𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐁𝐀𝐆, rodrick heffley

23. what's eating haley buxbaum

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chapter twenty-three: what's eating haley buxbaum

[a/n]: wow. that was an unimaginable period of time where i simply had no motivation to write and i completely neglected this piece. i'm really truly sorry! i was just so occupied this summer, but i'm ready to get back into a somewhat steady schedule. thank you for your patience.

WARNING! there is going to be a scene involving sickness and vomiting. in addition, this scene contains a description of haley feeling anxious and hyperventilating. if any of you readers either have emetophobia or feel triggered reading about anxiety, i strongly suggest skipping past that particular segment.
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✶˚⋆°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･━━━ RODRICK RUNS A HAND THROUGH HIS unpleasantly unclean hair in the midnight darkness of his room, the drapery around his windows casting moonlit shadows on the stucco walls. He has been ruminating—— something he never imagined he'd do—— upon Olive's insightful words from earlier in the cafeteria line. He has been selfish, and it's embarrassing that he's just realizing this now, considering how many people have tried to get it through to him.

Haley is nothing if not mature and distinguished, and she deserves someone who measures up. And if Rodrick is going to achieve one last chance with her, he needs to—— simply put—— get onto her level. He needs to be thoughtful and emotionally intelligent, he needs to notice things.

On the topic of noticing things, he became aware of Haley's absence from the cafeteria during lunch, which is certainly out of the ordinary. She is inherently social, and is always found at that table, discussing and debating random subjects with her friends.

He also spotted her later in the hallways on his way to P.E.—— not that he was actively searching for her or anything—— and her face had developed a sickly pallor and her eyes were bloodshot. He, of course, toyed with the idea that she could have been smoking a joint, but eventually concluded that her crying was more likely.

And that worried him. It has been worrying him for the past few hours, plaguing his mind as he ponders what she could be so distraught about, if someone did something to her, what he can do to help.

And there it is! He's wondering what he can do to assist someone—— that's the beginning of him getting progressively more selfless. He pauses his twirling thoughts to commend himself for his advancement.

He decides right then in there that he is determined to find out just what's eating at Haley Buxbaum so much.

EARLIER THAT DAY...

✶˚⋆°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･━━━ HALEY TREADS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM, her head ducked. Ordinarily—— on days she feels like herself—— she'd saunter out of a room with grace and poise, her chin lifted because she'd be proud of who she was. That is most definitely not the case today, not with the talking-to she has just received from Mr. Maren.

Not that he was stern or scolded her, but the discussion they had has left Haley wishing she'd been yelled at brutally instead. She tilts her head upwards to gaze at the clock. She has a generous amount of passing time before her next period.