The Babysitter, Part 48

“So, what happens when you have to wear your diapers to class?” Ruby asked, “That skirt might hide them decently well, but a leotard definitely won’t.”

I would have preferred silence on the walk towards the picnic table. And while I didn’t plan on letting myself get baited by Ruby’s teasing, I couldn’t help but picture the image her words put in my head. She was right; the form fitting ballet attire would make it obvious to literally anyone looking at me that I was wearing padded underwear. Not that such an outfit combo would ever happen, as I wouldn’t be caught dead at the studio in such a manner.

There was no point in reminding Ruby that I was actually wearing pull-ups. Either way, it was mortifying. And walking through the park now that they were soaked and sagging was a million times worse than simply dealing with the clean bulk that had awkwardly kept my thighs slightly apart. Not even the double set of pull-ups was enough to keep them fully in place after the humiliating ‘accident.’

I had wet myself.

Despite how I could feel it with every single step, I still couldn’t fully believe that I had actually done such a thing. A girl my age? No way. This had to be some kind of super vivid, multi-day nightmare. That would also explain how Noelle so easily perceived me as a middle school girl.

“Earth to Miley,” Ruby said, “That’s them, right? I recognize Paige from our recitals.”

“Umm, yeah,” I replied. It belatedly registered that she had addressed me as ‘Miley.’ Apparently less than 24 hours was all it took to condition me to answer to the false name. “And it’s Alyssa. You promised to tell Noelle the truth. Don’t you dare go back on your word after I . . . ” Trailing off, I flushed a bit at the words I almost said out loud.

Ruby was more than happy to conclude the thought. “After you pissed yourself? After you had an accident in your diapers?”

“You know what I mean.” Slowing my pace ever so slightly, as I was suddenly hesitant to return to Paige and Noelle now that Ruby was still taunting me about the false identity, I insisted, “We made a deal, Ruby. I held up my end.” Like she so kindly reminded me, I literally used my pull-ups.

“Uh huh. But how do you expect me to be honest when you’re hiding such a big secret?” she asked, “How about this, Miley? Tell your babysitter what you did, or I’m gone.”

“Ruby!” I exclaimed. That wasn’t what we agreed on. And what I had already done to secure her help was more than enough. “That’s not fair!”

“That’s not fair!” she echoed in a mocking tone, “No wonder Noelle believes you’re a younger girl. And I mean it, Miley. Come clean to her about how you wet yourself. Unless you want me to tell her for you?”

“No!” I blurted out. That was the worst possible result. If Noelle was going to hear about it either way, it made more sense to tell her myself. At least then I could try to say it in a way that didn’t sound quite as bad as how Ruby would probably deliver the news. That, and it sounded like she wasn’t going to budge on the additional terms.

Ruby just smiled. Clearly she was enjoying herself. As frustrating as it was, could I blame her? This was so different from our usual dynamic, and there were plenty of girls like her at the studio that would pounce on any opportunity to set themselves apart from the competition. Of course, this was a pretty extreme example of such a chance. “Okay, then. Looks like they see us.” She gave a wave to the girls and called out. “Hey! Paige, right?”

As worried as I was about how much Ruby planned on making me squirm before finally telling Noelle the truth, and as uncomfortable as I felt walking around in dirty pull-ups, I briefly forgot about all of that when I saw the look on Paige’s face. After the constant smirks and sideways glances ever since Noelle arrived, my step-sister finally looked a little bit nervous.

For all of one second, that is. She recovered quickly, shifting to a more casual expression. I could only imagine what was going on in her mind as I approached with someone that actually knew me. “Hey,” Paige said, “Don’t tell me. Did my sister get lost?”

No ‘Miley.’ She was being careful, while still subtly being patronizing as she tried to figure out the situation. Did Paige even know Ruby? The only time my sister was at the studio was for recitals, and Ruby and I weren’t particularly close. Ruby might have recognized Paige from seeing the two of us together after a performance, but Paige would have only seen Ruby on stage in a leotard, rather than the sundress the girl beside me was currently wearing.

“Something like that,” Ruby said, “Go on, Miley. Did you have something you wanted to tell Noelle?”

Paige had a similar reaction to that. Her face lit up for a moment before she managed to revert back to the nonchalant image she was so good at maintaining when necessary. I had seen it plenty of times when I was getting on her case for whatever; she would just sit there like I was making a big deal out of nothing.

“What is it?” Noelle asked.

God, no. I couldn’t just tell her in front of everyone. But would it count if Ruby didn’t witness it? If I pulled Noelle aside, Ruby could always claim that I could have admitted something less embarrassing. Not wanting to risk it, I said, “Can we talk to you privately?” I asked, tacking on an awkward, “Please?”

Noelle shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

At this point, I was willing to take whatever win I could. The fact that I didn’t have to say it in front of Paige and her two friends was a huge relief. Still, I wasn’t looking forward to Noelle hearing about the kind of accident that was far less excusable than wetting the bed. Especially since I had literally gone off on my own for the sake of finding a bathroom.

I didn’t want to risk quietly saying it when one of the three girls still at the table might overhear. Taking a few steps away from them, beyond nervous as Noelle followed me and Ruby, I realized that I had absolutely no idea what to say. Because I had been so concerned with getting Ruby to hold up her end, as well as what might happen if I didn’t do the last minute task compelled of me, I wasn’t prepared in the slightest to actually say it.

Apparently I wasn’t even going to be given the chance.

“Well? What’s going on?” Noelle asked.

Right away, Ruby said, “Miley wet herself.”