he plays the drums ✗ rodrick heffley

✗12

"Sorry, shit." Rodrick said backing away from Kat's face.

"What the hell was that for?" She said, just sitting there confused.

"I don't know, you just looked beautiful and I thought the time would be right by now." Rodrick said scratching at the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes.

"You're the one who just wanted to be friends." She said.

"Is that not what you want?" He asked, taking her by surprise.

"I don't know what I want." Kat mumbled, not sure if that was the right answer. She continued anyway, "and what is it that you want, because right now I don't think you have it figured out."

"I just need more time." Rodrick said looking down shaking his head. Kat just watched his movements, waiting for him to look up at her, but he never did.

"I'm going to bed, talk to you in the morning." She said sternly walking over to her bed and throwing the covers over her head. Kat grabbed at her legs and cradled herself, hoping that maybe, just maybe, he would say something else or pull the covers off of her.

But he didn't.

Rodrick laid in his bed, his face down in the pillow, probably contemplating other ways that could've gone. He cursed himself before drifting off to sleep.

✗

The two woke up to Kat's mom yelling at them from downstairs. Rodrick rose his head at the same time as Kat, but they didn't look at each other.

"We are getting on the boat in 20, Rowley, Greg, and the dads are coming back from fishing now!" Kat's mom said.

Kat got up, pushing the covers clean off of her, and started to walk to the bathroom. Rodrick also did the same thing and they had met right at the bathroom door. He put his hand above her to stop the door from opening.

"I'm sorry about last night Kat." He whispered.

"It's fine Rodrick, I'm fine." Kat answered back. She felt his arm snake around her waist and for some reason she didn't move.

"I should've said something else, you shouldn't have gone to bed upset." He said biting his lip trying to find the right words to say to her. She responded by giving him a hug, never responded with words. He just held onto her before she stepped away and slammed the bathroom door in his face.

✗

"Grab the sunscreen before you come out!" Mrs. Heffley yelled to Rodrick as he walked out, Kat walking ahead of him.

"I got it!" He said back taking the bottle and flipping it up in the air

The group boarded the small speed boat again and passed around the life jackets. Rodrick and Kat stayed separated once more, they both knew in their heads that to avoid conflict, or a repeat of last night, they should avoid each other. While both of them shared this idea, they also shared the same conflicting feelings of wanting to be together and not wanting to.

"Rodrick how about you ride with Greg this time?" Mrs Heffley said while starting to pull out her camera, "I'd like some good pictures of you both out on the tube."