TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU! | R. HEFFLEY

―TWELVE: CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF OF YOU

RODRICK HEFFLEY KNEW HE HAD MESSED UP.

He had messed up big time. Not just with his younger brother, but also with the 'shrew' of Evergreen High, Hestia Sawyer. And he was determined to patch things up.

Ignoring the pangs of growing guilt in his chest, he prepared his plan all night. And finally, he was prepared. To make things right for once.

Hestia had sat far away from him in English class that day, but Rodrick knew they had the same lunch period and that Greg had the same one as well. Two birds with one stone, he thought.

After getting some help from the band geeks with a bit of coercing and bribery and some help with speakers and a mic, he was finally ready.

Now Rodrick walked into the bustling cafeteria with flowers. He found the mic and speakers plugged in at the front of the cafeteria, just as it had been promised. With a mic in his left hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other, he began.

"You're just too good to be true,
I can't take my eyes off you.
You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much," he sung into the mic. His breath caught for a second at the realization that it was his voice blaring out from the large speakers, but he continued.

"At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive
You're just too good to be true
Can't take my eyes off you," he sung, walking through the large cafeteria. He saw the students at tables stop talking and turning around at the sound.

"Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare
The sight of you leaves me weak
There are no words left to speak."
He saw Hestia at a lunch table with her two friends. He winked at her as she scoffed in surprise at the sight.

"But if you feel like I feel
Please let me know that is real
You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you." Rodrick waved at his younger brother, a similar expression of shock and surprise stricken on his face. He gave a hand signal to the group of band geeks entering the cafeteria and they began playing their trumpets and drums.

"I LOVE YOU BABY
AND IF IT'S QUITE ALL RIGHT
I NEED YOU BABY
TO WARM THE LONELY NIGHTS
I LOVE YOU BABY
TRUST IN ME WHEN I SAYY," he crooned loudly. All eyes were on him for sure now and he had almost made his way down to her table. There were several laughs and cheers, but most of them stared on in quiet awe at the scene.

"OH PRETTY BABY
DON'T BRING ME DOWN I PRAY
OH PRETTY BABY
NOW THAT I'VE FOUND YOU STAY
AND LET ME LOVE YOU, BABY
LET ME LOVE YOUU."

At this point, his voice was so loud through the speakers that Rodrick was sure that the entire school could hear it. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied some wary school security officers marching down to him, but tried to ignore them and made his way to her table.

Hestia sat there, an expectant look on her face. With a wave of Rodrick's hand, the band stopped playing. With his hand holding the bouquet of flowers outstretched, he paused for a second before quietly saying,

"Hestia Sawyer, will you go out with me?"

A few moments of silence passed and there was an unreadable look on Hestia's face. A brief moment of anxiety passed through him and it was almost as if the entire cafeteria was holding their breathes.

Would she be angry? Would she yell at him for such a public display?

Then, she nodded a small nod that might've been missed if he didn't look carefully.

Without thinking he cheered which sent the entire lunchroom into an uproar of happy yells and congratulatory cries. Hestia smiled thinly and Rodrick went up to her, took her face into his hands and kissed her.

Again, everyone cheered them on and Rodrick found himself pulled away by security, but not before he grinned at everyone in the room and cheered.

ᐅ

Greg was walking to his sixth period history class, still reeling from his older brother's selfless act, when Athena ran up to him.

"Oh my god, Greg! Everyone's been talking about what happened at lunch. I can't believe you got your brother to ask Hestia out and that she said yes! Thank you so much!" the girl cried before hugging the boy.

"O-oh yeah, thanks. It was kind of a shock to me too.." he said nervously.

"I bet you're gonna date Joey Del Campo now, huh?" Greg blurted out sadly, without even realizing the words coming out of his mouth. His eyes widened for a second.

"Oh geez, I don't know why I asked that. I'm soo sorry-," he apologized.

"It's okay. I realized I don't wanna be with him anyways. He's kind of a dick actually. Super self centered. I'd much rather be with guys like you, y'know?" Athena said.

"I'm so grateful for you, Greg," she added before kissing him on the cheek, giving him a lingering stare and walking off. Greg's face went beet red and he felt like he was about to faint. Thankfully, he didn't and found himself greeted by Chirag.

"Man, can you believe what happened? I can't believe Rodrick did all that, without us even asking or paying him again" Chirag said.

"Yeah, and I think Rodrick might like Hestia for real now. At least this means we don't have to pay him to take her on dates anymore. Anyways Chirag, you'll never believe what just happened. I think I might actually have a chance with Athena now and since she's allowed to date now.." Greg began as the two walked to their history class.

Little did they know, Joey Del Campo had been at his locker at the corner of the hallway the entire time.

And had heard everything.

And let's just say he wasn't exactly over Athena Sawyer or pleased with Greg Heffley as the gears turned and shifted in his head.

END OF ACT 2