Yet again, Erin was surprised at her own lack of revulsion at Hailey’s actions. Hailey was deliberately trying to bother Emily, and yet Erin didn’t want to do anything more than watch with bemused interest. Is it really because I don’t like Emily? She remembered that she had secretly wished harm upon her stepmother several times, but she’d never acted on those wishes. Or maybe I just trust Hailey to do what’s right. Is that wise? She’s always willing to help me out, but if I’m just blindly assuming everything she does is right, then I’m no better than Emily as far as thinking for myself.
How far did she plan on taking this, anyway? It’s not going to be easy for her to go to the bathroom with us around, but will she eventually give up and go, or will she hold off until she wets her pants? I hope it’s not the latter, even she doesn’t deserve that. Erin certainly knew what it was like to be forced into having an accident. In Erin’s case it was usually because going to the bathroom meant angering her stepmother, whereas Emily couldn’t go to the bathroom because of some odd shame about her bodily functions, but the principle wasn’t that much different.
But there really wasn’t anything Erin could do about it at this point. For better or worse, Emily was stuck with them until her mother came to pick her up, so even if Hailey did nothing further, it was still possible that Emily would continue to refuse to use the toilet until it was too late. The only possibility was to tell Erin to go off on her own somewhere and meet back later, but casting her aside like that was too rude for Erin to do, even if it was for Emily’s own good.
Well, all I can do is hope she eventually overcomes her embarrassment about us knowing she’s using a toilet. I’d think that would be less embarrassing than having an accident in the mall.
Hailey checked her watch. “Looks like we’ve got about twenty minutes until your mother is going to pick you up. We should think about wrapping it up soon.”
Emily nodded. She had been less talkative than usual as they’d started to venture through the mall, but for the last few minutes, she’d been nearly silent, and was noticeably fidgeting. She has to be desperate by now, surmised Hailey. Why hasn’t she gone to the toilet yet? She must be more embarrassed about us knowing than I thought.
Hailey herself was becoming less comfortable. Her diaper had done a decent job of absorbing her urine at the theater, but she could still feel her skin becoming irritated from the dampness. She was usually so eager to wear a diaper, but this was the first time she could remember that she so strongly wanted to change out of one.
Oh, well, twenty more minutes and then a bike ride home and I’ll be able to change. Next time I’ll need to plan this a little better.
Emily took that moment to gasp, drawing the attention of Erin and Hailey, both of whom expected that such a gasp would be a reaction to an accident. When a wet spot failed to materialize on Emily’s shorts, Hailey spoke up. “What’s wrong, Emily?”
Emily’s face turned red as her fidgeting picked up rapidly. “I have to, um, I’ve gotta…”
“You have to what?” queried Hailey.
“I have to go to the bathroom!” squealed Emily, speaking so rapidly that her peers likely would not have been able to understand her if they didn’t know what she was going to say.
“Well, the nearest bathroom to here is probably back in the food court,” noted Hailey. “Come on, let’s go.”
Erin was relieved that Emily finally gave in, although from Emily’s behavior, she didn’t have much time. I hope she makes it. I really wish she’d spoken up just a bit sooner.
The girls speed walked to the food court. “Please don’t come in with me,” Emily pleaded as they approached the corner with the hall leading to the bathrooms. Hailey and Erin both nodded; Emily had been distressed for long enough. She was sufficiently embarrassed by admitting her need in the first place; there was no need to antagonize her any further by following her in. Emily ran into the women’s room with a hand clutching her groin as Erin and Hailey took a table in view of the restrooms’ hallway.
“I’m glad she made it,” admitted Erin. “Tell me honestly: did you expect her to have an accident, or were you just trying to make her uncomfortable for as long as possible?”
“I thought she’d use the toilet way before she did. I was just trying to use her prudishness to annoy her for a while; I didn’t expect her to take it this far.”
“Well, at least she did eventually go,” said Erin. “She was annoying, but even she didn’t deserve us forcing her into an accident.”
“Yeah,” agreed Hailey. She could see that Erin wasn’t as enthusiastic about bothering Emily as Hailey had been, and to be honest, she probably shouldn’t have taken advantage of Emily like that. But it wasn’t a discussion that Hailey really wanted to get into right now; she knew what she did was wrong.
Hailey lowered her voice slightly, and said, “I just want to get home myself soon. I kind of want to get changed; my skin’s starting to itch.”
“You wet your diaper? When? You went right after me at the theater, and I don’t really have to go yet.”
“Well, I didn’t actually use the toilet at the theater. I went to the bathroom, but I wet my diaper in the bathroom.”
“Oh. Couldn’t do it in the theater or something?”
“I think it was because Emily was sitting next to me. I knew she wouldn’t know if I was wetting my diaper, but I still couldn’t convince my body to do it.”
“Ah,” said Erin.
“But anyway, I’ve been wet quite a long time, and it’s getting uncomfortable. Next time I think I need to either bring panties or another diaper to change into, although I still have to figure out how I’m going to change discreetly in public.”
“I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” consoled Erin. “Anyway, what’s taking Emily so long?”
Hailey thought for a moment. Erin had been in there for a while. “Maybe there was a line, or she had to poop or something.”
“Do you think she might not have made it? I mean, if she did have an accident, she’d probably be in there right now trying to figure out a way to dry herself off.”
“Well, she told us to wait out here,” Hailey said, “and we should respect that. If she doesn’t come out by the time her mom is supposed to pick her up, we can go in and find out what’s happening.”
Erin agreed with the plan. Sending a rescue party into the bathroom ultimately turned out to be unnecessary, as Emily emerged from the restroom a few minutes later.
Emily’s shorts looked like they possibly could have been slightly damp, but the shadows cast on the shorts made it almost impossible to tell for sure. If she hadn’t made it on time, she’d done a good job drying her shorts off.
“What took you so long?” asked Hailey. “Did you have to poop?”
“Eew, no,” said Emily, her face yet again turning red.
“Did you not get to the toilet in time or something?”
“No!” exclaimed Emily, far too quickly.
Hailey and Erin exchanged glances. Maybe she did have an accident. Her reaction seemed to indicate that, but there was still no way to be certain.
Well, since I can’t tell for certain, I’m going to assume she didn’t wet herself, thought Erin. There was enough doubt that she could convince herself not to feel guilty for what she’d allowed Hailey to do.
Hailey, too, decided to accept her doubt. I never intended to make her wet her pants, and I don’t know for sure that she did. She said she didn’t, anyway. Of course, she would have said she didn’t either way, but it was sufficient for Hailey to soothe her conscience. Still, I don’t think I’ll be trying a stunt like this ever again.
“Well, let’s head to the entrance where your mom’s picking you up,” said Hailey, glancing at her watch. “She should be here any minute.”
“I can head there myself,” Emily said meekly. “I’m tired of hanging out with you nerds anyway.” Her words didn’t sound as confident as they normally were.
Erin and Hailey shrugged off the mild insult, and walked to the rack where their bikes were stored.
“I don’t think she had an accident,” Hailey said, strapping on her bike helmet.
“Yeah, she probably made it on time,” conceded Erin.
The cousins said nothing further to each other for the duration of the ride home.