𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆, rodrick heffley

05. little white lies

❛ ━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━ ❜
chapter five: little white lies

[a/n]: yayy i'm back!
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━━━ "OH, MY GOD, HALEY, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Lisbeth shrieks, shoving through the throng of students in the lunch line to reach her friend despite the angry protests. She whips her head around to glare bitingly at a freshman girl. "Yes, I'm cutting!" she screams at her. "Cry me a fucking river!"

Constant yelling is something one must get used to if they want to be friends with Lisbeth Wright. Death stares and movie-character monologues on full volume are the two things that characterize her, after all. Many would be repelled by her strong opinions and judgement, but Haley is undeterred. She supposes a bit of candor is needed to balance out her more mild personality.

"What's what?" Haley asks innocently, accepting a bowl of tomato soup from one of the lunch ladies. She hoists her purse further up her shoulder and balances her lunch tray on one hand.

Lisbeth shoves her cell phone in Haley's face, where the screen displays a pixelated photo of Haley and Rodrick in his van. Haley clears her throat. She knew Lisbeth wouldn't be happy about it. Someone like Rodrick and someone like Lisbeth -- who looks down on those who are not conventionally intelligent, and those who do not belong to the elite rankings of high school -- do not mesh well whatsoever.

The feud between the two -- which is mostly fueled by hatred from Lisbeth's side -- started in the first grade when Rodrick unintentionally won the spelling bee because Lisbeth spelled 'stupidity' wrong. It's a sore subject for her to this day.

"I asked you what this is," Lisbeth repeats. "You going out on a date with Rodrick Heffley? And I had to hear about it from Heather Hills? I'm begging you, please tell me this is edited or something."

"See, your reaction is exactly why I didn't tell you," Haley scoffs, shaking her head and continuing to their regular table.

"So it's true?" Lisbeth gasps dramatically, as if Haley committed treason. "Haley Buxbaum, why would you ever, ever, go on a date with a loser like Rodrick?"

"Leave him alone, Lis," Haley sighs. She considers being honest with Lisbeth and telling her it's all fake. But then she figures that no matter how much she trusts her, she should keep the agreement a secret, just between her and Rodrick. The whole point of fake dating is to fool everyone, right? "I like him," she lies through her teeth. "He's really not that bad. If you just let go of the whole spelling bee debacle, you two could be friends."

"Not in a million years, Buxbaum, would I ever even grace him with my presence."

"You know," Haley starts, her voice taking a serious tone as it often does when she begins feeling philosophical. "Most people think hatred is the opposite of love. But actually, indifference is."

"Babe, what are you saying?"

"Both love and hatred are forms of caring about someone. Whether or not it's negative, you're still saying you deem someone worthy of taking up your mind and energy," Haley explains.

"Fine," Lisbeth relents. "I'm indifferent towards Rodrick Heffley. And I guess it's not so bad that you date him. He's not as bad as Noah."

"Happy to have your approval."

Just as the conversation ends, Noah comes sauntering over to their table. "Speak of the devil," Haley murmurs, dipping her eyes to her food and pretending not to notice him. But what does that matter? Clear disinterest has never deterred Noah Wolfe from getting what he wants.