too much like me~ R Heffley

chapter sixteen | Funeral plans

"Umm, I, I don't know." She told him.

Rodrick looked down at the cushion he was sitting on.

"I do like you." She blurted out. "But I don't know if i'm ready to be with you."

"It's fine." He reassured her. "Take all the time you need, i'll win you over though."

Mallory smiled at the boy.

"I don't doubt it." She grinned at him.

"Can I kiss you?" He questioned her.

"Sure." She answered.

Rodrick put his hand on her chin and leaned in towards her. He pressed his lips against hers.
Mallory's phone started ringing.

"Sorry." She apologised as she pulled away. "I should take this.

Mallory answered the phone.

"Mal, I'm so sorry." Her dad told her.

"You're sorry for what?" Mallory asked.

"It's your mum, she's umm she's..." Peter started trailing off.

Mallory's eyes filled with tears, she knew what her dad was going to say.

"When did she?" Mallory didn't finish her sentence.

"Fifteen minutes ago." Peter answered his daughter.

"Are you at the hospital?" She questioned her father.

"Yes, I'm just filling out some paperwork." He replied. "The police said that we have the option to sue the driver of the truck if we want to."

"I'm coming to the hospital now." She mumbled.

She hung up before turning to Rodrick. She burst out crying.

"She's dead." She sobbed. "My mum's dead."

Rodrick held on to her tightly.

"Do you want a ride to the hospital?" He asked her.

"I was going to call my aunt." She whispered.

"Okay." He muttered.

Mallory's hands trembled as she called her aunt. Penelope Rivers was Peter's younger sister. She was twenty nine. As soon as she finished university, she moved to America. She lived a ten minutes away from where Mallory was living.

"Get in Baby." Penelope instructed the two teens.

Rodrick and Mallory got in the back of car. Rodrick hardly said anything while Penelope was speaking to her niece. Mallory still hasn't stopped crying so she choked on her words. Rodrick grabbed her hand and stroked it.

"So what's your name then?" Penelope questioned the boy.

"I'm Rodrick, Rodrick Heffley." He answered.

"Ahh, your father must be Frank." She sighed. "Peter's told me a lot about him. They're quite good friends."

They got to the hospital quickly. Penelope stayed in the car as the two teens got out.

"Take care of her Rodrick." Penelope called after the boy.

They entered the building. For Mallory, the lights were really bright and the sounds were too loud. She had no idea what to do until she saw her father. She ran up to him and hugged him. Rodrick stood behind her.

"We're going to get through this." Peter told his daughter. "I promise."