You're My Hardest Project

As I began blinking my eyes open and yawning, I saw that my surroundings were different than that of my bedroom. My face scrunched together in confusion as my eyes darted around the room I was in before recognizing it was Rodrick’s. I sat up slowly to see that I fell asleep at the foot of his bed with him at the head of it. I stretched my arms and stood up slowly.
“Rodrick…” I said as I pushed his slightly. No response. I shook my head and began shaking his shoulder. This guy sleeps like a log! I looked around his room as I continued trying to wake him, “Rodrick!” I then spotted his drumsticks sitting in the nightstand. I picked them up and without hesitation started tapping them roughly on his head and shoulders. Surprisingly enough, this got him awake.
“What the hell are you doing?!” He asked as he sat up and grabbed at the drumsticks. My reactions were a little faster and I jumped back, holding the drumsticks out of his reach.
“I’m just waking you up, that’s all.” I said with an innocent look. Rodrick glared at me.
“And you had to use the drumsticks?” He questioned in an annoyed tone. I nodded before turning and jumping in the chair near his bed, “Well, put them back, no one else is allowed to touch them.” I made a thinking face.
“I don’t know if I really want to…” I gave him an evil smirk as he continued to stare at me with the annoyed look.
“Andi…” he said in annoyance.
“Rodrick…” I mocked his tone. Before I knew it, he jumped up and was on top of me, grabbing the drumsticks. I was surprised for a moment, but I held the drumsticks tightly while laughing.
“Give them back!” He said. I tried using my feet to push him away, but it didn’t work.
“You’re pretty protective over these drumsticks.” I replied as he and I both continued to tug on the two sticks. After another few moments of fighting, the chair we sat in suddenly tipped back and we thudded to the ground. Rodrick crashed down on top of me and I let out a cough before releasing the drumsticks, “Holy crap!” Rodrick rolled off of me as he held the drumsticks close. He gave me a smirk as he sat up and I lied on the ground, “Do you think anyone heard that?”
“Most likely.” He replied, “But that doesn’t really matter.” I raised an eyebrow.
“Doesn’t matter? Yesterday you got scared about your mum finding me in your room but you’re not worried today?” Rodrick was silent for a few moments before he stood up.
“…good point…” he replied. I looked around his room for any sign of a clock, but found none. I sighed before taking out my cell phone; 12:30.
“Shit, it’s a good thing today is Saturday…” I said to myself and stood, “Wanna do something today?” Rodrick looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.
“Why?” He asked as I shrugged.
“Cuz we can? I mean, we’re already together so why not go do something?” I replied.
“And what would we do?” I sat and thought for a few moments.
“Uh… mall?” I asked with a smile; I personally loved shopping and I loved the mall. Rodrick sighed.
“If we must.” I raised an eyebrow.
“If you want to do something else we can.” I said but he shook his head.
“It’s cool; I’m just gonna shower first so… you can figure out something to do while you wait…” he walked down his stairs sluggishly as I looked around his room.
“Fun…” I muttered and put the chair back upright. I looked down at myself and shook my head. I then walked to his dresser and opened one of the drawers; I’m hoping he wouldn’t mind me borrowing one of his shirts…
After quickly changing my shirt I fell back on his bed and lied there for a few minutes. I then sat up and smirked before I once more grabbed his drumsticks. I began boredly tapping away on my knees and waited for him to be done in the shower.
A few more minutes later Rodrick came back up the stairs which brought a blush to my cheeks.
“Normally you’d try to not walk around your house in a towel when there are guests over.” I said to him and looked away.
“You’d also not continue playing with my drumsticks and wearing my clothes without permission.” He replied smartly. I laughed lightly and set down his drumsticks, “Why are you wearing my shirt anyway?”
“I’m not going to wear my shirt for two days in a row; that’s a little gross.” I said. I looked over at Rodrick to see him smirking while he grabbed a few things out of his dresser, “Just get your clothes and go change.”
“Well, are you ready to go?” he asked as he walked back down the stairs. I nodded, “Then come downstairs and I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
I followed behind him before he walked into the bathroom and I made my way down to the main floor. I looked around and saw there was no one and turned into the kitchen where I stopped for a moment when I saw Greg. I shook my head before continuing walking to the fridge.
“Hey, Greg.” He looked at me confused.
“What are you doing here?” He asked as I grabbed the milk carton then walked to the cabinet.
“Oh, didn’t Rodrick tell you? He and I plan to wed so I’m moving in with you guys.” I joked as Greg gawked at me a moment. I rolled my eyes; he thought I was being seriously, “Wow, gullible much…” I poured a glass of milk before sitting myself up on the counter.
“Seriously… why are you here…?” He asked after realizing what I said was a lie. I shook my head with a smirk.
“Rodrick and I are hanging out today, why else would I be here.” I replied as I took a sip of my milk.
“Well… you’re here a lot…” He muttered as we heard footsteps before seeing Rodrick enter the kitchen. He looked at Greg a moment before walking over to me and stealing my glass of milk and chugging the rest down.
“Wow, thanks…” I said and shook my head.
“K, let’s get going.” Rodrick began walking to the door. I hopped off the counter and began following.
“Rodrick, mom and dad aren’t home and left you in charge.” Greg said and followed us. Rodrick turned around with an annoyed look.
“Well, I’m going out.” He replied.
“But you need to take care of Manny.” Greg argued back. I looked between the two; on one hand, I definitely wanted to go out, but on the other Manny needed to be taken care of.
“You take care of Manny, you’re, what, twelve now?” Rodrick replied and opened the front door, “See ya.” He began walking out the front door but I grabbed his arm for a moment.
“Hey, we should stay and take care of Manny.” I said and Rodrick squinted his eyes in confusion.
“Why? I thought you wanted to go out.” He replied in a confused tone. I shrugged.
“I do want to go out, but Manny is your responsibility right now and, honestly, if I were you I wouldn’t leave Greg to take care of him.” Greg looked at me surprised.
“Why; you don’t trust me?” he asked and I nodded.
“When I was twelve I could hardly take care of my dog, if that tells you anything.” I said in response, “So, we are now taking care of Manny.”
“How can I trust you?” Greg asked, “If you couldn’t take care of your dog how can you now take care of my brother?” I smirked.
“You can’t, but I think I’ll be better with him than you.” I said. I could hear Rodrick sigh too dramatically.
“But that’s so boring…” He said. I shook my head while rolling my eyes and walking into the living room where Manny sat in front of the TV.
“Hi Manny.” I said in a happy voice and put on a smile. Manny smiled back at me as I picked him up and walked back over to a slightly annoyed looking Rodrick and Greg with a slight smirk on his face, “If this is so boring, than we can go out.” Rodrick smiled slightly.
“That makes it a little better…” He responded then looked at Greg with a glare, “but you’re not coming.”
“That’s fine; I’d rather go over to Rowley’s anyway.” Greg said and rolled his eyes before walking out the door. I looked back at Rodrick and smiled slightly as Manny made a cute sound.
“So, we wanna go now?” I asked. Rodrick took a glance at Manny for a moment then at me.
“Yeah, let’s get going.” We walked out to his car and I opened the door.
“Wait… you don’t have a baby seat…” I said. Rodrick looked at me confused.
“And…?” He asked, climbing into the driver’s seat. I sighed in annoyance.
“We need to get a baby seat…” I said and sat in the passenger seat, “I really hope you don’t drive terribly with Manny in the car.” Rodrick was smirking slightly and rolled his eyes.
“I would never.” He said in a slightly sarcastic tone before starting the car. I put the seatbelt around both Manny and I before Rodrick drove off.
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“Aw, come on, Rodrick, stop being so down.” I said as we walked through the aisles of the store.
“I just don’t see why we actually had to find a baby seat for my car; you know that was probably the only time Manny would ever be in my car.” He replied. I looked at all the baby stuff surrounding me and smiled; everything was so cute!
“Well, maybe if you had a baby seat your parents would trust you more.” I replied and looked at a few different seats. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Rodrick shaking his head and rolling his eyes, “Manny, which one do you want?” I asked in a mommy voice and looked at Manny with a smile. He looked between me and the different seats then pointed at one.
“That!” he simply said as he smiled. I looked back at Rodrick to say something but noticed him smirking down the aisle at two girls who were talking to each other and smiling back at him. I rolled my eyes at him.
“Rodrick,” He looked back at me with a straight face, “could you grab that seat?” Rodrick looked from me to the seat and back.
“You can’t?” he asked and my eyes narrowed at him. I held Manny out slightly.
“Obviously.” I replied. Rodrick rolled his eyes but grabbed the box holding a baby seat and put it in the cart. I saw him look back down the aisle to see the two girls walk away.
“I was about to go talk to them.” He said to me and grabbed the cart handle. I smirked slightly.
“Then why didn’t you?” I asked. Rodrick looked away for a moment then back to me.
“You needed my help.” I stifled a laugh.
“Of course; that’s exactly the reason…” I replied as we started walking around the store.
“This store is boring.” I rolled my eyes at him.
“Rodrick, seriously, is this complaining thing all you know how to do?” I asked with a bit of an annoyed tone.
“Well, my first choice to spend the day would not be at Wal-Mart with my baby brother.” He replied with a shrug.
“Oh well, nothing you can do about it now.” I said. Rodrick let out another one of his infamous sighs, “Look, we ca-“ I was cut off by Rodrick’s cell phone ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket quickly.
“Hi mom…” He began then listened to the other end for a few moments. I walked closer and leaned toward him, trying to listen. He pushed me away with a confused look, “No, actu- well, yes…” he was silent for a few moments again then smiled, “then we’ll come home.” He hung up and I stared at him a few moments, “My parents are home now, so we can bring Manny back.” I could see the happiness in his eyes and sighed.
“You really don’t enjoy time with your brothers, do you?” I asked as we quickly bought the baby seat and made our way back to the car. Rodrick set up the seat quickly and we drove back to his place.