COME MY WAY • RODRICK HEFFLEY

sixty fifth chapter

"rodrick! come on we're leaving!" susan heffley called out to her eldest son who was taking forever to get ready.

rodrick sighed, fumbling for his army green jacket and heading out of his room. he knew this was going to be painful having to watch the band he formed perform without him, but his mom let him come to the talent show and he didn't want to miss it for the world.

he'd be communicating with ben all week trying to come up with his brilliant plan to apologise to giselle and if he wanted this to work, he needed to get his mom on his side.

he went down the stairs where susan was waiting for him with an impatient look on her face. "that's a bit too much makeup on your eyes son." she grinned.

rodrick shrugged, "what? i look badass."

susan chuckled, ushering him to follow her out of the house until rodrick cut her off. "uh, mom about that.."he trailed off.

she turned back around to face her soon who had already had a pleading look on his face. "rodrick," she warned. "you're grounded."

"this isn't about performing with loaded diper," he sighed, feeling a bit red having to confess to his mother about his emotions. "i'm trying to make things right here, alright?"

"with who?"

rodrick looked down, refusing to look into his mother's eyes. "giselle."

susan wasn't surprised to hear the girl's name, it shocked her more that rodrick owned up to how he was feeling. "but won't she be at the show?"

rodrick grumbled, scratching the back of his head. this felt more awkward than he thought it would. "mom, you don't understand i have to do this one thing outside of the talent show. i'm trying..to make..amends."

"rodrick you're grounded—"

"—-i know, i know i am." he pointed out. "that's why i'm promising to come back straight after i do this!"

"i deserve to know what it is first."

rodrick sighed, taking a deep breath before telling his mom of his plans.

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rodrick could hardly believe his luck! the moment susan handed him the keys to the van, he rushed straight to ben's house to pick him up. he needed a bit of moral support and ben was there for him every step of the way.

he knew giselle and her parents weren't seeing eye to eye after the altercation at the heffley's and he knew gigi all too well. her feelings got the best of her that she was never able to explain how she felt and with her mother's strong presence, it was harder for giselle to explain her feelings.

when rodrick parked the van on the side of the road, his heart was pounding in his chest. he didn't know how this would end up but he knew what he had to do.

"you ready?" ben asked.

"i think so."

"dude, you better be ready because i've got to make it in time for the talent show." ben teased.

rodrick shook his head, grabbing the pack of photographs in the van before heading towards the aoki household. a place he dreaded to be in.

"here goes nothing." he mumbled, before ringing the doorbell.

rodrick held onto the package in his hands, trying his best to remain calm. he knew he'd be able to say what he had to say when he was in the right state of mind. he took a few deep breaths, biting down onto his bottom lip when the front door bursted open.

mrs. aoki had answered, a surprised look on her face when she noticed the young heffley boy in front of her. "what brings you here.." she tried to remember his name.

"rodrick," he answered for her, "i-"

"-giselle is not home right now." she interrupted him.

great, rodrick thought to himself. he's made a complete fool out of himself again. "oh, sorry i didn't mean to come unannounced..i wanted to drop this off." he said, handing her the package of giselle's photographs. it was her newly edited portfolio and it remained in the loaded diper van since that day rodrick brought her to robinson's to pick it up.

"what is it?" mrs. aoki questioned, taking the package from the boy's hands.

"it's giselle's photos." he mentioned, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "she'd been working on it for months, mrs. aoki. your daughter is very talented."

"how would you know that, mr. heffley?" she retorted, her tone of voice coming off as condescending.

rodrick gulped, begging for ben to come save him but he knew he was alone in this.

"because i watched her take most of them, mrs. aoki." he explained. "and from what i've seen..your daughter is the most creative person i've met and she's hardworking and always knows what she wants."

there was a short silence between them, rodrick felt like he had to leave. he waved shyly towards mrs. aoki before turning away. "i don't know exactly what photos she edited and added into her portfolio, but i know whatever she chose looks amazing." rodrick added before walking away back into his van.

mrs. aoki watched the boy leave and looked back down at the package in her hands. she entered back into her home, slowly tearing the package open, her eyes gazing over the images that were perfectly crafted by her daughter.

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unedited!!!