𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆 ✷ rodrick heffley (✓)

09. unraveling

❛ ━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━ ❜
chapter nine: unraveling

[a/n]: eventually, all hell will break loose. even worse than the dad finding out about the party and them messing with his battle figurines. yes. even worse than that. so enjoy the sort-of peace while it's here haha.
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━━━ "YOU BOYS ARE FIVE MINUTES early. Did you have a good time?" Mrs. Heffley asks as her sons enter the doorway. She is seated on a large armchair, while two colleagues of hers -- Mr. Salz and Mrs. Kohan -- sit on the sofa. Mr. Heffley toggles with his camera in front of the television set. "Hey, was that Haley Buxbaum I saw outside the window?"

Rodrick freezes in place, then loosens up to avoid looking suspicious. "Yeah, sure it was," he replies nonchalantly, flashing a winning smile.

"You two have been spending a lot of time together recently. Doesn't seem so much like a chore to you anymore," Mrs. Heffley notes, lighting up at the prospect of Rodrick making more sensible friends. "Maybe I should stop paying you."

Rodrick's eyes widen, and he loses all of his cool as he shakes his head rapidly back and forth. "Mom, don't do that! I mean, I don't even like her. Greg wanted to bring Alex, and her parents wouldn't let her go unless Haley tagged along. It's not like I wanted her there." Susan frowns at Rodrick's outburst, a muscle in her jaw ticking when she notices Mr. Salz and Mrs. Kohan squirming in their seats. Rodrick straightens up. If he doesn't fix this, he's definitely going to get a corny talking-to later on in the night. "And I let her come, because, you know, anything for my little brother here."

Rodrick pats Greg on the back so hard that he nearly trips over his feet. Rodrick grits his teeth, gripping Greg's shoulder and correcting his balance before offering a performative beam.

"I just can't get over how well your boys get along," Mr. Salz gushes, clearly oblivious to the façade.

"Well, Larry, we run a pretty tight ship around here," Mr. Heffley boasts. "It's all about boundaries, rules. Anyway, let me show you some of those war re-enactment photos I was telling you about."

"So, what did you boys do with the Buxbaum girls?" Mrs. Heffley asks, redirecting the conversation from her husband's slightly-embarrassing hobby.

"We just...hung out at the mall," Rodrick answers. "And talked about life. Nothing special." His mind flashes back to the moment just before then. Haley in her pajamas, looking ridiculous but somehow still beautiful. Propelling herself on her tiptoes ever-so-slightly, and kissing him on the cheek.

Suddenly, Heather Hills doesn't seem like the most important thing in the world anymore. Imagine that.

"And--" Greg starts, aiming to continue Rodrick's list of benevolent activities that they had participated in.

"Oh, my God," Mrs. Heffley interrupts, the smile dropping from her face. The glare of the TV reflects onto her glasses.

Alarmed, Rodrick slowly rotates his head to follow his mom's gaze. On the TV is an image of Rodrick animatedly pouring Coca-Cola into a pyramid of Solo cups. He is surrounded by a crowd of gawking peers.

Well, he thinks, at least this photo doesn't show any of the other...substances that were used that night.

There is a pregnant pause before Mr. Heffley turns around, just barely being able to conceal his rage. "...Rodrick? Can you explain what you're doing in this photo?"