed gray laptop under her arm and rushed toward the stairs. The diaper began to warm up and absorb an intense burst of pee. She clenched her teeth and ignored the wet sensation tickling her lower regions. As soon as she had a free minute, she would go to her mom. Darn rule that prevented her from changing it herself! Everyone took their places in front of the computer screen. She opened the presentation and pressed two keys that, combined, activated full-screen mode. Their curiosity underwent a sudden change: tense faces and uncertain expressions. Had they immediately noticed something wrong? She brushed that thought aside; she had to focus. She inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth. Now or never! "Here is the Invitation Board." Riley began, confident in herself and, at the same time, studying their doubtful expressions. “We all hate receiving anonymous invitations. That's why I've created this table where both the sender and the recipient know everything: who they are and what kind of date is being proposed. And—" A shiver ran up to her brain: she was peeing. She was doing it for the second time! Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes moistened a little. She wouldn't cry in front of them; she clenched her fists with all her might. One hand positioned in front of her jeans. She ignored the murmur of her friends. It was time to get to the end. “If you hover over a red line, it means the invitation has been rejected. If you want to accept it, just... just let the couple arrange it on their own,” she rattled off each word. “What do you think?” A tense silence filled the room. Sally furrowed her brow and shook her head. Next to her, Mark widened his lips into an unconvincing smile. Those two didn't like it; they were open books to her eyes. She found no comfort in the disappointed faces of Luz and Ferg either. Riley brought her other hand to her jeans, wrapped her sweaty fingers around the wrist of the other, and lowered her gaze to the floor. Her idea had missed the mark, and her desire to be the hero of the day vanished before her in the blink of an eye. The weight of the diaper made that failure even harder to bear, like a boulder on her back. Luz stood up. “Thanks for showing us. At least you tried, unlike someone else!” She gave the others a stern look, sat back down, and took the reins of the discussion. She hated everything: Mrs. Mullins' project that had to be done in such a short time, her rejected proposal, and the cold, soggy diaper stuck to her skin. It seemed impossible to find a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. This meeting would end with wet jeans; she was sure of it. "You did your best," Sally whispered in her ear. "The presentation was nice, even if the style you chose was awful." An offended grimace escaped her. Was there anything that wasn't awful? "Look on the bright side," Sally continued, softening her tone, "you gave those three slackers something to work on." She wasn't entirely wrong; maybe she had done something right in her failure. She giggled, amused by the jab at Luz. Fortunately, Luz hadn't heard it, or there would have been an uproar. Their gazes met. Black curls fell to the sides of her dark face like vines in a forest. Yes, Mom was right: that hairstyle suited her very well. "I think it's time for a clean diaper." Riley smiled, her eyes on the gray ash jean skirt. "How about you?" "Dry?" Sally seemed uncertain, reached for one of her hands, and squeezed it. "Either way, Mom will have to check me too." Together with her sister, Riley turned her head toward her friends. Ferg and Mark were listening, captivated by Luz's speech. "We would need a poster board, lots of markers, and... a lot of creativity!" She turned to Riley and Sally. "Do you two need to be changed?" She nodded without letting go of her hand. "You could take a break. Especially you, Luz." Luz and the boys exchanged brief glances and few words. It was clear as day that they would agree. "What about you, Mark?" Sally asked curiously. He made a lazy wave with his hand. "My pull-up is still as dry as the Sahara desert!" --- “How did you come up with that idea?” Sally asked curiously. “It couldn't have been easy to create a board where you tell all the kids in school who your crush is. Wow, you made the bullies' job easier! If I were one, I'd shake your hand!” She paused briefly and gave her a not-at-all serious look. She joked, imitating a bully's voice: ”Thanks, Riley, now I'll have even more fun!” It was anything but funny; in fact, it was so tasteless it made her want to cry. Instinctively, as her mom often did when she got angry, she shot her a fierce glare. Had she forgotten what happened with Katrine a year ago? Her cheeks flushed with anger; she deserved a good scolding. “You're one to talk, helping a wimp bully all of us!” she retorted in a firm, icy voice, squeezing her hand tighter than usual. Her sister winced, her smile faded, and she took that punch to the stomach in silence. She had asked for it, and Riley had made it very clear. “Why?!” Sally exclaimed, troubled. “Bullies aren't funny.” Riley replied bitterly, then sighed to ease the tension pulsing in her nerves. “I got the idea from a table I saw on Dad's computer. At least I tried to save the situation, unlike you!” Sally huffed, annoyed. “Valentine's Day does this to you, especially to us girls. Have you seen Ferg and Mark? Two complete idiots!” Riley couldn't help but smile. “What about Timothy?” Sally gave her a light bump with her hip, almost making her lose her balance. Luckily, she was still holding her hand, which helped her keep her feet firmly on the dark parquet; otherwise, she would have ended up on the floor with wet jeans. “He's like all the others,” Sally said with a hint of resentment, “he only cared about showing his friends he had a girlfriend. I was a trophy to show off, you know? Believe me when I say boys are brainless creatures.” Here we go again! Riley rolled her eyes, still wearing her usual smirk. “Just because he did that to you doesn't mean they're all the same.” “Why don't you believe me?” Sally stopped in front of her, letting go of her hand. “For Timothy, it was all a stupid act! Do you know any boys who aren't like him?” She thought for a moment. She blushed: “Mark.” Sally raised an eyebrow. “What?” Her heart began to race. Suddenly, she felt so hot she pulled at the collar of the purple shirt she was wearing. “Lately, he's been very interested in how I am and how I feel.” Sally widened her eyes in a provocative smile: “You have a crush on him, don't you?” Her face turned into a tomato. No, impossible! She didn't have a crush on him, even though he was caring, selfless, and kind to her. He was her best friend, the highest level of relationship she could aspire to! Crushes and boyfriends are for thirteen and fourteen-year-olds! And they were only twelve! Involuntarily, she brought both hands in front of her jeans as if she needed to pee. Her eyes were fixed downward, and her flushed cheeks showed no sign of cooling down. And what if she really had a crush on Mark and didn't know it? Oh, for all the diapers, she would be in love with her best friend! That would be a real mess! She wanted to change the subject, and fast. She pretended to laugh loudly and said: ”Nice try, Sal! This time you didn't make me lose control of my bladder! Now we can go find Mom! The diaper is starting to bother me.” She passed her, raising an arm and a leg like a little soldier, puffs and loud thuds filling the hallway. "At least I can go to the bathroom and do it in the potty like a big girl." Her heart stopped, her guts twisted with anger, and her nails dug into the palms of her hands. Had she heard right? Yes. Yes, her mouth had spoken those cursed words. She turned to her and exclaimed through gritted teeth: "Take it back!" "I could, but I won't." Sally crossed her arms and flashed a malicious smile. "Admit I'm right, and I'll apologize." There was that smug, presumptuous tone! Her hatred reached heights it rarely had before. One more word, and the volcano would erupt. "No way I'm admitting you're right! Especially about something as stupid as this!" Sally moved her hand determinedly to her ear, her canines peeking out in a smug grin. "What do my ears hear? Oh, it's just the whining of a little baby!" With tears in her eyes, Riley lunged at her sister and punched her arm. She had asked for it, and if she wanted, she'd give her another to make her message clearer. Sally stifled a groan, furrowing her brow and focusing all her attention on the part of her body that had been hit. She massaged it with slow, careful movements. "Why did you do that?!" “I am not a little baby!” Riley stated firmly. “I might pee myself without realizing it, but that doesn't give you the right to bully me!” She paused, inhaling and exhaling to slow her heart and, most importantly, her emotions. “I'm doing my best to get out of this situation, okay? It's not easy, I know, but I have to do it.” Her sister's face darkened. She took a few steps back as if she felt guilty. Riley saw her lips move, tremble. She stammered apologetically: “S-Sorry, Riley. I... I shouldn't have said those things.” Her hand reached for hers, as it had a few minutes earlier in the living room with their friends. She sought her repentant eyes and met them without much difficulty. “Do you know how you could make it up to me?” she asked softly. “How?” Riley nodded downward. “Seriously?” Sally blushed embarrassed. “Do I have to?” “We're not moving from here until you've done it all!” she retorted. “If Mom were here, she'd make you do it in your pants. That'll teach you to be a bully!” “I don't see any mom here,” Sally joked, looking around. “Are you scared?” Riley raised her elbows and brought her fists to her chest, then began to mimic the movements and sounds of a chicken. Sighing, her sister gave up. “Fine, you win! I have a pull-up on; if I wet my clothes, it's your fault, and you'll explain it all to Mom!” Riley grinned, satisfied with her victory. She couldn't wait to feel her well-deserved reward on her skin: a clean diaper. ----- 2 The break could wait. Luz rolled up her sleeves, grabbed a pen, and drew a large rectangle. She studied it for a moment and nodded with determination. To the side, a stream of thin blue ink spilled across the clean background in natural, simple strokes. The letters forming those blocks were clear and perfectly legible. She sketched a satisfied smile, even though it was too early to stop and admire the overall work. The spark of inspiration in her mind was fading steadily, like a candle flame inches away from reaching the end of its wick. She had to hurry before it was too late! Suddenly, the silence was broken by Ferg’s low and hesitant voice. “Hey, Mark, I wanted to ask you something out of curiosity.” He paused briefly. “What’s it like to wear a pull-up?” Still with her head down and pen moving constantly, Luz widened her smile. His curiosity always managed to elicit that reaction from her, pulling her into the depths of knowledge. Unlike the others, she had never taken an interest in the diaper thing — it just wasn’t for her, and that was perfectly fine. If her friends wanted to wear them to feel happy, so be it. “Oh. Well… uh…” Mark stammered uncomfortably. “It’s weird, but nice. A few months ago, I never imagined I’d end up wearing them and actually feeling good about it. Riley was right—it’s like falling in love with someone!” The pen froze in her hand. Did she hear that right? She lifted her gaze from the page and shot him a puzzled grimace. A similar reaction appeared on Ferg’s blushing face — maybe he was just as shocked. Since when was wearing a diaper like falling in love with someone? Luz shook her head, cheeks red and burning, and frowned at him. “Mark, you turnip-head, falling in love with someone isn’t how you think it is!” “Oh yeah? And what would you know, Miss Know-It-All?” Mark shot back, deeply offended. Miss Know-It-All?! Luz swallowed the insult bitterly, clenching her teeth. She kneeled on her chair and slammed a hand on the table, furious and ready to unleash lightning and thunder. “Say that again if you dare!” “That’s enough!” Ferg shouted angrily, glaring at both of them with bloodshot eyes. “Take three deep breaths and apologize right now!” “But she started it!” Mark protested. “I don’t care!” Ferg thundered. “Three breaths, then apologies!” The last thing Luz wanted was to make her best friend explode in anger. She obeyed in silence, as if she’d just been scolded by one of her parents. After all, he was right — they had crossed a line, insulting each other like that. “Sorry,” she began in a small voice. “I didn’t mean to call you a turnip-head.” Across the table, Mark’s sulky expression slowly faded from his pale face. Ferg prompted him with a throat-clear and a gentle nod in her direction. “I accept your apology,” the friend mumbled, “I hope you’ll accept mine too.” Of course she would! Luz stifled an annoyed huff to avoid setting Ferg off again. She caught the smug satisfaction in his grinning face. Laugh now, Ferg. Next time, I’ll be the one laughing! “Apology accepted,” she confirmed, carefully balancing her tone: sincere, content, and calm. Once Ferg nodded, she hit the accelerator: “Back to what I was saying, falling in love is… a whole mess of things! I mean, you notice qualities in someone that you haven’t found in anyone else. Your heart decides it, but the other person’s heart has to play along too. It’s like a puzzle that needs to be completed!” She paused. Ferg and Mark were staring at her with awestruck expressions—a good sign. They were hanging on her every word. “For example, I want my soulmate to be kind, curious, and, most importantly, honest.” Luz turned her gaze toward Ferg, who blushed and broke eye contact. Her cheeks burned for some reason. She dared to ask, “You, Ferg — what qualities would you like to find in your soulmate?” “Oh, well,” he hesitated, “I wouldn’t even know where to start. Umm… Someone who stands out from the crowd, is a good listener, and creative. Just like you, Luz.” Now her face was the one turning tomato red! Eyes shiny, a strange tingling on the tip of her nose, and an embarrassed smile. Her little heart raced, screaming at full volume: “Tell him! Tell him! Tell him!” She turned her gaze back to the page in front of her. Damn emotions getting in the way! It wasn’t easy pulling herself together — not even deep breaths were helping. And what if she never recovered? Goodbye, Mrs. Mullins’ project! She stole a glance at Mark. His wide dark eyes bouncing between her and Ferg only made her more anxious. She wanted to hide, disappear from the room, and find calm, away from everyone and everything. She noticed a spark in his eyes, now turned toward the hallway where Riley and Sally had wandered off at the beginning of the break. He bit his lower lip and rubbed a hand up and down his arm. Was he caught in a storm of emotions too? Could boys feel that much too? “Can you keep a secret?” he asked uncertainly. She nodded, and so did Ferg, still recovering. “I… I have a crush on… Riley.” Mark hid his face between his knees, then looked up to see their reactions. “I don’t know how to tell her. I’m scared that… you know.” Luz ran her hands through her messy light brown hair, stunned. Her eyes involuntarily flicked to Ferg, who also looked incredulous. Oh my God! Ferg coughed nervously and cleared his throat. “Give her a kiss. One on the cheek.” WHAT?! Mark grimaced. “Isn’t that… isn’t that too cheesy?” “Tell her to close her eyes and… BAM! If she feels the same, she’ll thank you, and maybe return the gesture; otherwise, get ready to be machine-gunned with punches or, if you're lucky, just a slap,” he explained, sounding unusually enthusiastic. He must have gone crazy to say something like that! Luz shot him a look full of disbelief. She licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak, but a chorus of voices echoed into the room. Riley and Sally reappeared, their mother following close behind. Mrs. Bishop stretched her arms up, then behind her back and neck. She wore a black jacket over a light pink buttoned blouse and wide-legged dark pants. Together, the kids greeted her politely. She returned the gesture with a smile. “I know you're all working on a very important project,” Mrs. Bishop said with a calm and steady voice, “and since my little rascals need a clean diaper…” She glanced at Mark and paused. “Do you need a change too?” Luz turned her head in his direction and studied him for a moment. She couldn’t believe he was pretending to be embarrassed — averted eyes, hands between his legs, knees crossed like he was about to sprint to the bathroom. Tell me you’re not seriously planning to follow Ferg’s advice… Mark nodded slowly. “A check wouldn’t hurt, Mrs. Bishop. Thank you.” Luz rubbed her hands against her thighs under the table, incredulous. If she saw Riley upset or in tears, she would strangle Mark in front of everyone — and Ferg wouldn’t be spared either. --- Riley half-closed the door, and the voices and noise from the ground floor faded into a barely audible hiss. No one would be able to hear them, even if they shouted like baboons. She turned to look at her friend. His face was crimson, his smile embarrassed, and his hands and feet were nervously fidgeting. His fingers twisted and pulled away from each other, while the tips of his light-blue socks took turns stepping over one another. "Everything okay?" she asked, worried. "You seem nervous." Mark jumped slightly and scratched the back of his head with one hand—an instinctive, nervous habit. “Y-Yeah, I’m great! R-Really happy to be here with you right now.” Riley narrowed her eyes decisively. The half-moons glowing in his crimson cheeks were telling her a very different story. She noticed his forehead starting to reflect the warm light from the ceiling lamp. What on earth was going on with him? "Mark, what’s going on?" she asked bluntly. Her tone hardened suddenly: “If you made another bet with Ferg or Sally, I swear this time I’ll beat the crap out of you!” He waved his hands in alarm and took a few steps back. He was trembling like a leaf in the wind and could barely maintain eye contact. Did he really think she was about to slap him? She stuck with her hunch — she just needed the final proof. Riley knew exactly how to get it out of him. She hid her fists behind her back and started walking toward him, feigning curiosity. “So then,” she said vaguely, stretching the final vowel too long, “why did you want to talk in private?” Mark backed up again, his legs carrying him into the bed. What came out of his mouth were jumbled, incoherent sounds—a sign his brain was in turmoil. Just a few more steps and Riley would execute her plan. Her fingers, curled and pressed tightly together, trembled with anticipation. A slight twitch on her determined face raised one side of her lips. Damn, the element of surprise was seconds from vanishing! She made a quick lunge. Held back her instinct to strike — just one more step. One more! “I like you!” Mark blurted out. He turned his head away, fleeing her gaze. “I… I have a crush on you!” Her legs froze in place, just three steps away from him. Suddenly, Riley felt the burning embarrassment spread from head to toe — even inside her diaper, she felt a strange tingling. Did she need to pee again? But it hadn’t been long since her mom had put a clean one on her! What was happening to her? Her arms shot out in front of her, then retracted quickly as if she’d just realized she’d done something wrong. She was panting in panic, and her heart wouldn’t stop pounding. The silence didn’t last long. Mark let out a heavy sigh, then began to speak again. His voice, shaky and stumbling, grew steadier with every word: “When… when you see someone feeling down… you do everything to bring back their smile. You don’t let problems get to you, not even the tough ones.” He paused, turned his head toward her with a gentle smile, and cautiously stepped forward. He said with admiration, “Last but not least: you wear a diaper with your head held high. No kid our age would be able to walk through the hallways and survive wearing one every day!” Riley opened her mouth, trembling, but a hand flew up to cover it. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she felt a strange sensation rising from her lower belly. Defensively, she took a few steps back — just like he had moments ago. If these were the famous butterflies in the stomach, then it could only mean one thing: she was in love! She swallowed the realization in one gulp, and goosebumps immediately followed. A wall of silence rose between them, isolating them in their own awkward bubbles. Staring at each other in silence wouldn’t help. Something had to be done! All of a sudden, Riley clenched her fists and let her arms hang by her sides. She trembled slightly—she had to find the right words to break this invisible agony. Her heart warmed when she realized Mark had perfectly described her best qualities. That meant his feelings were real. She stammered as if to thank him, but stopped short before going further. It felt like she had forgotten how to speak. Her friend nervously tapped his index fingers together again and again. His wobbly legs began to move, and his gaze darted in random directions with no clear focus. Riley counted a total of seven glances at the changing table where her mom had changed her just minutes before this boiling, silent moment. If she had wet herself again, it wouldn’t have mattered — in fact, it might’ve earned her a scolding. “I-I know what you must be thinking,” Mark began, his tone disappointed. “I’m just a clueless kid who has no idea what he’s saying or what he’s feeling. Maybe that’s true, but… the feelings I have for you are real! I mean it, Riley!” Her heart and mind were a mess, spinning in every direction, each path more tangled than the last. For all the diapers in the world, how much she hated this situation! Why had her feelings for him suddenly grown so deep? And why couldn’t she get a word out? A sad, disappointed grimace darkened his face. Mark hid his face in his hands, lowered his head, and shook it as if regretting everything he’d just said. Riley took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and finally found the courage to speak. “I… I like you too. You always make me smile and feel good about myself. Even when I… have a really big accident.” Mark pulled his hands away and looked up as if he had just witnessed a miracle. “You mean that time you didn’t make it to the bathroom and, uh… did a number two in your diaper?” His voice was uncertain, almost disgusted at the memory. She blushed, and her hands instinctively rested on her diaper. How could she forget that accident? The disgusted faces of her mom and of Mrs. Wallace — Mark’s mom — while inspecting the mess she had made kept her up for several nights. After that, her mom started checking her more often. Until then, the diapers had only ever been dry or wet with pee. She let out an embarrassed giggle. “That drink was way too cold! I didn’t think it would upset my stomach! And you didn’t get away clean that day either!” Mark laughed in response. “My mom needed to test how much pee a pull-up could hold. And I hadn’t gone to the bathroom since she put it on me hours earlier! Either I wet myself, or I wet myself!” The tension that had kept them apart collapsed under the sound of loud, unrestrained laughter — freeing and joyous. Without even realizing it, Riley let go; the warm trickle of urine soaked into her pull-up in spurts, bringing relief until the laughter faded a few seconds later. It’s fine, she told herself philosophically, that’s what the diaper’s for. Her mom was going to flip when she found out! “Have you ever kissed anyone?” Mark asked skeptically, moving closer with caution. “I mean someone other than your parents, grandparents, or other relatives?” A lightbulb went off above her head. Oh yes, this would knock him out for good. Riley, savoring the damp squish between her legs, let her gaze wander casually around the room like middle school girls did when chatting, and leaned her back ever so slightly. “No,” she began, hesitating. “Wait — actually, yes!” With sudden, confident movements, she straightened her posture, rose onto her tiptoes, leaned her body toward him, puckered her lips, and gave him a kiss.