A/N: Woah, finally! I know, I know... It took me soooo long to update, and I apologize for that. I'm working on Chapter 16 right now and I hope I can finish this soon. Anyway, thank you for the reviews and follows and favorites. Keep them up! And feel free to share this story with your friends :) Here's Chapter 15! R&R! ;)

CHAPTER 15: Perfect Timing

So it's already halfway through my first week and I've somehow managed to make it to my classes without my student buddy.

Yes, without my student buddy.

I see this as both expectation and reality. Knowing Rodrick, he would just ditch me, like what he has been doing every time we leave our classes, and still get a 5% bonus on his subjects.

This student buddy thing is such a stupid idea.

Anyway, I'm not complaning. I'm actually happier about it - about him not doing his job. I mean, I don't have to force myself to follow him. I am free and ready to explore.

I've already gotten accustomed to sitting with my friends during lunch. It's quite sad, though, that I don't have any morning classes with them. But at least in the afternoon, I do have French (which is on Mondays and Thursdays only by the way) and English with Claire, and History (which we have every day except Wednesdays) with Anne and Olivia. Unfortunately, I don't have classes with Mae, but that's alright 'cause we hang out during lunch anyway.

"So... How's your first two days so far?" Mae asked me.

Well...

"My first two days?" I said, drinking from my cup of water. "I'm fine. I'm doing okay."

But her facial expression was pertaining to a specific thing - my student buddy.

I was actually hesitant to tell them last Monday because they might fuss about it every time, and it might be a sensitive subject to Anne. But they kept on bugging me about it because they knew about that useless policy even though I hadn't mentioned it in the first place... So I ended up telling them anyway... I ended up telling them that Rodrick was my student buddy.

I decided not to answer her implicit question since I didn't feel like talking about it.

"Lucky you," Olivia spoke up, noticing the silence. "Two years ago, I was new here, and I couldn't survive on my own. So I had a student buddy who was an upper batch popular girl. She brought me to my classes in one condition - I should follow her orders and be her personal assistant. My first week of high school sucked. See? Better ditched than slaved."

"That was... Woah... What happened after your first week?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well, we never spoke to each other again."

"Heyy! What did we miss?" Claire's excited voice rang through our ears as she and Anne approached the table. They were at the restroom while Mae, Olivia, and I were chatting.

"Nothing. Olivia was just telling me about her student buddy two years ago," I took a bite from my sandwich.

"Oh I'm glad I've never been a student buddy. It's too much for my nails," Anne flashed her pretty fingers with pink nail polish.

Anne is obviously the girliest among my friends. I kinda saw that coming when I first met her.

"Well, I became a student buddy for this cute guy last year," Claire said. "He was so kind and I got so excited to tour him that time!"

"You're always excited, Claire," Mae snorted.

I laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Whatever guys," Claire stuck her tongue out.

Olivia smiled and checked her watch. The shift of her expression suggested that our next class was about to start in a few minutes. "The bell's about to ring," she confirmed. "We better get going."

Everyone on our table started gathering their stuff and throwing their trash. I grabbed my messenger bag and slung it over my shoulder. Claire collected her books. Anne put on some lip gloss before getting up and picking up her bag. Mae and Olivia led the way when we were all ready.

"We're going up, see ya later!" Claire called out to them as we climbed the stairs, while Olivia, Mae, and Anne went straight. They waved goodbye.

I checked the time on my wrist watch. It was barely 5 minutes before the bell rings. "Claire, you go ahead. I have to go to the washroom."

"Sure. Straight ahead, okay?" she reminded me where our classroom was so I wouldn't get lost.

"Yep, thanks," I turned right to the washroom, while she went straight ahead.

It took me around 3 minutes to do whatever I needed to do in the washroom. I went outside and casually walked to my room, passing the swarming groups of teenagers who were also headed to their next classes.

"Ms. Preston," a voice called out my name. It sounded like that important person I met last Monday.

I turned to see the principal standing in front of the cabinet of trophies. He glanced at me while examining the awards won by the school.

"Good Afternoon sir," I greeted.

"Good Afternoon. Going alone to your class? Where is your student buddy?" he seemed half-serious because of my situation and half-amused because of the objects he observed inside the cabinet.

I honestly wasn't sure what to answer. I tucked my dangling hair behind my ear and scrunched my nose."Um... My student buddy is, uh-"

Just then a group of boys passed by walking towards the direction I was going. Rodrick Heffley and his group of weirdo friends were laughing out loud about something that was probably not that funny. It was loud enough for Mr. Maxwell to notice.

Perfect timing, Rodrick.

"Rodrick Heffley," the principal firmly called him out loud.

"Yo," Rodrick swung his head, not knowing who called him. Once he saw where the voice came from, there was a sense of panic on his eyes. I was pretty sure he cursed under his breath too.

His friends went ahead, while he moved closer to us. "Yo, what's up Max?" he said casually, although he also sounded anxious.

"Why are you not doing your job as a student buddy?" Mr. Maxwell questioned.

"I am! Come on, Prescott. Let's go to class," Rodrick motioned his hand, signaling me to go with him to class already.

"I am not stupid, Mr. Heffley. If you don't do your job properly then your 5% bonus for all subjects will be disregarded-"

"No, please! I will take it seriously from now on," Rodrick pleaded.

"Fine. Accomplish your task properly. There are three days left anyway. And since I caught you not doing your job, your bonus will be lowered to 3%. I am watching you," his eyes narrowed as he pointed to the both of us.

Woah, they sure take this thing seriously.

"Yes sir, I promise," Rodrick scratched his head.

The bell rang as the principal said, "Now, off you go before you get late for class."

Rodrick put his arm around me and started dragging me to class with him. "I really have to deal with you for the rest of the week. I need that bonus, you know."

"I'm not the one who decided to ditch," I rolled my eyes and tried to shrug off his arm. But, as usual, he was the stronger one.

"Let's just get this over with. Two and a half days to go," he sighed.

"Wow, you already know how to count," I answered back sarcastically.

"Pfft," he pulled my ponytail as he took his arm off when we reached the doorway of our classroom.

"Ouch," I glared at the smirking Rodrick who headed to the back of the room where one of his bandmates was seated.

We were lucky enough that our teacher was not there yet. I then sat beside Claire who saved me a seat on the second row.

"What took you so long?" she whispered to me while writing something on her notebook.

"Well," I answered in a very low volume, only enough for Claire to hear. "Mr. Maxwell saw me going to class alone. He found out that my student buddy was not doing his job. So when Rodrick passed by, he talked to both of us."

"And why was his arm around you?" her voice was a bit louder now, but only I and a few people beside us could hear it.

"What?" I whispered. "That was nothing. He was just-"

"Good Afternoon, class!" our teacher, Mr. Martins, came in. He started checking our attendance.

I opened my bag to get my notebook and my pen. I doodled stuff first since I couldn't talk to Claire at the moment.

"Heffley, Rodrick," said our teacher.

"Right here!" I heard him say. He probably raised his hand or something.

"Wow, not late," the teacher muttered.

Claire glanced at me with that annoying facial expression that she used whenever she was teasing me about Rodrick.

I glared at her and mouthed, "Stop it!"

I went back to doodling random things on the back page of my notebook.

It took a few more names before my teacher called me, "Preston, April?"

I raised my hand, and once he acknowledged it, I put it back down. He continued to call around 8 more before officially starting the class.

"Alright, before I forget," he sat down and faced the group of students staring up at him. "You will be having a project to be passed 3 months from now. It's a book reading assignment and you will be reporting your choice to class by pair."

My phone vibrated. I discreetly checked who texted me.

If it's by choice, let's be partners.

I nodded and gave a thumbs up to Claire who was also holding her phone.

She smiled and mouthed, "Yay."

"Keep your phones please," Mr. Martins ordered.

I realized that he was referring to us so I quickly tucked the phone in my bag. Claire did the same.

"Now, you may choose your own partners for the presentation. Next week, I will give you the list of books you can choose from."

The class became noisy the minute he finished that statement as the students looked for partners. Claire and I no longer contributed to the noise because we already made a deal.

After giving everyone a few minutes to settle down, he stood up and began to discuss the lesson for the day.

. . . . .

I parted with Claire as soon as I stepped out of our room. Since it was Wednesday, my next class was Spanish, and then dismissal.

My Wednesday schedule is different compared to other days because dismissal is earlier and there are two subjects which I only have on this day (aside from Math, English, and Science).

I passed by my locker to drop a few things so I could carry less on the way to my next class, which as of the moment, I don't know which room.

I closed my locker and stared at the room number of my Spanish class. I haven't exactly had a proper tour of the school yet. Anyway, I didn't expect it, but he came over, swooped my arm into his hand, and started pulling me as he walked towards who knows where.

"Let go of my arm, Rodrick," I tried to wiggle it out of his grip.

He ignored what I said, as expected.

I sighed, "Where are we going?"

"Class, duh," he replied with that annoying tone again.

"Well, for your information, you're holding my arm too tight-"

He let go the moment I said that.

I rubbed my arm that was finally free from his big hand, "Thanks. You know I can follow you anyway without pulling me. I'm not a little kid."

I almost saw his smirk even though he was not looking at me.

We climbed the stairs to the third floor and took a few turns. Before I knew it, I was sitting on the second row in our room, waiting for our Spanish teacher. Rodrick sat at the back row, so I couldn't see him right now.

After the bell rang, the teacher walked inside and placed her bag on the table. She was probably in her late thirties. Her hair was black and she had very small eyes. She started calling our names while a few more students filled in the room, which she didn't seem to mind.

"Good Afternoon," she greeted as she kept the attendance sheet in her bag.

That was weird... Why did she keep the class list? My name hasn't been called yet.

The teacher said something in a different language and I was pretty sure wasn't Spanish.

Everyone stared at her blankly because no one understood what she said.

She smiled sweetly and translated what she said in English, "Welcome to Chinese class!"

Chinese class?!

I quickly checked my schedule. I wasn't supposed to be in this room.

"I will be your teacher, and my name is..." she turned away from us and started writing her name on the board.

I glanced at the back rows, searching for the person who brought me to this room. I looked over to those in front, to those on my left and right. That's when I realized that his name wasn't called too. Rodrick was nowhere to be found.

I grabbed all my stuff and discreetly sneaked out of the room before the teacher even finished writing.

The hallway was quiet, except for a few students roaming around, probably because they had no class at the moment. I walked silently; cursing him under my breath as I peeked through the windows of the rooms I passed by.

After probably five minutes of walking and peeking around different classes, I finally found the room.

I saw a familiar dude with messy hair sitting at the back and twirling his pencil. At front was a lady writing on the blackboard. She did look like a Spanish teacher at first glance.

I entered through the back door, and quietly settled on the only vacant seat - in front of Rodrick.

"And you are?" she turned and was talking directly to me.

I did not see that coming. Now everyone was staring at me. I heard Rodrick snickering behind me.

I gathered myself and tried to stay composed, "April Preston, Ma'am."

"Ah yes," she wore her glasses and looked at the attendance sheet. "Why are you late on your first day of Spanish class, Ms. Preston?"

"I, uh... I got lost."

"I see, you must be a new student."

I nodded.

"I will forgive you this time, April," she turned away and continued writing on the board.

I breathed out heavily. Woah, that was close. I took off my ponytail, and wore it on my left wrist. I took my pen and notebook from my bag and, like everyone else did, started copying the syllabus being written on the board.

. . . . . .

Students stormed out of the room right after Ms. Montez dismissed us. I shoved my things in my bag and walked towards the door.

"Hey!" the person leaning on the wall beside the doorway called out as I headed for my locker downstairs.

"Prescott! Hey!" he followed me through the chaotic hallway of students.

I didn't look back at him. Not even once.

I opened my locker and started putting back some books and stuff.

"Hey, Prescott... Are you going home already?" said Rodrick behind me.

I ignored him while loading my bag with important things that i needed to bring home.

"Okay," he nodded and leaned on the locker beside mine. "I take that as a no."

I slammed the locker shut and turned to walk to the direction away from him. But he swiftly blocked the way and my face accidentally bumped his chest.

I stepped back and took a deep breath so I wouldn't explode, "Yes, I'm going home, Rodrick. Thanks for asking. Bye now."

"Woah, wait," he prevented me from going further. "Are you mad at me?"

"Who wouldn't get angry at someone who got you late for class just because he wanted to have fun?"

He was silent for a moment.

"See? Thank you Rodrick," I shot him a death glare before walking past him towards the stairs.

"Wait," he put his hand on my shoulder and made me face him again. "I'll make it up to you..."

I raised my eyebrow on that thought.

"I'll tour you around. Right now if you want."

I shook my head, "No thanks. Just leave me alone and let me cool down for the rest of the day. I have to go home." I descended the stairs.

"Uh, okay," he followed me. "Tomorrow then? Or Friday?"

It took a while for me to answer, "Fine, whatever."

"Cool," he caught up and was now walking beside me. "Want a ride home?"

"No thanks. I don't want to die yet," I gave him a sarcastic look and then rushed to the door.

A/N: So... did you like it? Send your thoughts and comments about this chapter by leaving a review! I honestly can't wait to finish writing the next chapters for all of you :) Anyway, thanks for the continuous support! I'll be posting Chapter 16 as soon as I finish it :)