"dude I heard you failed Mr Mason's class" Chris teasingly spoke but rodrick decided to stay quiet, looking at his food tray.
"man how do you even do that?" Ben commented.
"shut up. you know I'm not good at chemistry" rodrick looked up at the two of them with an intimidating look, hopeful that they wouldn't mention it again.
he wasn't bothered by his lack of attention on his studies, but the idea of failing and being less than enough often passed his mind in the worst ways.
"wasn't it that project where you prove whatever dumb idea you ha-" Billy added after a bit. he got cut off by a furious yet quiet rodrick who was looking at him in the eyes.
"I told you, don't fucking talk to me" he spoke.
he held a grudge against Billy for what he did the night before and, considering you weren't at school today, they both thought they messed up big time.
"and apparently my idea was too dumb" he added, Ben and Chris bursting out laughing.
"IT'S NOT FUNNY. do you realize that means no more band practices??" he strictly spoke, looking serious, and everyone immediately stopped laughing.
"we're fucked" Chris mumbled, taking a bite off his food.
"what if you get a tutor?" Ben suggested, stealing a fry from rodrick's tray.
"a hot tutor" Chris emphasized the word 'hot', a smug look on his face.
"you can ask y/n... she loves that stuff" a quiet, hesitant voice was heard and everyone turned to look at Billy.
"I could, but someone made her fucking hate me." rodrick glanced at Billy before getting on his phone to text you, only to realize he doesn't have your number.
"dude I said a HOT tutor!" Chris complained.
"did we miss something?" Ben asked, confused.
the bell rang, rodrick quickly leaving the cafeteria. classes ended and rodrick immediately headed home, throwing his bag on the couch as soon as he stepped foot in.
"oh, rodrick, did you see y/n at school today??" his mom chirped, her and his dad sitting at the kitchen table.
"no mom" rodrick lazily spoke.
"I heard she's sick. because you let her come home on foot yesterday." rodrick's dad mentioned, his voice sharp in rodrick's ears.
"well..."
"I have the best idea. you should ask her to help you with the project" rodrick's mom cut him off.
"yeah... I thought of that too... I have to get her number and-" he got cut off, once again, a look of annoyance in his eyes.
"r-really?? you know what you've earned..." his mom chirped.
"mom bucks~" she took a few mom bucks out of her bag and handed them to rodrick.
"really? cause I talked to the neighbors??" he raised his eyebrows, counting 4 mom bucks in his hands.
"no, it's not about that... it's about you being more open to new friendships and or relationships..." she hesitantly spoke, observing rodrick's facial expressions carefully.
"I'll take it." he smiled brightly.
"and how about you beg her instead of asking her hm?" his dad said, as strictly as he could.
"you saw her walking home?" rodrick sighed and looked down at his hands.
"I sure did. she was crying" Mr Heffley spoke.
"she was??" rodrick's voice cracked, his eyes flooding in worry.
"no. but she could've been" his dad stated and rodrick sighed softly, walking downstairs to his room.
"I know..." he mumbled to himself, laying on his messy bed.
---
"warmie~" your sister chirped as her tiny hands tucked you in your weighted blanket tightly.
she placed a tiny, messy peck on your forehead that was burning, her arms wrapping around your neck.
"you're choking me" you chuckled.
"no... it's a hug!" she climbed on your bed, laying on you.
"thank you..." you mumbled, praying your sister doesn't get sick as well.
her head rested on your shoulder and she went silent for a while, relaxing in the warmth of your bedroom.
"you don't get hugs..." she softly mumbled.
"and you do??" you looked at her, slightly offended, earning a giggle.
"yes... my prince hugs me soooo much... so cuddly..." a corny smile was plastered on her face, making you want to throw up.
you yawned and pushed her off of you, closing your eyes slowly. you were tired enough to not notice your phone vibrating, but you wouldn't pick it up anyway.
your phone was always in silent mode and you didn't bother to change it. no one called you anyway. the call screen dropped and a message popped up.
———————————————————————
1 missed call 🅅
billy rotner
rang for 45 seconds
———————————————————————
your sister walked to your phone as she saw it light up, taking it and scrunching up her nose in disgust.
"he sounds stinky..." she mumbled and you slowly opened your eyes.
"mm? who..." you yawned softly, taking your phone from her hands.
"he is..." you chuckled and deleted Billy's number.
you saw another notification under it, 3 missed calls popping up from an unknown number.
you called the familiar number back, sitting up, leaning on your elbows.
"yeah?" you spoke sleepily, your voice raspy.
you cringed by your own choice of words, waiting for a response but the opposite line remained silent.
"hey sleepyhead~" a familiar voice softly cooed in your ear, a low groan of exhaustion escaping your lips.
"moaning for me already?" he chuckled and you sighed, trying to not give a reaction.
"what do you want?" you softly spoke.
"right... are you free-" he started to say but you quickly cut him off.
"no. what do you want??" you quickly, strictly said.
"I'm sorry..." rodrick apologized after a few seconds and you both stayed silent, not knowing what to say.
you wanted to tell him that sorry wasn't going to fix anything and that you'd still be mad at him... but you didn't.
something in his voice was different. it sounded as if he was hesitant, apologetic and a bit upset.
a crack in his voice made you imagine his watery eyes, something you'd never thought to imagine before.
"I'm just... I know it was wrong and... everyone pressured me to-" his breathy, whimpery voice piercing your heart.
"but you didn't have to do it... didn't you think of the consequences??" you softly spoke, not wanting to sound strict or hurt.
"no, I know... I'm sorry... I know you probably don't want to see me again and-" his voice cracked again, a sad tone in his voice making my heart melt.
"no, no it's fine... I mean, it's not... but I'm not as mad as yesterday" you looked down, your mind traveling back to the night before.