chocolate milkshakes | rodrick heffley

chapter one: the boy under the bridge

the day begins like any other one: my alarm clock going off abruptly and startling me, my dad and step-mom arguing in the kitchen, my cat pawing at my face. i groan and roll over, slamming my hand on the clock, silencing it. i rub my eyes, sitting up. i have so much work due today, maybe i should just stay home and tell my teachers i got sick. but my gut tells me that's not such a good idea. my dad would kill me if i missed another day.

yawning, i pick up a t-shirt off the floor. im still in my fishnets and shorts from last night, but i must have taken off my shirt to... let them breathe. i head to the bathroom to attempt to clean up my eyeliner that i slept in and smell better. my brother, jules, bangs on the door after five minutes.

"tate i have to poop!!!!!" he whines.

"then you should have went earlier." i yell back at him.

i hear him stomp over to my stepmom to complain so i hurry and finish, then slip out the front door, snatching up my bag. since i left early, i have like twenty minutes until the bus comes. i pull out my water bottle and chug it. my stomach growls. there's a breakfast place on the way to school, so maybe i'll just walk. i stand there questioning whether or not i should, when i hear a raspy voice call my name. i roll my eyes and turn around.

"eric, what the hell do you want?" i snap at the lanky teenager standing in front of me.

"damn, calm down. i was just wondering if you had a lighter." he grins at me.

"are you gonna give me a ride to school then? i want to stop somewhere on the way"

"sure sure" he responds.

i follow him to his truck and hop in the passenger seat. it reeks of weed and body oder. i audibly gag and he makes a face at me.

"im never getting used to this smell." i chuckle. he laughs and takes my hand.

"alright, where are we going cutie?" he asks. i pull my hand away and reach into my bag. "jeez gonna pepper spray me?"

"no, here's your fucking lighter. im walking." i throw it at him and step out.

"wait wait, im sorry tate." he pleads. "just let me take you." i glare at him. "i'll stop, i promise."

after we broke up, he really never stopped treating me like his "princess." it's repulsive.

"nope, im walking."

i walk quickly to get out of the neighborhood with him trailing behind me. when will this guy give it a rest? eric is honestly one of the grossest guys i have ever gone out with, i don't know why i even give him the time of day. you'd think that giving his best friend head after we broke up would make him hate me, but he's still all over me. not in like a cute romantic way, but in a creepy stalker way.

once im out of the neighborhood, and he's stopped following me, i pull out my phone and put on some music on my way to the cafe. i notice that it's actually kind of cold outside. i probably should have put on a hoodie or something. i try to ignore the goosebumps on my arms and legs as i speedwalk down the street. by the time i actually reach the cafe, im shivering.

"hey darling! you look cold, how about a cup of coffee to warm you up!" the waitress smiles warmly at me.

"yes, thank you! that'd be great." i grin back at her. i love the environment here, it's more affectionate than my entire household.

"coming right up!" she heads to the back to make my coffee while i take a seat at a back table. normally i would sit at the bar, but i don't feel like making conversation today.

i check my phone to see that i have a few unread messages.

kat: hey im not gonna be at school today, i feel sick from last night and we have some sort of test in chem so i'll be staying home from all that. love u, see u later 💛💛💛

that's it, im not going to school today. if kat's not coming, i will literally die. she's practically the only reason i can even make it through the school day. see, we live in a small town mostly full of uneducated bigots who gossip about anything. i try to keep to myself so i don't get harassed, but they always seem to have something to say about my chest size or the clothes im wearing. it's dehumanizing. kat's one of the only people that will actually tell them to shut up and walk me to the bathroom so i can cry. if she's not there, i don't really have anyone.

"here you go, honey. is there anything else i can get you?" ha, a support system, please? the waitress sets a mug down in front of me looking at me concerned, i guess im not very good at hiding my facial expressions.

"thank you." i try to smile. "i'll have a half plate of biscuits and gravy."

"alright sweetie." she jots down the order.

"how much is that again?" i ask nervously, i don't think i have more than a five on me. and i need to tip her.

"don't worry it's on the house." she smiles wide at me. this lady is god sent i swear. 

"thank you so much." i smile genuinely now. "i never got your name?"

"april." she winks at me as she walks off to go get my order. i laugh to myself, waitresses are always so sweet, why can't my dad be a waiter? maybe then he would learn some form of manners.

i shoot kat a text saying it's no problem and that i wasn't planning on going today anyway. she'd probably feel guilty, thinking that she's the reason im missing yet another day. which is kind of true, but she doesn't need to know that.

once my food comes, i scarf it down and get out before people start asking why im not at school. i don't need them stopping by my house to talk to my stepmom or something.

i decide to go sit under the bridge and smoke a little. maybe i'll take a nap. i go to pull out my lighter, then i remember. i gave it to that dirtbag, eric. i sigh. so now i have to sit here all day, sober? this is bullshit man. im about to put away my weed when i hear a voice.

"need a light?"

i look up. a teenage boy with eyeliner and shaggy hair stares back at me, smirking.

"uhm, yeah thanks." i say, slightly uncomfortable. im alone with a teenage boy under an abandoned bridge, what could possibly go wrong?

____________________________________

A/N
i haven't written a fanfic in a long time wow. i hope u guys like this! part two will probably be up by tomorrow, im gonna try to work on it tonight :) pls vote and add!! thanks for reading