I gave in, unable to say no to him. Putting my foot into one of the holes of the fence, I gripped onto the metal and pulled myself up, watching as Leo climbed to the top and then just catapulted himself over, he jumped to the ground.
Out of the both of us, Leo was always the fearless one. I didn’t have his daring attitude, but I went with it despite feeling like this was a bad idea.
Throwing my leg over the rail, I slowly made my way down. Careful not to slip or cut my skin on the steel of the fence.
“See?” Leo acknowledged, grabbing onto my hips. He helped me step onto the grass. “That wasn’t so bad.”
As soon as my feet hit the ground, my stomach was in knots. I’d never broken the law before and it was doing a number on my belly.
“Do you remember where the bathroom is?”
He gazed behind him before gesturing toward the back of the open field. “I think it’s in the cabin over there.”
I nodded, trying to pretend like my stomach wasn’t doing somersaults and who knows what.
“You okay?”
“Mmm hmm, let’s go over there.”
I didn’t give him a chance to reply, moving one foot in front of the other at a faster pace than he expected.
“Why are you walking so fast?”
“I have to go to the bathroom.”
“You know you can always go in the lake.”
I ignored his suggestion, practically biting my bottom lip to keep from whimpering in pain. Although, my belly was making all the noise for the both of us and I silently hoped he couldn’t hear it.
“Mila, you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Just walk, Mila. All you have to do is walk. Don’t stop. Just. Keep. Walking.
Five steps.
Sixteen steps.
Thirty-four steps.
I’m going to shit myself.
“Mila, slow down!”
“I can’t! I have to go!”
“Just go in the lake. It’s right there.”
Once again, I ignored his statement, puckering my butt cheeks together.
Please God don’t let me poop in my leggings in front of my best friend.
“Lala, what’s going on?”
“I told you, I have to go to the bathroom.”
“And I told you, just pee in the lake. It’s not a big deal.”
If I had to pee then I would go in the lake, Leo!
I resisted the urge to say exactly that. Our friendship was close, but not that close. I didn’t go number two in his presence.
Ever.
Even when I stayed the night in his cabin, I always went home in the morning to use the bathroom. Even when he crashed at my apartment, I’d walk over to the clubhouse while he was still sleeping to use the restroom. I wasn’t raised that way. We did those things in private. This was uncharted territory for me and I hated that the most.
However, my stomach didn’t care about my humiliation.
Please don’t poop! Please don’t poop! Please don’t poop!
Sixty-five steps.
Eighty steps.
One hundred and ten steps.
Finally!
I gripped onto the handle of the bathroom door and pulled back.
Oh, God, please no…
I cried out, “It’s locked.”
“Relax, it’s not a big deal. Just pee—”
I snapped around and glared right into his eyes. “I don’t have to pee, Leo!”
His stare went wide for a second before a hint of a smile crept on his face.
“Don’t you dare,” I warned with an edge in my tone.
“Are you ground hogging right now?”
“Oh, god…”
Could this get any worse?
“I’m just anxious and nervous from breaking the law and it’s all your fault!”
“My fault? How is it my fault that you’re ready to shit yourself?”
I scowled at him and he lifted his hands in a surrendering gesture as he started laughing his ass off.
“You’re not helping!”
“Mila, oh fuck…” he cackled, holding onto his stomach like I was but for a whole different reason.
“Leo, stop laughing!”
“I can’t…” He was hyperventilating from laughing so damn hard. “This is just fucking hilarious. You’re so polite when it comes to things like this and now you’re holding in a turd.”
I’m going to die. This is what dying feels like.
“Leo… please…”
“Okay, okay.” He governed his bearings, trying to look at me with a straight face when it was obvious all he wanted to do was continue to laugh at my current state. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m being an asshole. Let me see if I can unlock the door for you.”
I stepped aside, desperately clenching my butt cheeks. I could feel my skin getting clammy, I was beginning to lose my shit.
Literally.
He roughly yanked and rammed into the door with his shoulder a couple of times.
No luck.
I was screwed. It wasn’t even budging.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to face me. Quickly, he nodded his head toward the huge oak tree about thirty feet from us.
“Go drop your bomb behind that tree over there. I’ll stand guard here.”
“A tree!”
“Yeah.” He nodded to it again. “That one over there.”
“But—” I frantically shook my head no “—I’ve never pooped in the woods before.”