Riley

26

Entering other people's rooms had become an automatism for Sally. She picked up the habit in third grade, a year before the twins were born, when she wanted to play a prank on a classmate she disliked. Moreover, that was the first time she planned everything down to the smallest detail. The look on Aurora's face when she saw the lizard's tail on her desk was satisfying and funny. She squealed like a madwoman, and Sally could not hold back her laughter.

From the outside, Theo's room was like Riley's, but light blue and without band posters or any designs to be proud of. Bed, desk, closet, bookcase; this was his room. Why don't Theo and Riley decorate their rooms with something of their own? Or of... of ours? Did we ever take pictures together?

Theo sat doing his homework. Back straight head bowed and left hand moving over the notebook. Sally studied him for minutes, looking like an automaton carrying out orders. Cold, mechanical and apathetic. He took a breath of air, counted to three and tapped on the window pane.

After making sure that none of his parents were passing his room at that moment, Theo quickly ran to the window above the bed and opened it.

"Come in quick!" he told her quickly. "Hi, by the way."

Sally jumped in. "How are you?"

"What are you doing here?" retorted Theo, closing the window. "Shouldn't you be home doing your homework?"

"Thanks for your interest, but no," replied her friend. "First, I have homework to do, and second, I want to help you change your parents' minds."

He remained neutral. "Is that all?"

"What do you mean *that's all*?"

"I mean... thank you?" he stammered vaguely, looking away toward the window. "I... I don't think it's the case... they don't.... it's complicated."

Sally got out of bed, put down her backpack beside the bed and took off her jacket. "If it's complicated, how about we do our homework together and then talk about it calmly? Like we did at my house, remember?"

Theo gave a nervous smile. He had no choice but to humor Sally and risk his parents catching them and scolding them. By now, the stunt of letting her in had been done; the consequences would come in due time.

"Yes, I remember. What subject do you want to start with?"

Sally promptly replied, "Let's start with the simplest: literature."

"Yes, the simplest," commented Theo sincerely. "Come on, let's start."

Minutes later, literature, math, geography and history homework disappeared from their thoughts, and finally the two friends could sit on the floor and talk. They looked at each other for a minute, neither of them had in mind how to start that conversation. They sighed.

"How are you doing with... your mother?" asked Theo cautiously.

Sally sketched a smile. "As usual, she makes me feel useless, she ignores me... she does the same things. In this whole situation, my little brothers are giving me a big hand."

"In what way?"

"With the diapers," she whispered contentedly at that question. "By now I know all the secrets between their legs. I've taken a liking to changing them, even the smelly ones!"

Theo blushed, regretting having spoken. "Sal! I'm a boy too, so..."

Sally blinked twice quickly. "You're right. But staying on topic, are you wearing one, right now?"

He shook his head.

"What are you doing? Are you leaving me alone like this? Confined to the world of underwear?" asked her friend jokingly and feigned offense. "Are we the Diaper Trio or not?"