Riley's mom came out of the kitchen with the last dish and saw that Dean was still standing while Riley had already started eating. 

"Dean, what happened? Why aren't you sitting?" She put the spaghetti on the table and asked Dean, but soon she stared at Riley. 

 

" Riley, when are you going to learn some manners? You should tell Dean to sit too." She shot a look at Riley, but Riley didn't care. He was busy enjoying his soup. 

 

"And Dean," she said, looking past Riley, "you don't need anyone's permission to sit. I have told you many times, dear, that this is your home too." Riley's mom said, and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. He was glad that Auntie was still talking to him; otherwise, he thought they wouldn't even like to see his face anymore.

"Yes, auntie," Dean said and quickly sat down on the chair next to Riley. 

"You have no shame, right?" Dean elbowed Riley and said. He was waiting for Riley to tell him to sit, but he didn't even look at him. The food looked delicious, and he was eating all alone, not caring that his friend was there too.

 

Riley leaned close to Dean and smiled, "If I called you, then how would my mom talk to you, and how would you be as comfortable as you are now?"

Dean was now speechless. He thought Riley wanted to eat all that delicious soup himself, so that's why he wasn't asking him to sit. But he was mistaken. His friend was trying to help him. 

"Thank you," Dean whispered to Riley. 

"What you both are talking about? Stop it and eat." Riley's mom said and put the spaghetti on both boys' plates. 

  "Here, Dean. Take this too." Riley's mother hands the tray of panzanella to Dean, who happily takes a big spoonful of panzanella and puts it on his plate. 

Riley was looking at both of them with a strange face. Why was he feeling like they were mother and son, and he was a guest there? Why do they make him feel this way all the time? 

"Give me too." Riley held out his plate in front of his mother, so she put some panzanella on his plate.

"Take it yourself." She pushed the tray towards Riley, and Riley looked down at the table with a sad puppy face. 

"What a dramatic son I have." Mom laughed and put panzanella on Riley's plate.

"Can I have some more?" Dean moved his plate forward, and Auntie put some on his too.

"Now both of you eat quickly. I have something to talk about." Mom said and again started eating.  

Dean, who was enjoying food just now, felt like he was going to choke on it. He wanted to run out of the house before Auntie started asking anything. He knew he wouldn't be able to answer them.

"Auntie, I didn't do anything." Dean quickly stood up from his chair. "We are not what you think. We didn't do anything."

"Why aren't you eating?" Riley nudged Dean with his elbow, and Dean realised he was just daydreaming, but he had to say it for real too. He has to tell Riley's mom everything so she doesn't misunderstand them. 

After the three of them finished their meal, Mom went to put all the dirty dishes in the sink and quickly came back to the table. 

She sat down on her chair again and stared at the guys in front of her.

After observing for a while, she smiled slightly and said, "So, would you like to tell me what was happening upstairs?" 

Riley's lips were sealed. He wasn't going to say anything. He wanted to see if his friend, who always saves him from trouble, could save himself too or not. 

"Yes, Dean, tell Mom what happened," Riley said with an innocent face, and Dean felt like punching him. How could he act like that when he knew his friend was in such big trouble? 

"I auntie.." words didn't come out of Dean's mouth, and he didn't know how to explain everything to auntie. He was so embarrassed, though he didn't do anything for which he needed to feel embarrassed. 

"Actually, Mom, nothing happened as you are thinking. I pulled him onto the bed, and he accidentally fell on me. That's all." Riley quickly said, and Dean breathed out as if it were he who said all this. At first, Riley had thought not to help Dean, but seeing that it would take him the whole day to say what he wanted to say, he spoke up. 

"Yes, that's what happened." Dean quickly added

Riley's mom looked at both of them for a few seconds, then sighed and got up from the chair. 

"Both of you are boring." She shook her head and sighed. "I thought something interesting must have happened." She sighed once again and walked to the kitchen to clean the dirty dishes.

As soon as she walked away, Riley started laughing, and Dean was dumbfounded. He couldn't comprehend what had just happened. She was expecting... what?!!!

"Hey, stop making that face. Mom was just joking." Riley laughed even more. No matter how many times his mom joked with or teased Dean, he never got it and always had that look on his face in the end. 

"Now stop showing me your shocking expression, and let's go to my room to play a video game." Riley placed his hand on Dean's shoulder and said. 

"Hell no!" Dean pushed Riley's hand away from him and got up from the chair. 

"I'm going home," Dean said, and before Riley could stop him, Dean had crossed the main door of Riley's house, and now he was nowhere to be seen. 

Riley was shocked at the speed at which Dean ran away. If he participates in some race, he will surely win it.