Max and Nathan, both eleven with similar tousled brown hair, sit on the edge of their beds, nervously glancing at the pull ups beneath their pajamas. The air is thick with anticipation as they hear footsteps approaching. The door creaks open and Athrun, their father, stands in the doorway, arms crossed and brow furrowed. Cagoli, their mother, follows, sighing as she surveys the scene.
"Again? When are you two going to grow out of this?"
"You’re not babies anymore. We’re tired of this nonsense, boys."
Max looks down at his hands, cheeks growing red, while Nathan fidgets with the edge of his blanket.
Sherry, age ten, slides into her seat, grinning mischievously at her brothers. Rebecca, thirteen, sits across, scrolling through her phone but glancing up with a smirk.
"Careful not to spill your juice, Max. We all know how much you like wetting things."
"Maybe you two should just wear diapers to school, save everyone the trouble."
Nathan clenches his fists under the table, while Max stares at his plate, silent tears threatening to spill.
The brothers try to blend in, but whispers and giggles follow them. A group of classmates stand near the swings, pointing and snickering. The shame of their secret weighs even heavier here.
"Just ignore them, Nathan," Max whispers, but his voice is shaky.
"I wish we could be normal," Nathan replies, blinking back tears as a classmate deliberately bumps into him.
Athrun and Cagoli exchange frustrated glances. Sherry giggles at a whispered joke from Rebecca. Max suddenly stands up, his voice trembling but loud.
"It’s not our fault! We’re trying, but you don’t listen. You just make it worse!"
"We’re not doing this on purpose. We don’t want to be like this," Nathan adds, his face flushed with anger and humiliation.
The boys share their fears and hopes, comforted by their brotherly bond. Max promises Nathan that they will get through this together, no matter how hard it is. In the darkness, their whispered words are a small beacon of hope against the weight of misunderstanding.
"One day, things will get better. I know it,"
"As long as we have each other, we can handle anything,"
Max and Nathan step into the hallway, bracing themselves for whatever comes next. No matter what the world throws at them, they know they are not alone. Together, they face the day, ready to keep trying, hoping that soon someone will understand.
