Avoid Complications Rodrick.

Weeks went by, and Cynthia had adjusted to everything except Rodrick, he was still trying to grab her attention, the only way he knew how; making her day crap.

' Accidentally' throwing a football at her, bumping into her in the halls.
Telling her confusing things that wouldn't get out of her brain for days at a time.
And everyday he'd offer to drive her home.

Finally a long weekend came, four days free of Rodrick Heffley.
Was that so much to ask? She wondered.

She had little homework so she packed it into her bag.
When she heard the usual light footsteps, landing at his locker.
She prepared to say no once again, planning the same old conversation in her head.
After two minuets of him fumbling with his lock. His mouth shut tightly; an on going silence.

Cynthia couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

" Okay, Heffley. Whats up?"

He looked at her, almost asking silently if there was some kind of note on his face telling her something was up. Which of course there was.

He sighed and flipped the hair from his face, biting his lip.
Cynthia looked away, worried she'd get sucked in by his lip biting she'd never seen such a cute habit on such an annoying person.

She returned looking at him when she knew he no longer was chewing on his lip.

" My band, we have a spot in this underground battle of the bands kinda thing this weekend..but.."

" But?"

He didn't reply, he was just taking notice of what she was wearing.
An owl shirt.. With a short cut jean jacket? Shorts with those weird see-through tight things that went to her knees.

" What..?" She asked.

" Is that an OWL. On your shirt?"

She looked down and shrugged

" Guess so. Why?"

" Weird."

" Tell me the thing with the band" She said, closing her locker. He did the same.

" Well, three problems. One, my parents wont let me go, two, all the guys are taking their girls out after the gig, three I don't have a girl.."

" Oh I'm sorry" But not surprised she thought. If he was like this to all the girls.. She continued, not really paying attention to where she was headed. Outside in the parking lot, she'd walked the routine so much her feet just went into auto drive sometimes.

" HEY! Watch it!" She heard Rodrick holler then felt his hand grab her arm. He pulled her in tightly, wrapping his arms around her keeping her too him. He couldn't believe she had nearly walked into the path of a racing car. Did she have something about walking into cars that he didn't know about?

She hugged him tightly. Afraid for some reason, but instantly comforted by his arms.
She never noticed how lean and strong he was.. Not to mention he smelled good.. But it was probably AXE, or Old Spice.. Either way, she liked it. He let go a little bit but he still had his arms around her.

" Thanks " She mumbled looking up at him.

Rodrick went suddenly shy realizing he had just been holding her, saving her life. He let go of her and grabbed her bag.

" WOW. This has an owl on it too. Is that like your favorite animal?"

" No. I just had them both laying around" She smiled and grabbed the bag.
She was ready to almost call him friend.. After that.
She owed him, and they both were aware of it.

" So about my three problems.." He started.
She sighed, she was expecting it.

" I can help with two. But I don't know how to make your parents let you go.."

" I guess I'll just be super good? I dunno. HEY! How about we tell them we're studying at your place?"

" We?"

" Yeah, come on. Come over today. You can watch my band practice" He said smirking. He opened the passenger side door. She looked around him, all his band mates/ friends were right there.

" Come on"

" Alright.. I'll just call my mom on the way then.." She said and hurried over to the van.
She got in and was instantly hit by the foul smells of the van, she looked back.
Fast food wrappers, garbage.. Clothes!? What in the world.. She groaned and took out her phone trying to get used to the smell.. But she knew she wouldn't.

She searched through her contacts, alone in the van.
Till she found her mothers number and dialed. She was too busy keeping her eyes closed, they were stinging from the sour rotten food smell leaking in the interior..

So it was fairly easy for her to miss Rodrick outside, doing his " in your face " dance in front of his friends.

" See that? Behold Rodrick Heffley, master of Romance, power of romance is in my control boys!!" Rodrick boasted and cheered.

" Okay, but whats gonna happen when she realizes, we ain't going out with imaginary girls?"
" I'll just tell her your 'girlfriends' couldn't make it."

The guys nodded and started to climb into the van. When Rodrick remembered part of the bet.

" Pay up boys."

They all groaned and handed Rodrick ten dollars.
He smiled and shoved it in his pocket then took out the drum sticks in his back pocket and got into his seat.

" I cant stay very long" She said as soon as he sat in. He nodded.

" That's okay, but you can come on Saturday.. right?"
She nodded and held onto her bag, putting on the seat belt.
She'd seen his driving and put it on faster than she'd ever put a seat belt on before.

When they came to a loud stop, they all went a little forward.
Cynthia unlatched her belt and pushed her way out of the car and held her stomach.
She wasn't sure if she was going to be sick. But seeing Rodrick almost fall out of his side, put a smile on her face.

She stood up and walked towards the house a few feet behind Rodrick and the guys.

" Worm! Where's mom and dad?" Rodrick asked, standing on the stairs, Cynthia closed the door behind her.

His brother Greg was at the top of the stairs and walked down to meet his brother.

" Dads at work, mom's at a meeting with the newspaper "

" Manny here?"

" No."

" Good" Rodrick said and turned back to Cynthia, she was awkwardly standing there holding her bag. Greg saw her and went wide eyed, and ran back upstairs.

" Wanna come see my band? Its pretty wicked"

" Do I have a choice?" She mumbled and followed him out to the garage. She sat at the spare area and pulled out her homework. Checking every twenty seconds the time. Her mom was going to pick her up in an hour.
God she'd never counted down time so fast.
Well, outside of school.

She also snuck glances at Rodrick thudding away at the drums, he wasn't too bad.
In that hour she had finished all her homework, and there was still fifteen minuets left at least.
She smiled and acted like she really dug his music.

They took a break and Rodrick made a motion to meet him out there, she was up and out faster than him.

" Thirsty?" He asked going into the fridge.
" Not really."

" Oh come on, you have to be a little thirsty" He said and brought out a thing of cola and inched it towards her

" Really Rodrick I'm fine.." She said moving away from the bottle.
He smiled and tossed it to her " Catch it"

Oh she caught it, but only after the lid tipped off and it poured all over her.
She shrieked lightly. Glaring daggers at Rodrick.

" Run." She mumbled,

" Oops.." He whispered then ran from the mess.
She sighed and looked at her mess. She looked around for the cleaning supplies.

At that moment Greg came downstairs.

" Hey..wheres your cleaning stuff?" She asked, he eyed her curiously.

" What happened"

" I'd rather not talk about it. But there's a mess I need to clean it up.."
" Cupboard under the sink.."

" Thanks" She said and got a bucket and a few scrubbers and cloths. She started washing off the pop from the floor. Rodrick returned to the kitchen and smiled at the sight before him,a girl bent over cleaning the floor.

She put all the stuff away and gave Rodrick the cold shoulder.
" Whats your number?" He asked, waiting at the door with her. She sighed and handed him her phone.

" Just..Put your number.." She said with a sigh, so much for the cold shoulder approach, she thought.. She wasn't purposely being so blah to him. She was hurt, he didn't even apologize..

" Same" He said and passed her his phone. She put her numbers and tossed him his phone, he caught with his arm against his chest. He was still playing with her phone, and took a picture of himself and set it to his contact. Then took her hand and put her phone in her hand and closed her fingers around it.

" I'll call you about the details. Alright?" He said, smiling. Then cleared his throat.
" Do you want to borrow a sweater? I mean you are still drenched in pop.."

" Sure." She replied, she tried to not be so excited, she'd never had a guy offer his sweater to her before.. He took off the one he had on. Then passed it to her.

She smiled and put it on, it was still warm from his body..It smelt like him too..
It was the perfect moment, for a hug, some sort of unknown affection between the two.
But at that moment. Her mother arrived outside, so she grabbed her bag and walked out of the house.

Rodrick walked back to his band, smiling, he'd scored with her, and got on her good side. He wouldn't ever admit it, but he liked making her smile like she had..

Smile, because of him.. Without doing something stupid...Just being a.. nicer.. Rodrick..