Chapter Fourteen

A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long! I am a despicable human being. Please forgive me, lovely readers?

I glanced again in the mirror and sighed. It was now Saturday evening and the scratches had not gotten any better. Not that I was expecting them to just heal automatically, but I had to go to school with them looking like this on Monday, since the doctor instructed me not to put makeup over the top of them. Fantastic. As if I don't get enough bad attention at school as it is, from the two fights I've been in.

"Florence! Rodrick! Dinner!" Mrs Heffley called from upstairs. I heard Rodrick get off his bed quickly and I almost smiled at his enthusiasm for food. He raced to the door and opened it for me. I gave him a mock bow and sighed

"What's wrong?" He questioned, gazing at me intently. I paused, and considered complaining about my scars. We hadn't really talked since we had arrived back from the doctor's. The Heffley's were certainly shocked when he told them what happened, even about the fight with Wade (not why, though)

"Do you still think I look OK?" I ask him and he looks confused for a second

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you still like me, even though I kind of look like I got into a knife fight with the Joker?" I asked him and his face clouded over a little bit

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" he almost seems angry. He starts saying something else, but abruptly stops and continues out of the basement stairs, leaving me feeling a little hurt.

Dinner isn't exactly the best time. Everyone except Rodrick keeps glancing in my direction numerous times, as if trying to see how bad the damage was. No doubt Kitten, who was in the doorway as soon I got back from the Doctor's, told everyone all about them. And when I walked in the dining room, Greg goes, "Oh, they don't look that bad" which caused no amount of dirty looks in his direction, primarily from Rodrick who mimed a knife underneath this throat when he thought I wasn't watching.

"Geez, who peed in the orange juice?" Kitten snorts, after noticing the stony silence between us all at dinner

"Kitten" Mrs Heffley says in a disapproving voice, but Kitten just shrugs and goes on shoving her pasta in her mouth like a greedy piglet.

"Can I be excused?" I pipe up loudly, just to escape dinner. I was sick of being looked at, and given special consideration over everyone else. My cat scratched me. That was all.

"Me too" Rodrick stands up, scraping his chair across the floor loudly

I practically ran back to the basement, I was so excited to get out of there. Rodrick came in a few minutes later, with a small smile on his lips. He sat next to me on my bed and pulled me tightly towards him

"Well, that was extremely awkward" he whispers in my ear, sending chills down my spine, as I snuggled closer towards him.

"You don't say" I whispered back in his ear

"God, why are you so beautiful? Makes life hard" he mutters, so quietly, I almost think I misheard him, but he looks at me like I am supposed to answer

"Rodrick...I think you're exaggerating" I sulked. He frowned

"Definitely not"

"You definitely are " I argue

"Dammit Florence, you're incredibly beautiful, okay?" Rodrick exclaims, an edge to his voice that makes something inside me shrink.

"I'm not looking so great at the moment, that's all"

"You look fine! You're fine! Perfect even!" he gets more and more exasperated after every point he makes

"Cat scratches aren't exactly the best accessory" I rolled my eyes at him. I wasn't in the mood to argue with him.

"You. Look. Fine" he sighed, seemingly growing increasingly agitated.

"You try looking like this" I growl and he stands up and shakes his head

"I'm going to bed and you can wake me up when you've grown up" he stalks off and I am left alone, feeling like the most stupid person in existence

…..

Rodrick is ignoring me again. He sleeps all Sunday and doesn't even bother walking me up on Monday morning. He drove me to school, but clenches his jaw the whole way and pretends I'm not there.

I'm not so much hurt, as I am angry. I mean, my face got partially mutilated by my pet cat, the small animal I had raised from a kitten. It was the most bizarre sting of betrayal. I wasn't exactly having the best day.

Bliss and Tori keep asking if we are having a fight, and keep trying to reassure me by patting my shoulder, my hand, my knee and smiling sadly at me. I wish they would stop. It's irksome and I don't like the thought of fighting or distance or anything. I don't want to break up with Rodrick! I…think I sort of love him.

But now is not a good time to be thinking that