he plays the drums ✗ rodrick heffley

✗4

"You're friends with Rodrick?" A blonde girl walked up to Kat and asked.

"I guess that's one way to put it." She answered back still sketching small drawings in her english book. Class hasn't even started yet and she was already annoyed, and Rodrick was no where to be found.

"Well can you give this to him?" The girl asked sliding Kat a piece of paper. Kat nodded taking the note so the other girl would just leave. When the coast was clear, Kat took a peak inside to see a phone number signed "Heather" and a heart. Kat's heart dropped, it was a weird feeling.

"Hey kitty." Rodrick said walking in, surprisingly on time.

"Hey diaper boy," Kat said with the paper burning a hole in her hand so she held it up to him, "I was supposed to give you this."

"Heather's phone number oh my g–" he stopped mid sentence and covered his mouth, almost in shock.

"Im guessing you like her?" Kat asked completely ignoring the english teacher.

"It's Heather Hills, she's the hottest girl in school." Rodrick confidently answered not taking a smile off of his face.

"She doesn't seem like your type. She seems really preppy, you're the total opposite." Kat said speaking her mind.

"You don't know a damn thing." He said back sternly.

Kat but at her lip and muttered, "wow okay."

And that was the last they talked for that Monday. And even that Tuesday. And Wednesday.

Kat felt lost and bored. She stood in front of the mirror that early Thursday morning and started to question the black smudges above her eye lids and the ratty leather bag she carried around. She wasn't feeling her usual style, she wasn't feeling herself. She would never change herself for a guy but it was good motivation to grow up and, not only act, but look more mature.

Kat's first action was taking off her heavy black and red makeup and look to a natural glowy one, which also included pink lip gloss because she felt that was more normal. The next step was her hair. Her hair was too thin looking and her side sweep part was not cutting it anymore. Kat parted her hair down the middle and broke out her mother's curling iron. And then it took 30 pulls and another 30 minutes of exploring to find the pastel colored clothing in the depths of her closet. She stood in front of the mirror with a white lacy skirt, a pink tank top, and a, not ripped, jean jacket. And to top it off, Kat threw her boots into her trash bin and replaced them with white flats.

"Sweetie breakfast!" Her mother yelled up and Kat was on her way, carrying a white backpack.

"Did you sle–" but her parents stopped half way in awe of their daughter's new look.

"You look very nice dear." Her father smiled as she nodded. She felt frilly and fake but she grabbed her piece of toast with a smile and headed out the door. Instead of climbing into the car, she opened the door, shuttering at the sound of the handle.

Finally she pulled up to Greg's house where he was waiting on the steps.

"Oh my god." He said looking at her, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, just needed a new look." She said, both of them smiling with agreement as they drove off.

First period. English class. Kat spent too much time trying to get a Propel out of the vending machine she knew she was going to be late. Walking into that class was something out of a high school film. All eyes rose to look at her, even Rodrick's. She walked back to her seat as the whispers began. Now people noticed her, isn't it funny.

"Kat, you look really pretty." Rodrick said to her but she scoffed and started writing down the writing prompt.

"Say something to me? Please?" Rodrick said again.

"Can you please stop I'm trying to focus." Kat shot back flipping her hair over the shoulder.

"This isn't you." He said.

"You don't know a damn thing." She muttered back aggressively.

They didn't talk for another day. Their short lived friendship was, well, short.

✗

"You have a friend here Katrina!" Her mother yelled from down stairs. It was one hell of an August day and Kat was dying of boredom and of heat. She walked downstairs in her blue tied tanktop and tan lace shorts trying not to seem so exhausted from the long walk.

"Rodrick is here." Her mother said leaving Kat to tend to the guest.

"Hey kitty." He said with obviously holding a bag behind his back, "I came to make amends."

"What you got diaper boy?" Kat asked suspiciously.

"Can I come in?"

"I guess." She said, making him follow her to her room. Two fans plus the air conditioning did not relieve the two from the humidity.

"I have rocky road, vanilla, and mint chocolate chip ice cream," he reached back into the bag, "and two spoons."

"You really know how to apologize Heffley." Kat laughed, "but I'm sorry too, I just didn't know."

"Didn't know what?" He asked jumping right into the rocky road container.

"That you would like a girl like that," she opened up the mint, "maybe I just don't understand."

"You know I don't understand it either, and she hates me too, what would she want with me?" He said raising his spoon in protest.

"Why would she hate you?" Kat asked.

"I'm in a rock band, I wear eyeliner, my van literately says 'löded diper' on the side, and, I don't know, I'm not very smart." He said, somehow laughing.

"Well you somehow managed to get my three favorite ice cream flavors, I'd say you're pretty damn smart Rodrick." Kat smiled licking her spoon.

"Thanks Kat," he stopped for a second, "you know you don't need to dress like this. Your rocker style, I miss it, that was you." He said.

'I thought you would like this better.' She said in her head before cringing at her thoughts.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," she grabbed the tub of rocky road from him, "like me anyways?"

"If I have to." He said as the two started to laugh.