Rodrick - The Diper Tales

School Shopping

Rodrick refuses to give up his bed, so I find a sleeping bag in his closet and sleep on the floor, much to his chagrin. In hindsight, the couch would've been more comfortable, but it's a matter of pride now. 

I'm a little on edge as I fall asleep, since I can her Rodrick breathing. He doesn't move all night; the boy sleeps like a rock. I finally fall asleep around 3 AM and sleep in until one, which you can't blame me for. Between jet-lag and general exhaustion, I'm pretty fucking disoriented. Even that late, I'm ready to go back to bed. 

Even though they're cold by the time I eat them, Mrs. Heffley's eggs are god-tier. I'm surprised they're still out, then remember that Rodrick is still dead asleep.

"He does that every morning," Mrs. Heffley explains. "He gets mad when there's no food for him in the mornings. I don't know how he'll survive when school starts in two weeks."

"Oh, my god, it does?" 

Back home, school doesn't start for another month, and I'm pretty pissed that I'll be missing so much of my summer. 

"Yep. Which reminds me, your mother left cash for you to go back-to-school shopping. She's out buying shoes with Rachel."

"I don't have a car," I remind her. Frank is at work with their other car, and my mom took the minivan. 

"Rodrick could take you in his van!" Mrs. Heffley suggests. 

"Oh--"

"I'll go get him up. I'm sure he won't mind. Besides, if you two are going to be sharing a room, you should get to know each other." She's up the stairs before I can stop her. 

A minute later, she's practically shoving Rodrick down the stairs. He's sporting a grumpy look and a major case of bedhead, which somehow make him look even more attractive. 

No, shut up, Kaylee, I scold myself. 

After much protesting, shoving, threatening, and eventually bribing, Rodrick and I are in his messy van speeding down the road. He's wearing the same clothes as yesterday and smells like, well, a boy. Which I'm trying to remind myself is gross. 

Before I know it, we're in a plaza one town over. 

"This isn't school shopping," I intelligently point out when we park in front of a Guitar Center. 

"It's shopping," he offers. "There's a Target on the other side of the plaza. Knock yourself out. But I need new drumsticks so..." He steps out of the car and I follow him. Why not? I'd rather go to Guitar Center than Target, anyway. Besides, even if I can't afford a whole new guitar, they actually have cool posters and shit I can hang on my walls. Most of my posters are either on their way in a moving truck or sold at a garage sale.

The first thing I hear in the store is "Stairway to Heaven," followed by an employee shutting them down immediately. Someone literally yells "thank you" from the other end of the store. 

Rodrick crosses the store casually and starts chatting with the employee. I start to browse and play around on random guitars. Fun fact: Even if you're a pretty good guitarist, your skills automatically downgrade to novice the second you pick up a Guitar Center instrument. I'm trying to play the ridiculously easy riff to "Na Na Na" by My Chemical Romance and I fucking suck. I give up and rummage through the posters. 

Rodrick starts drumming loudly on the other end of the room. I try to ignore it, but find myself watching him. He's actually really good. He catches me watching him and---

Did he just wink at me?

I roll my eyes and turn away. He picks up he pace and I busy myself staring at a Nirvana patch. 

Rodrick buys a few pairs of drumsticks and a Guns N' Roses poster, and I pick up a Green Day poster and some band stickers. When we're done at Guitar Center, Rodrick convinces me to come with him to a store called Rock or Die, which he describes as "Hot Topic, but actually cool." 

I spend two hours of my time and every cent of my school supplies money there, buying four shirts and a pair of leggings. And a Bring Me The Horizon poster. And maybe a Gerard Way Funko Pop. But that's it. Oh, and a beanie. 

When we get back to Rodrick's, he puts his new poster up on the slanted ceiling above his bed and I manage to cram four stickers onto my laptop, which, in addition to my initial eight, brings me to twelve. 

It occurs to me that I've just pissed away an entire day with Rodrick and gotten nothing done. 

However. 

I actually had fun. He's pretty cool to talk to once you get past the asshole aspect. He showed me some pretty cool places and for the money I spent, I came back with a great haul. 

Besides, Amazon has everything I need for school.

________

Fuck school literally. Also emos rule! Bring back 2005!

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