𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆, rodrick heffley

02. freaks and geeks

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chapter two: freaks and geeks

[a/n]: whewww second chapter!! this is exciting...hopefully the quality of my writing won't peter off like it usually does when it feels less novel and i start getting bored of it...i hope you haven't noticed haha
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━━━ AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION, RODRICK DECIDES to make an effort to look nice for the dinner. Not for Haley or for his mom or anything, just...because. And besides, he puts in minimal effort. He puts deodorant on for the first time -- it ends up being a Neutrogena sunscreen stick, but, hey, isn't that basically the same thing? -- and puts on a shirt other than the one he has been wearing for the past five days, even though there's no telling what in his room is dirty and what is clean. It's actually quite possible that everything is dirty.

When he bounds downstairs, his mom is already at the door with a smile plastered on her face as the Buxbaum family steps inside. Greg's shoulders are slouched over, which his dad quickly fixes with a harsh jolt of his shoulders. Patrick and Denise, Haley's parents, are carrying a bowl of salad and an apple pie dish, the latter making Rodrick's stomach rumble with the delectable scent.

Haley's loud snort interrupts Rodrick's gastronomic fantasies, and he glares at her as if he's suddenly been made aware of her presence. "Look at you, dressed in your Sunday best. You look cute when you don't look like a weed dealer."

"You look cute when you don't look like Strawberry Shortcake's second cousin," Rodrick fires back. "Oh, wait! You still do."

"That's a tired joke, Heffley. Besides, there's nothing Strawberry Shortcake about me. I'm just wearing a pink dress," Haley says, growing annoyed. The comment isn't sweetened by the fact that she's extremely petite as well. And what's wrong with her dress? When she put it on earlier in the evening, she thought it to be quite elegant. Floral pink blouse with a pink silk skirt. Nothing about it that could have any connotation to some childish television show.

"Fine. You look like you thrifted from a toddler," Rodrick amends, making a satisfied face at Haley.

"If that toddler's name is Giorgio Armani," Haley said, crossing her arms and starting toward the dining room, where her parents were helping the Heffleys set the table.

"Bullshit! You totally made that name up," Rodrick exclaimed, following her into the room and taking a seat. "Giorgio Armani. Who names their kid that?"

━━━ "SO, HOW'S JUNIOR YEAR WORKING out for you, Haley?" Rodrick's mom asks Haley, spooning some beef stew onto her plate and smiling at the girl. "I hear from Greg you're somewhat of a Renaissance woman."

Haley blushes at the complimentary comment. "Very well, Mrs. Heffley. I've joined a few clubs and I'm president of the student council. We actually recently got done with a food drive for the local homeless shelter. I also do speech and debate, and I've participated in track. I also do a few journalism classes at the community college and I'm apart of the school newspaper," Haley announces, her shoulders stiffening as she straightens her posture.

Rodrick kicks her under the table from her place beside her. "Loosen up, Buxbaum, this isn't your Harvard interview." He pauses. "You might want to wear a different dress for that occupation."

Haley furrows her brows and cocks her head to the side, seemingly calculating his words before saying, "Um, don't you mean occasion?"

"Buxbaum, I'm pretty sure that isn't a word," Rodrick says, rolling his eyes and shaking his head in amusement.