ADD IT UP ✰ RODRICK HEFFLEY x MALE! OC

CHAPTER 6

I woke up to Rodrick's alarm, instinctually reaching beside me to shut it off. Instead, I was greeted by Rodrick's hand dangling off his bed. He slept through the alarm for several more minutes, and eventually, I decided to shake him awake.

        He slept through that, too.

        I checked the time on his alarm clock: 7:06 a.m. I then put on my usual grandpa sweater, jeans, and trudged to the bathroom. Behind me was Susan, with Manny in her arms, who was on her way up the stairs to wake up Rodrick and Greg— who evidently both slept through their alarms.

        "Good morning, sleepyhead!" Susan exclaimed. "Did you rest well? Breakfast is downstairs on the counter. Bonnie's already down there, alright? I'll meet you at the table n a bit." She pulled me into a hug and knocked on the door of Rodrick's bedroom.

          "Mornin' pwetty Mimi," Manny pointed at me from over Susan's shoulder. I waved at him before heading to the restroom, brushing my teeth, and going down the stairs. At the table, I saw Bonnie and Frank sitting down, both reading the same newspaper.

          "I still can't believe they make this bull!" Frank whispered, sharing the newspaper with Bonnie. She glanced at me apprehensively, but I just smiled at Bonnie, allowing the two of them to have their moment together. Greg emerged from the staircase, plastering a mock-hurt grimace on his face.

       "How dare you bash Lil' Cutie without me, Dad!" he laughed, taking a seat beside Bonnie. Rodrick, Susan, and Manny emerged behind them.

      "Lil' Cutie? I love that comic!" I shrugged, sitting next to Rodrick and grabbing Frank's newspaper. Frank, Bonnie, and Greg stared at me in horror, as if the corny comic strip was an abomination created as an insult to mankind.

      I ate my breakfast in silence, using the time to take in the environment around me. It was a nice change of pace, being able to sit peacefully and eat without worrying about a drunken outburst, or having to clean up broken bottles and scattered objects as soon as I woke up. Manny was difficult to get used to— after all, Susan had been pregnant with him when we left. Otherwise, they were the same Heffley family that I remembered from my childhood, albeit much, much less chaotic, as if they were a family that went through serious life re-alignment throughout the course of the four years I was absent. They felt like a picturesque family curated for a coming-of-age movie— the family of every teenager's dream.

             "You should probably get going now," Susan said after we all put our plates in the sink. "Miles, sweetheart, can you come here please? You can have a ride to school with Rodrick and Greg, Bonnie." She ushered my younger sister out the door, turning around and handing me a small, bulky smartphone. I refused to take it, citing that I already had a phone of my own.

             "No, Miles," Susan insisted. "It didn't cost us anything, Frank gets all the new models from his work anyway. It'll help you reach us faster." She smiled sadly at me. "In case anything happens and you need to contact us."

           I looked at her, confused, but before she could say anything more, Rodrick loudly honked his horn. "Bye, Mrs. Heffley!" I hurried out the door. "Thank you!"

           "Call me Susan, dear," she grinned and waved, watching me walk out the door.

        Rodrick smirked at me as he kicked Greg out of the passenger's seat. He pulled out a container in the van, filled to the brim with CDs. Greg groaned as he handed the device to me, hinting that he wanted me to choose the song.

       "What's wrong?" I queried, curious, wondering why this simple action resulted in such a knee jerk reaction from Greg.

        "Rodrick is gonna play his stupid metal music and embarrass me in front of everyone!" Greg exclaimed, sounding completely serious despite the nature of his teasing.