COME MY WAY • RODRICK HEFFLEY

ninth chapter

"they can care less as long as someone will bleed!"

the radio blasted loudly in rodrick's famous loaded diper van. he always felt free and unstoppable inside this thing, being able to play his songs out loud and roll down the windows to feel the breeze. it was refreshing.

his parents hated the van and were annoyed at the large words plastered on it, but rodrick didn't care. it was the loaded diper van and the whole town should be aware of it.

they're going to be thankful he'll be putting plainview on the map when he becomes a rockstar, he always told himself.

rodrick tried his best to live his life on the edge as if everyday were his last which, quite frankly terrified his mother, but she knew his son always got his way around no matter how much she tried to tame him.

he loved his music and it's all he has ever wanted to do, i mean academics were most definitely not his thing and he wasn't going to get anywhere with it, plus loaded diper and this van were the pride and joy in his life as of right now.

as he approached a corner, the stop sign held by one of the neighborhood helpers caused him to start slowing down.a bunch of little kids were crowded up together about to cross the street.

he watched them slowly walk their way to their side, as if they were taking their sweet time. he huffed in annoyance, trying to focus more on his music to soothe his soul.

"turn it down, please!" he overheard a soft voice yell over by his window. "you're going to deafen the whole neighborhood."

he turned almost immediately, turning the dial to the radio in the process. his eyes gaping at the sight of giselle sitting on a bench by the street, looking bothered by the loud sound of his metal music.

"shit, my bad," rodrick muttered sheepishly. "i didn't realize it was loud," he lied.

dear lord what is going on with him, he thought to himself. sure he liked to believe he was all that when it came to girls, but deep down he knew he wasn't. this was one of those times it was very evident he lacked the confidence.

"yeah, well just keep it low, please. thank you." she replied, her voice ringing in his ears. rodrick noticed how softly she spoke, it was elegant like she was reciting poetry.

"okay i will."

giselle kept quiet, as she nodded her head at him and looked back down to the notebook in her hands. she was holding a pencil and her bag was wide open with a bunch of stationary spilling out. rodrick noticed how concentrated she looked as she scribbled down her note pad, her brown eyes gazed intently on the page and her nose's bandage had scrunched up a little. her hair were in pink clips and she was still dressed in her st mary's uniform, a red plaid kilt and a white polo shirt. it was mandatory for prep kids to wear uniform. rodrick would literally bash his head at a wall if he'd have to wear an itchy uniform ever in his life.

rodrick wanted to say something to her, anything that was at the top of his head but once again he was at a lost for words. he wouldn't tell her that she was pretty on the spot 'cause he felt like she'd just shun him out and he was already walking on a thin line with her. the bruised up nose and the embarrassment she obviously felt from him after everything. he simply couldn't mess it up any further.

and just as he felt like he could've said something, the booming sound of someone's horn scared the living life out of him.

"hey! stop blocking the road!" he heard a yell from behind.

rodrick's eyes widened as he realized how long he must've stayed still. he frantically switched the car from park to drive before instantly stepping on the gas.

jesus christ, that must've been the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to him.

he looked to his side view mirror for a quick second, miraculously hoping giselle hadn't noticed and in the corner of his eye there she was; letting out a flattered small little smile at what had just happened.

damn it, she was cute, rodrick thought as he drove away.