COME MY WAY • RODRICK HEFFLEY

fifty fourth chapter

new text from giselle <3

giselle

rodrick?

the young boy sighed, putting his phone back down and burying his face into his pillow. he was a complete idiot, a fool, an embarrassment. basically every stupid word in the book. how could he ever face giselle again after the events of dinner? he desperately wanted to fix everything the moment his father found out about the party, but the moment he saw giselle's mother rush her out of the house, he knew he was too late.

rodrick knew whatever happens to her would be his fault and it killed him.

things weren't looking so great for greg and him either at home, it's been almost 40 minutes since they were sent up to their rooms awaiting for their punishment. it's never taken this long before and this whole waiting game was killing him even more.

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"giselle, i am very disappointed in you." mrs. aoki spoke up, staring daggers at her daughter who refused to look her in the eye.

the amount of emotions building up in giselle's system made her burst into tears and she'd been crying the whole car ride back from the heffley's. giselle hated this, she can't believe she let her guard down and now here she was crying in front of her parents who weren't exactly the most reassuring people on planet earth.

"i trusted you!" her mother exclaimed, "you said quinn's house! and i agreed. you are supposed to be a good kid."

"but i am a good kid, mama!" giselle retorted, brushing the tears off her face. she looked to her father who remained silent on the couch, but he didn't say a word.

"good kids don't lie to their parents." her mother stated sternly.

giselle scoffed, "i have tried my whole life to plea--"

"--oh come gigi, stop that. you don't get to say this is my fault." mrs. aoki interrupted. "i don't lie to you, you are the liar. you've been hanging out with this hooligan all this time, where's zara huh? or quinn? how come i-"

"rodrick's not an idiot mom! he is a good person and he's just my friend! you know his mother, she's a good woman-"

"-not until i noticed she lied about her good parenting!"

giselle could hardly believe what she was hearing. she knew her mother would always try and prove herself right, but she didn't think she'd ever stoop this low. "god, you are so horrible for saying that. just over one bad night."

"excuse me! giselle, don't talk to me like tha--"

"--enough, lyn!" mr. aoki joined in, standing from his position on the couch. giselle stared back at him in surprise. "can't you see she's already crying? just leave her, mahal."

"you're going to let her talk to me like--"

"--all i'm saying is, she's had a rough night. let's leave her alone." mr aoki sighed. "giselle-chun, go to bed now. we'll talk tomorrow."

giselle kept quiet, pulling her hair back from her face as she wiped her eyes one more time. she turned to her father with a solemn expression before rushing up the stairs.

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rodrick gathered himself together as he and greg went downstairs where his parents waited for them. they both had stern looks on their faces, giving the impression that they were most certainly not off the hook.

"your father and i have talked and we have decided on your punishment." susan started off, keeping her hands in front of her, which was never a good sign.

rodrick nodded his head, still nervous to hear what else they'd have to say.

"greg you're grounded for 2 weeks," frank spoke up, "also no video games for two weeks."

serves the twerp right, rodrick thought before his mother interrupted his thoughts.

"rodrick you may only drive two and from school for the next month." susan stated, "and you must apologize to the aoki's for this absurd behaviour they witnessed tonight."

"i understand mom, and i'm sorry about that." he replied, trying to keep his cool. it's gonna hurt him not to see giselle.

"and as you were the ringleader, you are also grounded for a month."

a month? he thought. it was over for him.

"mom i'm sorry and i won't do it again." he emphasized.

"i know you won't and to make sure of that your father and i have decided to not let you perform for the talent show."

now that's what really got to him.

rodrick stood still, his eyes glossing over his two parents in desperation. there was no way he couldn't perform, this was his chance, his only shot to prove he was actually good at something. they can't just easily take it away from like that.

"no...no..mom.. yo..you can't do this," he stammered. "i have to perform, this is my only chance."

"rodri--"

"no ground me for a year..i don't care! just don't do this to me." he pleaded hopelessly. "i just got bill in the band and the guys are counting on m—"

"—that's not helping your case rodrick, bill's kind of a loser."

rodrick sighed in defeat, feeling all the frustration and hurt coursing through his veins.

"you're so dead." he whispered to greg before rushing back upstairs.