𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 (Rodrick Heffley)

Chapter 12 | Double texting

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I'm about to put my phone away so I can go to sleep and forget about the week and just everything in general but I notice a notification.

Rodrick: Y/n are you free to hang out right now?

I stare down at the text. He's avoided me all week and now he expects me to reply. I reread the text over and over again. He seems desperate. It's 11 P.M. He wouldn't ask if he didn't need it.

Rodrick: Please just say yes or no.

He double-texts. I don't know whether to reply or not.

Rodrick doubles texts again.

Rodrick: Millie, I really need to just get out of my house.

Upon reading that I sigh before messaging the words "Come over."

Rodrick: Thank you

I hear a knock on my door and stand up from my couch almost immediately.  I swing the door open and stare at the boy in front of me. He looks completely different. He has a black eye and his lips bust and bleeding badly. He doesn't say something but he forces a smile. He seems almost nervous to speak a word as he avoids eye contact. I want to get mad at him for not texting or calling and avoiding me but part of me wants to pull him into a hug and never let go.

"Look I know...how I've acted the past week-"

"It's fine, it's not your fault, Rodrick," I reply.

"Can I stay here tonight..." he asks.

"Of course." I say,  "Let's go to my room."

Rodrick walks into my room and immediately flops onto the bed before lying down and looking at the ceiling and he looks exhausted.

"What happened, Rodrick?" I ask but as I think about everything, his dad shouting at him when I'm round at his, the little digs he gets in whenever they're having a conversation, his mum asking him to cover the bruises as if they're a secret, "Is it you dad?" I ask, opening my bedside table drawer and taking out my first aid kit.

He nods as he turns his head and looks at me. He looks so drained.

"It's just...he's been so much worse recently...but I've managed until tonight."

I feel my heart sink.

"I..." I can't muster up anything so I just start fixing up the cuts he has on his face and arms.

"I'm sorry," he says as he watches me.

"You can stay as long as you want..." I say as I press a wipe against his bleeding bust lip.

"Really?" he asks and I nod as he closes his eyes and seems to relax a little as I patch him up.

"Do you wanna talk about it or-..." I ask but he dismisses it almost immediately.

"No, I don't think I can. I just need a good night's sleep, to be honest... so...could it be okay if I sleep in your bed?  promise I won't bother you... I just can't sleep on a couch, tonight," he asks as his eyes stay closed and he holds his ribs.

"Take your shirt off, Rodrick..." I say.

Rodrick seems almost embarrassed by my forwardness but he does as I say. He reveals multiple bruises along his ribs and other injuries that weren't visible without his shirt off. I grab him and pull him into a tight hug, avoiding knocking his bruises. He doesn't react for about ten seconds but he eventually wraps his arms around me.

I put the first aid kit into the drawer and look at him. He looks so lost.

"Can you..?" he doesn't have to finish his sentence, I lay beside him and hug him, pressing my head into his chest.

I can feel Rodrick's grip get tighter every second that goes by.

"Rodrick..." I whisper.

"He used to be so sweet. We were so close," he whispers. 

 I use my thumb to wipe his eyes as he continues to hold me tightly, I can feel him calming down and his breathing gets a little more relaxed. I don't know how long we stay like this but he eventually falls asleep. He looks a little less tense in his sleep. His grip doesn't get any less tight, however. Still in his grip, I manage to move his head onto the pillow, place a duvet over him, and lay beside him, wrapping my arms around him.

He looks so peaceful. I feel awful about this. I need to help him. I need to get him help. I don't know how but I'm gonna figure something out.

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