Chapter Text
The raging force that was Regina George was not one to be reckoned with. Which was why everyone who had met her was excitedly waiting for the aggressive wave of revenge that Shane Oman would meet after he had dumped her.
A week passed, and nothing had happened. Anyone who was anyone was at Steve’s house party the second Saturday after the ordeal, and the anticipation was running wild as both of the ex couple were there as well. Not to mention the stupid neck brace that was a very visible reminder of Regina’s staggering grasp over her own little world.
On the inside, Regina was fuming. In the corner of the living room that she had claimed, she oversaw all the action. Somewhere between the hollering, dancing, and beers tipping over, she heard someone say that “Regina is really going through it.”
Heartbroken, over her dead fucking body. But the longer she waited, the more embarrassment Shane could smear on her. It was all that he had given her, and yet as he was slumped against the kitchen counter, talking up some skank, he didn’t feel any of that gut-wrenching embarrassment himself.
More than embarrassed, Regina felt enraged.
It only took three seconds of watching the cheap porn flick foreplay display in the kitchen, and Regina left her corner. She disregarded whoever she was pushing aside as she made her way through the crowded room, and locked her eyes on her target as soon as she found it.
There, unassuming and way too smug for his own good, stood a lanky guy talking with someone who was the same type as him. Gretchen would have said something like ‘grunchy’, but it didn’t matter at the moment. He could have been a mime for all Regina cared. Besides, the shag of a haircut that obscured his face was really doing it for her right now.
The irrelevant other vaguely protested when Regina took his place, but his sobbing was forgotten the moment that she grabbed his friend by his shirt to drag him down to her eye level. The fabric felt soft and worn, and didn’t stink to say the least. The guy wearing it didn’t really know what to make of this however.
“What are you-”
“No need for small-talk. We should make out.”
He had the nerve to look somewhat bashful. “Who do you think you are?”
“Why are you asking? You think I’m hot, right?”
“Oh, screw you.” But he didn’t push her away.
“Exactly.”
He did smell himself. It was only a little bit of sweat, so Regina didn’t mind it as her lips traced his before he deepened the kiss. The movements were awkward with Regina’s neck brace in the way, and not that it was the best kissing that she ever received, but she would be crazy to say that he didn’t make up for it with sheer enthusiasm. One of his hands had landed on her lower back, and when it touched the bit of bare skin between her shirt and jeans, she was surprised he quickly moved away.
While some R&B track played in the background, Regina had her arm wrapped around the guy’s neck and tugged him against herself. Just a slight lick into his mouth, because she still had to let her anger out in some way.
He could have it, just a little.
But before he could get too cocky, Regina bit his lip and pulled away. With a cheeky wave, she said: “See you,” and turned her back to the scene she’d just made. It didn’t matter anyway, because as she left the house that night, Regina wouldn’t think of that guy ever again.
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“I heard you made out with Rodrick Heffley at Steve’s party last weekend.”
Regina closed her locker, fabricating an innocent smile. “Who?”
Gretchen opened her mouth, only to close it again. They didn’t talk that much anymore, but when there was gossip, the other would do anything to get a hold of it. Old habits died hard, and in those moments Gretchen really could let anyone think she was their biggest friend. Only for Regina, with every return of her old friend she was reminded of how much people still liked to get the dirt on her.
“You didn’t hear it from me, but there’s this cousin of Steve who was there too- she has this friend who’s a bit weird, who is friends with someone who’s in this band with Rodrick. Super grunchy, and all that. He’s kind of a loser too.”
“Gretch, this is so irrelevant that it kills me.”
“So you have kissed him?”
Regina had to thread carefully now. Whatever narrative was formed, it would begin with Gretchen. So she feigned nonchalance, and crossed her arms in front of her. “Tell them that if I did, they won’t be seeing any more of it. So drop it.”
“Okay.” Gretchen had gotten her intel anyway. This would be at worst a temporary inconvenience, since Regina’s target from the party wasn’t in any of her social circles. Give it one week, and nobody would even know who this Rodrick punk was anymore.
“By the way, you better be free tomorrow night,” Regina said. It was more of a statement than a question. “Kiley’s having an end-of-the-year presentation at her school, and I’d literally die if I have to go there alone with my parents.” Although she could hardly still call Gretchen her friend, she didn’t know who else she would have to ask.
Gretchen looked at her like she’d absolutely lost it. “I’ve got plans already. But give Kiley a big kiss from me, ‘kay?” She made herself ready to walk away, but turned around just to say: “Actually, I don’t have any plans, but I really don’t feel like hanging out. Alright?”
Alright? What a stab in the back. But all Regina could muster to do was stand there as she was left all by herself.
She’d definitely lost it.
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To spend a Friday night at your old elementary school, which still had that distinctive smell of crayons, was a torture method that shouldn’t be wished upon anyone. That thought rang through Regina’s head, over and over again, while she waited with her parents in the crowded hallway. Her excuses of not coming tonight hadn’t outweighed Kiley’s begging for her to come, and even she wasn’t that cruel. Especially now that the tension between their parents was felt every moment they were home.
Sitting in between them as the lights lowered and the first graders came up for a little dance, Regina tried with all her might not to sigh out loud, and focus on what was in front of her. Dorky kids stomping around, and another reason for why she would never get any kids herself. Her mom got her camera ready for when Kiley got out with her classmates. It was almost cute how she knew all the steps to her daughter’s dance, but what an embarrassment she was making of herself.
Regina looked away to give herself a break, to only be surprised by what she caught in the corner of her eye.
There was that Rodrick kid, looking as bored as she felt. Next to him sat another, but younger boy fidgeting in his chair, who was almost obscured by the video camera that the woman sitting beside the two had in her hand.
Before he could notice her, Regina stared intently at the stage again. She would not feed the rumours.
As her mom was trying to pry compliments out of Kiley’s teacher, Regina was busy avoiding a certain person. Annoyed that such a nobody had taken over her mind this evening, she wasn’t too proud as not to beg her dad that they leave already.
In the end, she was fussing over nothing, and they left without her seeing Rodrick even once. And that was all there was to it.
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Starting this week, summer break would be all that there was on anyone’s mind. The sensation surrounding Regina kissing an apparent loser was no real competitor to trips to lakes and absolutely doing nothing at all. An immediate self-kill to the rumors, and nobody had to raise a finger to make it happen.
Only was it so fucking boring without the sensation.
With no invitations to any trips this year, Regina was bound to her swimming pool most of the days. Not that she could swim right now, and tanning was practically worthless because no one would praise her for it. Her mom had begged her to come to the country club sometime, but that was always met with refusal.
Sometimes, Regina would leave in her convertible, driving around Down Town until that didn’t fulfil her anymore either. She was never there for something specific - because no way she would be caught dead hanging out alone - but as most things went these days, her comfort was taken away without her say.
Her frequent escapes hadn’t stayed unnoticed by her dad, and with a bribing promise of a renovation of her walk-in closet, Regina had no other choice than to accept going into town for a small errand.
“You see, business is not the best at the moment, and I need to stay at the office,” her dad had whispered to her after he had caught her in the hallway. “And there’s this thing I have to get for your mom, to make up for the thing.”
Which meant that Regina had to roam this organic beauty shop in search of a very specific lotion in regards to the latest quibble between her parents. With one more year to go before college, it wasn’t exactly for her own peace, but Regina had a bit of selflessness to hope that they would survive until Kiley was free to go as well.
The shop’s air conditioning was drying her out as she was still nowhere near finding the lotion. There was one employee, back turned to her when she passed him in the isle where he was stocking up shelves. Eyeing the ugly green shop vest that he was wearing, Regina scrunched up her nose.
“Excuse me.”
And wasn’t it just her lucky day today? When the employee turned around, she saw that it was no one other than Rodrick Heffley himself. From his squat down on the ground, he looked up at her in a daze before it also seemed to click in his head.
At least it was only the two of them in here now, so the damage done was manageable.
“Hey, you’re the chick from that party,” Rodrick called out.
“Haven’t you learned not to call your customers ‘chicks’?”
“But you are her, right? You kissed me.” There was a small grin growing on his face, much to Regina’s disdain.
“I see I was memorable enough,” she said back.
“I mean, with that thing around your neck.” He mimicked her brace with his hands around his own neck. What a fucking guy.
With a tight smile, Regina dismissed him. “I need this lotion, and I think you can help me find it.” She named the brand, and to his credit, Rodrick did stand up to go and immediately come back with a small tube.
“You know, I think I came off wrong with the whole neck thing just now,” he said.
“You think?”
“Hey, I swear I liked the kiss.”
This conversation was becoming something that Regina really didn’t want to entertain, so she walked to the register to give off a clear message. Rodrick followed her without question, glancing up at her a couple of times as he was checking out the lotion.
Only a curt ‘thank you’ came out of her mouth before Regina left this place to never come back again.
The next question made her stop in her tracks one last time. “Why did you do it?” Rodrick asked.
“Do what?”
“Kiss me.”
She couldn’t let him have it, because give a finger and they would take your entire hand, arm, and fractured spine with it. So she just said: “I like to make out with losers when I’m angry.”
And once again, Regina left Rodrick without knowing what she had brought upon the both of them.
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With her mom satisfied and her dad not nagging her anymore, Regina had no reason to do anything for anyone for the rest of the summer.
On the day that her walk-in was heavily worked on and the noise became too much to bear, she was staring at her phone while looking after her mom’s rat of a dog. The thing was running around their neat garden, almost making the gardener stumble and fall, but she couldn’t care that much.
Idly scrolling through her contact-list, there was absolutely no one that she wanted to call, and wasn’t that a little pathetic? Regina found for the first time ever that she dreaded the fake joviality of whoever on the other side of the line as they spoke with her. She just couldn’t find it in herself to put up with it any longer.
In that moment, she thought about Gretchen and her dismissal. It was unfair, because what was Regina to do with it? There was no regard for her in the way Gretchen had talked to her, and it hurt.
It was as if that was all people were trying to do these days. Hurt crippled Regina while she was at her weakest, and it was all the more excruciating that nobody would even speak up for her.
Like they had lost interest in her.
And suddenly it all came down to her again with how she would proceed. She was disappointed to realize that she’d likely not stand up for herself either right now.
With the dull ache in her head that had only been growing, Regina told herself that she needed to get out of the house and stack up on some more painkillers. Unfortunate for her, their pharmacy was around the corner of that organic beauty shop.
So, back in her car and medicine in the passenger seat, Regina started the engine and grabbed her wheel to only let her eyes fall upon the road towards that awful shop.
“No fucking way.”
________________
This time, it took way less for Rodrick to notice her walking in. They were alone again, and he couldn’t have missed her from where he was propped up against the check-out counter.
He was visibly stoked. “Back already?”
“Don’t make this a thing,” Regina quipped back, and disappeared into one of the isles. Not that it helped at all, because he was right with her as she skimmed over different products.
“Are you looking for the same thing again, because I can help you find it.” The way that Rodrick hung in his body like he had never stood straight in his life, it drove Regina to irritation. If only those stupid painkillers worked, she wouldn’t feel so unreasonably on edge.
“No, thanks,” she said. “It sucked anyway, but if you have anything like it that does work?”
Don’t give him a finger, don’t give him a finger…
“Uh, I actually don’t really know anything about this stuff.” He met her with a sorry smile, as if she would let him off the hook that easy.
“Why do you even work here?”
“Because I- well, my mom knows the owner and wanted me to make something of myself.”
“No ambition at all, how sexy.” Regina took something off the shelf just so she could leave this godforsaken place. “Help me check this out.”
Rodrick looked at her confused. “Foot cream?”
“Sure.” A small slip up on her end. But it didn’t matter, because this guy was no one to her, and she could take this with grace.
They were at the register again, and Regina wanted to get out as quickly as possible again, but Rodrick wouldn’t let her. Again.
“Do you want to hang out sometime?” It was in the pretentious cool way that he failed to be. Who did he think he was?
“Bye Rodrick.”
Regina left, now for good, to never cross paths again. But on the way back to her car, she cursed at herself for giving Rodrick too much.
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Weeks passed, and Regina had succeeded to get a satisfying tan. Her walk-in closet was ready, no one had bothered her, and she hadn’t seen Rodrick even once. In a month, and she could say goodbye to her neck brace, which all had her in a good mood.
It was that good, that Regina had said yes when her mom asked her once more to come to the country club with her. Being in the public eye for a little wasn’t going to hurt her either. Half of the town still thought she was a hero anyway for surviving the bus incident, so even the brace couldn’t bother any onlookers today.
Reclining into the sunbed, Regina tried to smile through the stiffness and pain. Her mom had left to request an extra cushion to support her neck, but there was no time to wait around when there was a show to put on. So, there she lay, ready to start getting a grip again.
No living soul would hear it from her, but Regina was actually enjoying herself with her mom chatting away next to her. The pool in front of them was quiet, except for a couple of elderly people swimming slow laps. There were plenty of cocktails to keep them occupied as well, and as the sun was not blazing too much, there was nothing else necessary to get through the afternoon.
Only when Regina made a trip to the toilets, a storm hit her right in the face. As she turned the corner, she saw Karen and her mom talking in front of the toilet building. Startled, and immediately berating herself for it after, Regina took a second to turn around and walk the other way as fast as she could.
Her mind was racing, going over every detail of what had happened just now. As she passed the tennis courts, Regina tried to convince herself that it wasn’t that serious. That seeing her old friend didn’t somehow trigger this incomprehensible cringe, that even thinking about talking with her again didn’t make her want to puke.
That it wasn’t awfully awkward to talk with Karen now that they didn’t have anything to talk about anymore.
Before she could spiral down even further (and deny that it was happening), Regina realized that she had lead herself to the back of the park. There was nothing particular here beside the green chain wire fences and the funky smelling containers on the other side of them.
And someone trying to climb over said fences. A someone that Regina had sworn to avoid.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Suddenly being talked to seemed to be a shock for Rodrick, as he almost fell backwards. Regina’s skin crawled as she watched him clambering to the top of the fence and steadying himself. At least it was a good distraction.
“You again,” Rodrick said.
“You’re not answering my question.”
“If I do, will you help me get in here?”
“Dream on.”
Acting like a caught child, he jumped down the fence, wobbling on his feet with the landing. He didn’t seem to care for the container stench, and stayed right next to them. “I’m trying to get in.”
Regina looked him up and down. “No kidding. You don’t seem like the type that fancies a game of golf.”
“Not really, no.” He was lazily slumped against the wire, swaying, always hanging. “I’m trying to get with this girl from my school, and she goes here sometimes. Her name is Heather Hills. You might know her, because you kind of look the same.”
Regina ignored the questionable pinch of envy. “Oh, you really know how to compliment a girl,” she just bit back.
To her surprise, Rodrick took the punch with dignity. “Sorry, that was really bad. I didn’t mean it like all of your kind are the same, just-”
“My kind?” Regina raised an eyebrow.
“Hot and a tiny bit scary,” he finished.
What to do with this guy? Because there was no denying that somewhere between the fake cool act and crass stupidity, there was something that drew Regina in. “Charming.” She had better things to do than Rodrick, though. “Tell that to the Heather girl. She must really love to hear that.”
“You think so? Half of the time I think she doesn’t even know my name.”
“Then maybe just drop it and don’t bother her. She’s clearly not interested.”
This was stupid anyway. At least she had saved this poor girl some unbearable exchanges.
“But you do my name, right?” Rodrick started, looking directly at her.
“What?”
“You called me by my name last time. At the shop. You said “Bye Rodrick”.”
“Gosh, why are you so obsessed with me?” Regina laughed.
“You’re the one who knows my name without me ever telling you my name. And you kissed me.”
Fuck, that again. Regina strode towards Rodrick and stood as close to him as the fence allowed. Narrowing her eyes, she said: “Listen, we’re not in middle school. A kiss doesn’t mean a thing except for when I say so. Otherwise, it’s literally nothing. I’m not your true love, we’re not married, so get it out of your head already.”
She made sure to emphasize every last word of it, in case either of them got any ideas in their head. “Now, leave before I call security on you.”
At least her scary privileges still worked, because Rodrick seemed to hear her loud and clear. But there was something nagging Regina when he actually stepped away from the fence. Today was not her day.
“Can I still get your name? Then we’re even.”
Don’t let him have it. “Regina.”
Rodrick smirked. “Well Regina, do you want to come after work next Wednesday? I’m done at six.”
Her name sounded so odd coming out of his mouth. Not like how Shane would say it, or Aaron, or Cady, or Gretchen or Karen. Regina felt slightly bitter thinking about them all, especially with what had happened with almost running into Karen.
None of them had called this entire summer, but it wasn’t like Regina would’ve known what to do with herself if they actually had.
She gave Rodrick a smile. “I’d rather die.”
________________
Another week passed, and summer break was already half-way done. And just like that, Regina had done absolutely nothing to write home about. It was ridiculous that when she thought back of her time spent, there was nothing that came to her mind apart from her own pool. Of course, there were also things she’d rather not name, but that was beside the point.
Painting her nails with practiced precision, Regina was ignoring the fact that she was ruining her own mood by doing nothing at all. The whole afternoon was spent laying on her bed, pretending to read her newest magazines. All of the front pages were raging about the hottest plans for summer, which never included neck brace-proof lists or tips for those who were on the edge of a social crisis.
She didn’t know this part of herself yet, and it frustrated her. That creeping feeling of self-pity was slowly taking over her days, and if she wasn’t quick to act, she would lose the plot.
Her vanity table called to her, and Regina pet herself on the shoulder for the idea. With her nails done, some makeup couldn’t hurt either. A little self-care would be enough to get her out of this rut. But as soon as Regina sat herself down in front of her mirror, ready to take every blemish under a loop, her gaze was drawn to her calendar hanging right beside her vanity. It was Wednesday, and it didn’t take long to realize why that vaguely rang a bell.
Regina glared at herself in the mirror, making a point of not paying the date much attention. But as she reached for her stash of brushes, she found herself peering at the red numbers of her digital clock. 5:15 PM.
With reluctance, Regina gave herself a moment of despair, head in her hands, until she could face herself again. Her reflection showed all what she couldn’t acknowledge, and she wanted nothing more than to call herself plain stupid.
In the end, all that Regina did was finish herself up and leave the door at 5:45 PM.
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To Regina’s dismay, the only spot that was free was right in front of the shop. How could she even get through this without humiliating herself even more?
She kept to herself in her car, sunglasses on and roof down. From here, she could peak into the shop for any signs of life. All seemed too quiet, and suddenly this all felt like Regina was never set up for success. What did she even come here for?
“Oh my God, you actually came.”
Regina cringed from the pain in her neck as she had quickly turned around. There, still in his tasteless uniform, stood a Rodrick who seemed blissfully unaware of her discomfort. He was also in a state of disbelief, which Regina could appreciate.
“Remember, don’t make it a thing if I don’t say otherwise. Now get in loser.”
Eagerly, Rodrick obeyed and got into the passenger seat as quick as he could. One snarky side-eye from Regina was enough to make him get up again. “Do you want me to sit in the back?”
“No. Just take that fugly vest off.” He also complied to that instruction fast. When she started to drive, Rodrick wiggled around in his seat, reaching for his back pocket and fishing out plastic sunglasses.
He gave Regina a toothy grin as he put them on. “We’re matching.”
She clicked her tongue. “You wish.” Eyes on the road, she tried to think hard of where to go. It was really a rookie’s mistake to not have thought this far ahead yet. If Rodrick wasn’t a complete idiot, he would catch on real soon.
“Where are we going actually?” he asked not long after, and Regina ran through every possible place where they wouldn’t be caught by anyone she might know. Of course, that ship had sailed when she actually got him into her car, but a girl could still dream.
“Don’t worry about it.” A cheap excuse for an answer, but that was all that she could come up with now. The cafes and boutiques that they drove by were no good. Nor was the cinema, because that would be weird, or the arcade- only because Regina wished to have no association with those kind of places.
“Hey! Could we maybe stop there?” Rodrick interrupted her train of thought by pointing at something on the other side of the crossroad. After taking a closer look, Regina realized it was a record store, and that actually wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Sure,” she said, and changed lanes.
Inside the store, Regina thought about leaving her sunglasses on, until realizing that the disguise wouldn’t do with the neck brace in the way. She let Rodrick walk around by himself while she thought of what to do next. These impulsive actions made her want to kick herself into the ground; she felt rigid and all over the place at the same time, and she had no idea what she was doing with this guy in the first place. Why this had been some stroke of genius just an hour ago was something she couldn’t get her head around.
At least there was no one here that she recognized. To avoid any suspicion, Regina took herself to the nearest shelf with CDs. Pretending to look for an addition to her collection would do, and there was enough to go around in this store.
Ignoring the dusty dad rock that took over most of the space, Regina’s attention was caught by the Alanis Morisette section. Her old ‘Jagged Little Pill’ CD was all scratched up, courtesy of Kiley of course, and since then she had kind of forgotten about it altogether.
Rodrick’s sudden appearance took her out of her thoughts. “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” Regina eyed the thing in Rodrick’s hands. “You’re done here?”
With childlike satisfaction, he held up his find. “Something that you wouldn’t know, right?”
Crossing her arms, she replied: “Get over yourself. Franz Ferdinand is not niche.”
“You like it then?”
“Would that seem so weird to you?” She was kind of amused by Rodrick. He didn’t look embarrassed by his assumptions or possibly offending her. It could be that he was just daft, but Regina liked to think there was still much to unravel when it came to him. If that was what she would want, of course.
Rodrick shrugged. “I thought that chicks like you weren’t really into music.”
“Maybe you should leave thinking to others. Also, never presume anything about a girl that you like. It makes you sound like a douche.”
His mouth was agape. “Who said that I liked you?”
“You don’t then?” She asked, dripping with innocence.
“Uh…” The gears in his head could literally be heard working overtime. Gotcha, Regina thought. She had him exactly where she wanted him.
“So, go pay now if you’re done. I’ve had enough of this place.”
“Yes ma’am.”
From a distance, Regina watched as Rodrick was failing with his smooth act towards the cashier. He was kind of a sleaze, and he didn’t realize it at all. But beside a few mishaps, Rodrick wasn’t actually so bad when he was with her. It wasn’t great, far from that, but something in his dumbfounded demeanor was quite… intriguing.
Pulling herself together, Regina gestured towards the door so Rodrick knew to follow her again. Now the old problem came back, because she still had no idea what to do. Fortunately for her, Rodrick started walking past the closing stores, so she followed him. Whatever.
The sidewalk was cool, shadows of the buildings growing taller the later it became. For now, Regina let Rodrick lead them, talking her ear off about this lady that had given him a talking to today because he didn’t know every brand in the store. “She could’ve been you,” he snickered, looking at her through his sunglasses.
Regina chuckled crudely. “Here you are again with comparing me to other women. And an old and nagging one at that.”
“Hey, but this one’s not on me. She could’ve said something that you had said. What was it again? That my lack of ambition is so sexy?”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“Always taking back whatever you say and do, huh? I see what you’re doing.”
“As if.” It was funny how Rodrick was trying to impress her and not change his way at all at the same time. More often than not, Regina was met with a shell of the boys who wanted to be with her. This didn’t include Aaron, because he was genuinely kind, if not a little confused when he was with her. In retrospect, there was no way they would’ve been good for each other.
Thinking about Aaron was such a mood-kill that she had to change the subject quickly. “I heard you play music? That might actually be sexy.”
Rodrick stumbled over his own feet when he heard that. “Really?”
“Not a chance, but entertain me.”
To see him hooked on every word that came out of her mouth, Regina could feel the fulfilment once more. “What answer would be the most attractive?” he asked.
“Maybe try telling the truth and I’ll let you know.”
His face was filled with exasperation. “I do play, actually, but it is in this super underground band that you-”
“Wouldn’t know of?” Regina finished for him. “Sounds like you’re just irrelevant.”
“What is relevance anyway? We’re not your generic pop group, we actually make stuff that matters.”
Regina actually had to laugh at that. “Come on, is that the only reason why I’ve never heard of you and…”
“Löded Diper,” Rodrick said. The pride was very apparent in his voice, which was somewhat cute. “I’m the drummer.”
And didn’t that paint quite the image. Him ramming on the drums in some garage with guys looking exactly like him. Regina could almost hear the music, and see the sweat dripping off his forehead as he strained his wrists to make way too much noise. That was a little bit too much of imagination though, so she shoved that one away before it could get to her.
“You could come to one of our gigs, if you want to,” he then said, though it was hesitant. So he wasn’t always so full of himself after all. As Regina had already noticed, this guy was an interesting one.
Before she could answer, Rodrick was already somewhere else entirely. In front of them, there was an ice cream parlor- one that looked bleak and had one of those giant ice cream models standing outside of the shop. “You want to get some ice cream? I fucking love the pistachio there.”
It was then that Regina realized something. That creeping feeling that she had become too comfortable hanging out with Rodrick, and with that the haunting thought that she was giving up. Going into that shop would be disastrous.
“You know,” she started, “Let’s just head home. I’m not feeling it anymore.”
Perhaps a little bit of an easy escape, but it was the best she could come with. She tried to sense the disappointment from Rodrick’s side, but he seemed to have no idea what was going on.
“Is it your neck? Because I totally understand, you know. I can even get you some cream from our store.” He was offering her help, not aware of all the signs she was throwing at him. Regina bit her lip, because it was actually sweet.
“You work at a beauty store idiot, not a pharmacy,” she only said.
“My mom probably has something at home that could help. If you just drive me there, I can give it to you.”
Regina laughed hollowly. “As if I’m driving you home.”
“You’re the one who sort of dragged me along without telling me anything,” Rodrick argued. “Why did you even come here anyway?”
Regina’s face tightened. She was digging herself into a very deep hole now, and had to get out before it was too late.
“Fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “Give me your address.”
________________
By the time they stopped before a perfectly neat house in the quiet sub-urbs, Regina feared for the worst. It was late, and it wasn’t like she’d get in trouble with her parents for it, but it did mean that there was a fat chance of walking into Rodrick’s own parents. She wasn’t in the mood for dilly-dallying with his mom or shaking hands with his dad, nor would she ever be.
“Okay, stay where you are. I’ll be right back.” Before Regina could protest, Rodrick was already sprinting towards the front door. The car’s roof was still down, so she couldn’t hide anywhere. Somewhere on the second floor of Rodrick’s home, two boys were peering down at her through the window. One stare back from her and the curtain was quickly pulled shut.
Great.
Rodrick made true of his promise, and was back even before Regina could think of leaving. He had a small white container in his hand. “You think this might help?”
It was some kind of pain reliever for muscle pain, the stuff that you’d get at an old age or when your knees acted up. Regina assumed he had taken it from his mom’s collection, which felt a little too uncomfortable to take.
“Does your mom know you’re giving her stuff away?” she asked. Not that borrowing it was a possibility, because that meant that she’d have to give it back, ergo they’d have to meet up again. Thinking about that was enough to drive her into a frenzy.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Lots of stuff disappears all the time.” He grinned, as if there was any pride to take from that.
That poor woman. “I just remembered I actually already have something like this,” she made up, gently pushing Rodrick’s hand away. “Thanks though.”
This time too, there was no resentment from his side. Instead, Rodrick smothered a growing smile in order to play it cool. “You’re welcome to come in. We could listen to Franz.”
Regina imagined herself in a bedroom that smelled stuffy and vaguely of sweat. Clothes on the floor, bed unmade, and cups on a desk. That was what she got from the general state of Rodrick anyways.
“I’d rather not.” And with that, she started the car. But she couldn’t help herself: before actually driving away, she told Rodrick to “Come closer,” and pulled him in for a kiss. It wasn’t anything special, a little deeper than a peck and enough to leave him wanting more.
“Remember, this means nothing.” And she left.
In the front mirror, she could see Rodrick running to the middle of the street. He stopped and screamed ecstatically.
It was a lost cause to hide her smile after that.