A/N: HEYO! Another update! OOF! Sorry for taking so long! Lot of work and such!
Even through the review, fav and story follow numbers are, at the time of this chapter update, low, I am still motivated to write more, much more. So… thank you to the ones who read it and comment on it. Oh, what the heck? THANK YOU ALL!
I do not own The Loud House or any of the characters, that is propriety of Chris Savino… I guess. I only own my OC
So, with nothing else to say… enjoy!
Chapter 3: Regret
RODRIGO
Day 3, Wednesday.
It was certainly such a good life in this new place… sarcasm implicit. Two days, and Rod had a girl who started to like him. Yeah, he wasn't stupid, he really knew when a girl is onto him, and after what happened yesterday… He. Means. It. Not that he has any choice, because he cannot play God and control free will to make her NOT to like him, that would be utterly terrible, but… What choice he had? If he said no, he'd probably break her heart and he wouldn't be able to cope with that. Ronnie Anne was a special girl, special in the way that she opened up her feelings to him, and that was something that… as Lori would say… is LITERALLY heartwarming. Girls from his home country didn't ever have the attention Ronalda did with him, they were all bigoted, that's what made Rodrigo lose hope on it forever. But Ronnie Anne just… nailed it, big time. She saw through Rod's face and saw someone very special, otherwise she wouldn't kiss him… right?
But the kiss…
The kiss was a big trigger for the depths of his memoirs. Some memoirs… he tried to forget. Maybe there was someone else? Who knows? Keeping it as a secret was his life's philosophy. Unhealthy or not, those are the facts for him as of now. But he also respected others' territories, if he could ever dare to call Ronnie Anne a territory. Metaphorically speaking, of course. Lincoln came first, he knew her for way too long more than Rod. Heck, Rod even knew her for literally, merely just TWO days and things went from the frying pan to the fire… in about a night! Everything was so fast. And it doesn't take a genius to know what has happened yesterday, Ronalda TRULY expressed her feelings for him in a physical way. A girl kissing a guy equals to true falling in love, Rod knew that, despite his… personality.
Rod came out of the bathroom of his apartment, with a towel wrapped onto his back and head, scrubbing up his arms with it as he just came out of the shower. His semi-muscular body justified yesterday's action against those two muggers, he was as athletic as Lynn. He was only sporting some dark blue boxers with red stripe patterns and its waist was red too, the same color as the stripes. He was inhaling and exhaling deeply as he was regaining his breath from being on a hot, steamy shower while still rubbing his arms with the towel to dry them up. As he walked towards his bedroom and placed the now moist towel on a nearby chair, as he finished drying himself up, he walked towards the bed. It was shown that he had no longer the band aid on his wounded shoulder, as the wound scarred enough to be let alone. As he reached the bed, he saw something: the shirt he was wearing yesterday was laying on it. As Rod took a peek on it, he saw that at the left shoulder, there was the hole on it, product of the mugging of yesterday. Rod then sighed as he looked that it had a small splat of blood around it, as, since he was wearing only that at that time, it was obvious there would be some blood on it.
'Ma will kill me if she sees this' he thought as he picked up the shirt and examined the hole on it carefully, then, with his hands shaking in despair, dug a finger in it from inside "Mierda"
Some knocks on the door were then heard "Rodrigo, you there?" could be heard a female voice in Spanish.
"Ay… uh!" Rod gulped under his breath as he frantically shook in panic and waved his arms up upon hearing that voice, inadvertently tossing the shirt at the air, who landed on his head.
"Rodrigo?" more knocks could be heard.
Rod quickly took the shirt off him, and, still in desperation, looked at it as he knew he couldn't let that person know about the wound, then looked at his wound, then back at the shirt "Ah… one moment, please!" he yelled in Spanish as he started to tremble "Don't come in, I am naked!" half-naked and half-truth, he then ran towards the wardrobe and opened it, then quickly rummaged through it, being able to fetch the dress pants he used yesterday, complete with the belt, and put them on. He did the same with a football jersey and put it on.
"Rodrigo, we need to talk about yesterday" more knocks could be heard as Rod hastily put the jersey on. It was the Argentine national team one, with number 9. Rod then drew out some dress socks from it and put them on before putting on his classic dress shoes as another knock would be heard "Rodrigo?"
"One moment!" Rod yelled as he was about to walk towards the door to open it, but froze and looked at his back with his eyes widened. The barely bloodied shirt was there, he couldn't allow her to see it! Rod quickly ran towards the bed, picked up the shirt, and hastily dug it under the bed. More knocks could be heard.
Rod then ran towards the front door "Okay, okay, I am ready!" he exclaimed with a more relieved tone of voice as he then opened up.
There, there was a woman in her mid-50s with brown, short hair, crow's feet signalizing her old-ish age, and was wearing a formal black jacket with a white shirt and a beige soft silk scarf, some dress pants and shoes "Rodrigo?" she asked as she had a neutral expression on her face.
"Hi Doctora" Rod smiled "Listen, about yesterday…"
"You came in too late, but at least you had your pill" the woman interrupted "You never returned home that late when you were living in Argentina, what happened yesterday?"
Rod tried to invent a story that concealed the fact that they almost got killed during a date, but as far as he thought, he couldn't "You see… I had a… we went… we just… ah…"
"Yes?"
Rod looked at the woman, she looked concerned. He t hen sighed "I had a date"
"You… had a date?!" the woman gasped in awe with a smile "Rodrigo, that is SO wonderful, you never had once since…!"
"Yeah" Rod sighed "I know"
"And I take it you enjoyed it, eh?" the woman coyly and softly nudged Rod on his arm with his elbow, making him chuckle.
"You had no idea" he laughed "Listen, doc, I would like to go into details, but…"
The woman, now known as Doctora (At least) then slightly rose up her head started sniffing something "Is that… Prune Moi?" she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
Rod then sighed as the Doctora looked at him sternly with an akimbo "Rodrigo, I thought I told you to stop with that scarf!" she growled "Why did you brought it here in first place?"
"I know!" Rod groaned "It's just…"
"What?" she interrupted "Can't you have some closure for good?" she added "That happened 2 years ago, 2 YEARS, it is time you let it go and move on with your life" she told him "There are plenty of women out there, and…"
"I JUST CAN'T!" Rod interrupted with a groan "I don't wanna let her go" he whimpered, almost tearing "Like… ever"
"Aww" Doctora cooed as she walked towards Rod and hugged him "I know it is hard for you, Rodri, but you need to stop living on the past"
"She would… want me to remember her every day"
"But we don't know that, and she is not here anymore, so we will never do so either"
"I know…" Rod was practically sobbing as Doctora still hugged him and rubbed her arm on his back.
The two just shared a tender moment as Doctora hugged him tightly.
LINCOLN
At these hours, life wasn't precisely a sunshine for Lincoln Loud, the Man with The Plan, who just had his record of working plans… broken, again. He was finally gonna declare his love for his sweetheart, and JUST ONE bad luck circumstance ruined it all! If only… Lynn could have been active at that moment, things would have turned different, the date of his life would have turned out different, and maybe… just, maybe, the circumstance that happened between Rod and Ronnie Anne could have not existed and things would turn for the better. Lincoln would have been more careful and the date would turn out well. Suppose that it would happen anyway, then… how would Lincoln be able to protect Ronnie Anne? He wasn't precisely as strong as Lynn, or even, as Ronnie Anne. That would probably be true, but we never know if Lincoln got stronger, as we're talking about a boy who has a strong, athletic sister who could have made him train his body at some point of his 12 years of life.
Back to the story, the albino-haired boy was, on his classic clothes, on the kitchen for breakfast time. He was eating on his favorite cereal with milk with a spoon, with a blunt expression on his face. With him, were Lana, Lola and Lucy, who were, classic sisters, with their antics. If for antics it means that Lola and Lana are arguing, as usual, for something, this time for a waffle.
"That waffle is mine, Lola, you had 3 already!" Lana growled as she was fighting with her twin sister for a recently-cooked waffle in the same way Lori does with Leni for clothes with her twin sister.
"Nuh-uh, I only had two!" Lola growled as he was pulling onto the waffle, who was starting to form a small crack in between the two halves "On the contrary, YOU had three!"
"You wish, liar!"
"IT IS MINE!"
As the two were constantly pulling, the waffle, who couldn't resist any longer, started to tear apart, and finally snap in two, causing, according to gravity, for the twins to fall on their backs to the ground.
As Lana, grunting in pain, slowly got up, she looked at her waffle in hand, it was a perfectly-sized half "HALFSIES!" both twins cheered in unison as Lola saw she had another half.
Lincoln just… sighed at the entire scene, and as Lana and Lola started to eat, Lucy looked at him, inquisitively (If that could be seen on her partially-covered face).
"Brother, you still upset about yesterday's events?" she asked in her usual monotone tone of voice.
"Huh?"
Lincoln then stopped as he was about to eat another spoonful of cereal and milk and looked at her worrying sister "I believe I understand your pain"
"No… you don't"
It couldn't be actually seen, but Lucy rose an eyebrow "Excuse me?"
"You didn't have a date yet" he scoffed "You didn't have a date plan even, so please spare me your lectures, Luce, I am not on the mood right now"
Lucy was just sitting her, in silence. After a while, she spoke "Just trying to cheer you up"
Lincoln then sighed "I am sorry, Lucy, you're right, I am just upset about yesterday" he looked at her "But it was the most important day of my life, I finally had the chance to have a special moment with the woman I like, and…"
"Yes, you may think I don't, Lincoln, but I DO understand it"
Lincoln just sighed again at that. She was right, she may not be a special kind of romantic girl… but, she knew.
At that moment, and while Lincoln was resuming with his breakfast, his parents, Lynn Sr. and Rita, entered the room, with the patriarch wearing a bandage all around his finger, who was his right ring finger. Luckily it wasn't the left one. As Rita looked at her only son worriedly, she turned her attention to her three sisters on the room, as Lola and Lana finished their waffle halves.
"Girls, can you give us a moment with Lincoln?" she kindly asked "We need to talk about something with him, something important"
"'kay mum!" the twins cheered as they got up and, along with Lucy, started to leave the room.
"Good luck with it, bro" Lola managed to whisper at his brother as he was near him, before completely exiting the room.
As they were alone, the parents turned their attention at their son "Lincoln, sweetie, listen" Rita sighed "I know it must have been heck of a day yesterday, you even barely ate your dinner last night, but as I said, I wanted to make it up for you"
"Mom, I dunno if you can" Lincoln sighed "Look, I am not mad at either of you, or even Lynn, but I am actually glad I did what I did yesterday instead of selfishly deciding to go out with Ronnie Anne" he declared, drawing a smile into both Rita and Lynn Sr.'s faces.
"Oh Lincoln, I am SO proud of you!" Rita went to hug his son "After all of this, you feel no regret or anything and you cared for your family!"
"It's what family does, mom" Lincoln gave a weak smile as they broke from the hug.
"Yeah" his father nodded "And as your mother said, we want to make it up for you" he smiled "That's why… we had THIS!" and he drew out two plastic cards with the logo of Dairyland with them.
Lincoln's eyes widened as he looked at them, practically because they had the Dairyland logo on them "What… are those?" he gaped in shock.
"Those, son, are two Dairyland premium membership cards for Dairyland for one year" Rita smiled as he rubbed his cheek tenderly "In other words, you have free access to Dairyland for a year upon its purchase, and since these are two, you can give one with Ronnie Anne and you can have all the fun that you want!" she smiled "We bought them earlier actually and planned to give them to you as a birthday present, but we felt that we can give them to you and Ronnie Anne now"
"No… way!" Lincoln quickly grabbed the cards from his father's hand "This is amazing!" he was examining them, then took a glance at his mother "How did you managed to get them?"
"Well, those aren't cheap" Lynn Sr. laughed as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "But we also had a discount since Luan worked at that place once!"
"My goodness, this is SO perfect!" Lincoln then got off his chair and walked towards his parents before hugging them tenderly "Thank you so much!"
"No, thank YOU, son" his father grinned "We really needed you yesterday and you didn't let us down" he remarked "If you weren't there and your grandpa had to forcibly go, only God knows what would ever happen to your sisters" he said as Lincoln broke from the hug "Well, Lisa was practically thinking like an adult, but she was only four, and relying you was the best bet, otherwise the police could have arrested us with the charges of neglect" what he was saying was true. He then knelt down to Lincolns level and placed a hand on his shoulder "Whenever you wish, go, have fun with her like you ever wanted" he assured him with a smile.
"Thanks guys, both of you" Lincoln almost had a tear on his eye.
"If anything, we need to thank you, you're a life-saver" Rita informed her son.
After that, Lincoln went back to his breakfast, happy that he had something, a reward, for his actions. Maybe the day wouldn't turn out so bad at all. If Lincoln would give her one of these cards, he'd surely win her love, right?
Right?
RONALDA
Curiously, things were easier for Ronnie Anne, better than Rod and Lincoln. Poor girl, she didn't know how much she has caused by that kiss, nor she would like to know it. She started to harbor feelings for "a second one", making this a love triangle… or it would be if things with Rod weren't ambivalent by his side. It might be truthful to mention, that she COULD be devastated if Rod didn't return the feelings. After all, they kissed, but unknown to her… he didn't like it.
Ronalda was a pretty special girl in the eyes of so many people, even Rod himself, but not in a "special" way certain white-haired boy sees, no. Lincoln felt much more love than Rod could ever do, and it is not like Rod wants Ronalda, not even after their kiss yesterday. Little did she know… she was on a big conflict, bigger than anything she faced on her 12 years of life. Now… she only had to choose, and it weren't easy. It never is for any girl on this situation, tho, but bad news is that Ronalda just had to.
Ronnie Anne was on their hotel's bedroom, laying on the bed stretched as she, as mentioned before, was in a conflict. With her casual clothes and ponytail, she slowly got up and sat on the bed "Dear God…" she muttered.
Just then, Bobby came in and noticed her sister in that state "Something wrong, Niní?" he asked, worriedly as he walked towards her and sat next to her.
"Ah?" Ronnie Anne quickly noticed him "No, nothing, Bobby, it is just…"
"You can tell me anything" Bobby smiled
"Bobby…"
"Yes?"
"How would you feel if you're like… in a love triangle?" Ronnie Anne felt like she had a knot on her throat.
"What do you…" Bobby then realized the entire situation, as if he took 'the red pill' and quickly understood everything. He gave her a smile "I get it now" he remarked.
"You… you do?"
"Yes" Bobby nodded, still with his smile "I know how much you like Lincoln, and…"
"I DO NOT!" Ronalda quickly interrupted him with a blush.
Bobby just let out a chuckle at that response "Don't deny it, Niní, I know it already"
"How dare you!" Ronnie Anne growled "I am gonna rip your head off if you don't stop now!" she then quickly stopped and thought for a moment before taking a heavy breath "Oh… I just dunno, Bobby, I can't believe it"
"Believe what?"
"I like Lincoln, but…"
"But?" Bobby rose an eyebrow.
"This Rodrigo guy… the way he treated me yesterday, and how he proved to be a real man the way he did when he protected me from those muggers, I just…" she just looked down in despair.
Ronnie Anne was interrupted by Bobby, who placed a hand on her shoulder. As she lifted her head to look at him inquisitively, she saw him with a assuring smile "Ronalda, these kinds of situations are pretty normal, sometimes you think you like two guy and can't choose, but…"
"But what?!" Ronnie Anne snarled "I can't decide: I don't wanna leave Lincoln, but I what if Rod felt something for me after what I did yesterday?"
"After you kissed?"
Ronnie Anne´s eyes widened as she looked at her brother. How did he know? "How did you…?"
"I peeked" Bobby chuckled "Sorry, I just wanted to see if you were safe alone with that guy, and…"
"Stop… peeking!" she growled "Really, I am 12, I can handle things my own!"
"But… you can't handle THIS"
Ronnie Anne tsked as she looked away from him. He was right, she couldn't handle this, it was a big emotional weight for her.
"Ronnie Anne, as much as you say you're old enough, you're still underage, and at this age, girls don't… normally have these issues, so you're a special case, but playing a game of choice has…"
"Yes, I know, both have consequences, you already told me" Ronnie Anne interrupted him with a frown "But what do I do? If choose one, the another would be sad, and I don't want that! I want both to be happy!"
"It's a game where one loses and the other wins, and there's absolutely NOTHING you can do to change it" Bobby sighed "There will be always someone who doesn't gets the girl, either Lincoln or Rod, you have to choose one, yeah, but…"
"But?"
"I know Lincoln for a long time, and the other guy I just don't, but all I know if that you choose Rod, Lincoln will understand it, but what if Lincoln likes you? He'd have to live with that decision you made" Bobby assured him "But you know him for a long time too, so if you choose him, that COULD be the right decision, since it's fair to choose someone who you know for more than a year… over someone who you just met for a day and quickly kissed"
"That's… not making it easy, bro" Ronnie Anne sighed
"Life… isn't easy, Niní, it is about making choices, all the time, and for each choice, you have to face the consequences" Bobby then got up "I may not be able to take YOUR decisions, since, as you're right on that, you're 12, but all I can tell you is… to follow your heart, and know that whatever you choose… will be the best choice your heart made"
"My heart?"
Bobby t hen walked towards the door "Yes" he looked at her "Think about this: Love is a game, someone wins, the other loses, but even through, it is all part of life, and whatever you do, will be what you think it's best for you"
"But… how do I know if I made the right decision?" Ronnie Anne at that point was more confused than ever.
"That's not something I can teach you, Ronnie, you will have to learn it by yourself" were his brother's last words before he left.
Ronnie just sat there, thoughtful. A love triangle only one part knew, and the others had no idea, still a terrible situation for a girl like her. She then stood up and walked towards the bathroom before looking at herself on the mirror. She gently stroked her hair a few times before noticing her ponytail. Time for a change, she swiftly grabbed her hair tie and took it away, releasing her hair which reached more than her shoulders. After stroking it for a while, she took another deep breath and smiled proudly at her new look "He was right"
An hour later, it was school time, as usual.
Rod was, on his best attempt to not to break in tears, rummaging through his locker. He was wearing a black polo zipped jacket over his shirt, as he felt that not even on that school, it would be allowed to sport a football shirt on any kind. Didn't know Lynn too well at all.
As Rod crouched down to check on his backpack, he felt another door slam. It didn't take a genius to realize who that was, as Rod just simply sighed in exasperation as he looked at his side, Chandler walking away while cackling evilly. Rod then, resignedly, stood up and started to put the combination again.
A wild Lincoln then appeared, meme-speaking, of course. The white-haired boy entered the room as he then spotted Rod on his place "Rodster!" he smiled "Just the man I wanted to see!"
Rod briefly turned around to meet Lincoln eye-to-eye, then turned back to his locker "Hey Lincoln" he kinda sighed.
"So…" Lincoln walked closer to him "How was Operation: Plan B, huh?"
"Thought it was called Operation: Ronnie Anne"
"Well, y'know how things turned out" Lincoln replied with a chuckle "So tell me, how was it?"
Rod then closed his locker almost with a slam, then looked at him "From 1 to 10… a six"
"Six?" Lincoln frowned. Was it really that… average?
"Yes"
"But…"
"Lincoln…" Rod interrupted with a sigh and raising his palm up to stop him "Not much else to say: The food was hideous, the movie terrible, and the only good thing was to spend time with her AS FRIENDS, nothing else" deep down, Rod believed he was lying about the actually delicious vichyssoise he ate.
The movie was terrible? That was a blasphemy for Lincoln, as he knew pretty well how that movie would turn out… even if he didn't see it... yet.
That was it, his so-needed Plan B, he thought the date was horrible. Well, almost What a good idea, could Lincoln think sarcastically.
"What do you mean the movie was terrible, you absolutely have no taste of…"
"Lincoln…"
Rod interrupted him with his hand once again "I don't wanna pry too much about it" he sighed "All I can say is… that she is yours, it always been that that way" he told him "I am just a third, nothing else, you two are meant to be together, no matter what"
As Rod finished his business, and right on cue, the bell rang.
"Showtime" Rod muttered as he turned around "Which class is it now?"
Lincoln just kept on staring at him, but suddenly came back to reality "Oh, Wednesdays are art class"
"Gotcha" and with that said, he turned to leave, but found himself facing Lincoln as he did so, the white-haired boy quickly getting into his way "Ahem?"
"You and me are gonna have A LONG chat during lunch, I NEED to know what happened" he glared daggers at him.
"A wise man once said… never ask questions whose answer you aren't prepared for" Rod sighed "It's all I can say, and if you don't understand it pretty well, my fella, then there's nothing else I can say to you"
Those were Rod's final strong words before Lincoln still looked at him worriedly, as the Argentine boy hung his backpack on his arm and went towards class.
Art class, with Mr. Mu. Everyone was facing his/her easel as the class was going on. Lincoln gave his easel a side look as he focused onto Rod, as his friends, mainly Clyde, looked at him, worried "Lincoln?" Clyde was the first to talk.
But Lincoln gave no response "Buddy" Clyde muttered as he gently nudged his arm with his elbow.
"Ah? Huh?" Lincoln then turned around to see his best friend and other friends, looking at him worriedly.
"You OK, buddy?" Clyde rose an eyebrow.
"Yeah… I am" Lincoln lied as he faked a reassuring smile.
"Okay class…" Mr. Mu was speaking "Today… we will be drawing with our pencils, I beg you to unleash your true talent just as big artists just like Vinnie Ven Gag or Salvatore Dahli did" he smiled "Be creative, draw everything except male or female genitalia" he then glared at Chandler "And that goes for you, McCann"
"Agh" Chandler grumbled "I hate it when teachers know me well" he cursed.
"Unleash… my imagination?"
Rod was just staring at his blank piece of paper. He never did something like… draw? What could he do? He wasn't precisely the man of ideas, or… The Man… With the Plan? He briefly looked at Lincoln, who was still looking at him uneasily, then back at his easel. A lightbulb then turned on over his head (Metaphorically, of course) as he had an idea. As that happened, he picked up his yellow-colored HB pencil and began to draw some curves.
Over the course of the minutes, Rod's drawing started to get assembled as he fiercely grasped onto his pencil and just kept on drawing, all while Lincoln, who was still giving him a side look, was barely even drawing.
Finally, Rod was finished as he put his pencil down and stretched his wrist in early exhaustion "Et voila, ze magnifique!" he exclaimed in French as he contemplated his 'masterpiece'.
The teacher, noticing Rod's expression, curiously walked towards Rod and his easel. Upon arriving, his eyes got widened as he looked at it. It was a nearly perfectly-depicted drawing of Ronnie Anne, in true black and white. Her hair was pure black as he didn't draw some white lines on it signaling hair strings, overlooking that detail on her hair. The most noticeable detail was that she was wearing a white (Duh) football jersey with the logo of a Football club, some shorts like Lynn has, and football boots, with her left leg bent a bit as it was stepping on a ball, like a soccer player. One final additional detail was that she was with her classic confident look on her face, complete with a smirk
"Well look at this!" Mr. Mou gaped in awe at the drawing, then looked at the others "Class, come see here some good artisté right here!" he echoed "I've never seen such talent in a young guy like you, young man!" he was looking at Rod, then noticed that Lincoln was frowning "Well, besides you, Loud" he cleared his throat.
As the other walked to see the drawing, Chandler classic Chandler gave a chuckle "Well well well, lookie here" he smirked "It looks like SOMEBODY is in love with certain Latina!"
"Oooooooooooooooh!" you might guess who were with that classic teasing, as it echoed around the room. All that while Lincoln, feeling nostalgic on how that 'Oooh' sounded when that incident with Ronnie Anne and that Sloppy Joe happened, looked on with a sad frown.
"Ah come on!" Rod growled "I don't like her that way!"
"Yeah, sure" Tyler chuckled
"Hey Rodney, when will the wedding be?" Chandler teased.
"Eh… one: My name is Rodrigo, and two: blow me"
"What did you just say… prick?!" Chandler growled as he slammed his fist on his palm.
"Enough of you, Mr. McCann and everyone!" the teacher growled, with a warning glare at… you guessed it, Chandler "What did this guy drew here has nothing to see with feelings, in fact, art never does!" that was a terrible lie.
"Right" Rod nodded "She may be just a muse"
"Precisely!" Mr. Mo nodded "Elisa del Gioconndo wasn't Leonard Da Vincent's girlfriend for example, you know!" he argued "And look at which piece of art he made for posterity!" (A/N: In case you're wondering of why those names, all I can say is… this is The Loud House universe, so historical names aren't precisely the ones from real life. Mick Swagger, anyone? And that's the only example I have, but… eh!)
"Who?" Jordan rose an eyebrow.
"Nevermind" the teacher sighed "But anyways, I am yet to expect more!" he regained his cheerful stance "Surprise me more like this lad!" he patted Rod's head a few times "Good one right here, Mr. …"
"Damiani!"
"Another Italian one, eh? Classy!"
As the teacher walked away back to his desk, everyone went back to their easels to continue their drawings, as Rod then smiled while carefully ripping the drawing off the easel.
The entire class went on normally, except for the fact that Lincoln was still eyeing Rod, this time even more intensively after he have done that Ronnie Anne drawing, but… why would he do it?
He was soon gonna know it.
During lunch, the Action News friend group were reunited. Clyde, Zach, Liam, Rusty and Stella. Wait, without Lincoln and Rod?
That is right. Upon picking up his lunch from Pat, Rod instantly and deliberately walked towards a faraway table from them, or in fact, from everyone.
The group was noticing that as they looked at him curiously eating his Wednesday lunch from afar.
"What's with him?" Rusty was eating his fajita lunch as he rose an eyebrow with a side look at Rod.
"My guess is good as yours" Clyde shrugged "He's been acting strange today, don't you think?"
"I wonder what happened" Stella sighed "All we know is that he was gonna go with Lincoln to meet Ronnie Anne and…" she then gasped as she slowly turned her head to look at the group with her eyes widened "Don't you think…?"
Everyone was then in an uncomfortable silence for some seconds.
"Noooooooo, it cannot be" Zach nervously laughed as he was with his hamburger "Ronnie Anne is for Lincoln, not HIM!"
"Speaking about Lincoln…" Clyde sighed "Where is him?" he asked as he looked around "He'd be here as always, don't ya think?"
"Well, I guess there's your answer"
Upon hearing Rusty, the African-American best buddy of the mentioned turned around at where he was pointing, and he saw in surprise that Lincoln, recently getting his lunch, was walking towards Rod's table "Oh no…"
"Lincoln… bro… NO!" Liam gasped.
But it was too late, the white-haired boy already caught the attention of Rod as he was looking at him with a glare "Uh… ahem"
Rod, focusing on his fajita, lifted up his head to look at Lincoln "Yello" he muttered
"We… need to talk" as intense as the noise of Lincoln's tray getting stamped into the table, complete with Lincoln sitting in front of him.
"As in…?"
"What happened between you and Ronnie Anne yesterday?"
"Oh… not again, fella"
"YES AGAIN!" Lincoln growled "Listen, Rod, I know you were reluctant to follow with Plan B, but I believe that date was more than…"
"Oh, here we go again!" Rod interrupted with a snarl "Look Lincoln, there's not much else to say: We went out, and that's that!" he retorted "Nothing special, you can have her!" what a big lie he told, as he felt guilty on even the smallest bit of his brain.
Lincoln glared at him, then sighed "Listen, I am afraid I am gonna believe you on this one" he stopped glaring at him "I just felt that…"
"I was stealing her away from you?" Rod completed the sentence.
"Right, and I had my fears when I told you about Operation: Plan B and such, but I guess you're right"
"Uh huh" Rod continued with his fajita, but deep down… he felt as guilty as ever "Changing the subject…" he then put down his meal on his tray and drew out something from his pocket "Got something for you"
Lincoln's eyes widened as he noticed that Rod drew out a folded piece of paper "Is that…?"
"Yup" Rod nodded, then unfolded it, revealing the drawing "Haven't signed it yet, so I wanted you to have it so you can give it to Rona"
"Rona…?"
"She'll surely like it"
"But… you made it, not me" Lincoln frowned "I don't wanna lie to her and say it is mine"
"Teeny tiny little lie, Linc" Rod chuckled.
"No… Rod" Lincoln sighed "I am sorry, but… I can't"
"Aw, come on!" Rod growled "I've been through a lot yesterday with her, and…" his eyes then widened as he suddenly covered his mouth, to which Lincoln did the same before giving him an uneasy look.
"Rod… what did exactly happen yesterday?"
"Nothing"
"Say it… NOW"
Rod then took a deep breath.
Over the course of minutes, Rod told Lincoln the whole truth. The meal he enjoyed, the movie he kind of liked in company of Ronnie Anne, and most importantly… the mugging and the stab he received for her. He also… unfortunately… had to break him about… the last detail.
"… and I would understand it if you hate me, but in my defense, I didn't ask for it!" Rod finished.
Lincoln just sat there, completely frozen with a blank expression on his face.
"Lincoln?"
He couldn't believe it. His Plan B… was… THIS? HE shouldn't have trusted him in first place! But what other choice he had? Leave Ronnie Anne like that?
"Lincoln…"
Lincoln was slightly tearing as he was looking down, when he heard the Latino's voice, turned at him "It wasn't your fault…"
"No…" Lincoln then clenched his hand into a fist while growling
"You could have no…"
POW!
What just happened?
Did Lincoln Loud, just…?
Rod's head just turned a little as it was barely a scratch. Lincoln, on the other hand, felt his hand was living a deeper torment, rubbing it while flinching in pain and glaring at his… 'friend'.
Rod slowly moved his head back into his position, eyes widened. He knew he didn't even have the right to glare at him, let alone feel anger for him. After all, what he 'did' was unforgivable… or not? On his defense, he didn't intend to!
"I was so wrong about you" Lincoln couldn't help but tear a little while still rubbing his hand in sort "Now I know how YOU Argentines are!"
"Lincoln, you have the wrong idea, i…"
"DON'T" Lincoln grumbled, then got up "You want Ronnie Anne? Well FINE! For all I care, you can have her!" he growled while pointing at him "And also, YOU give it to HER, since YOU drew it, not me!" he snarled as he shoved the folded drawing on his chest. At this point, everyone on the cafeteria already had their entire attention on the two "You ruined it all…" were his last words before he walked away.
"Lincoln… WAIT!"
Lincoln stopped for a second, then walked back at the table "I-I can exp…"
But he didn't do it to listen to him, he actually did it to grab his tray of food, then leave again "I like fajitas"
As Lincoln walked away, Rod felt an uneasy aura around him, something he felt when he was back at Argentina, the aura that made him feel… alienated. He looked at everyone around him mumbling, and he felt that… they were gonna… reject him…
Reject…
He felt that word echo through his mind endlessly.
As Lincoln was walking towards his friends' table and sit and place his tray on the table "I am sure you've heard everything" he muttered as his friends looked at him, worriedly.
"You OK, pa…"
"Don't" Lincoln rose a hand, his unscathed one "I should have known, this guy isn't a nice guy, he just LOVES to steal girls"
"Lincoln…" Stella, always the voice of reason, retorted "You cannot judge him, you shoulda at least have given him the chance to tell his version of the sto…"
"His version of the story?!" Lincoln growled as he slammed his, ouchie, scathed fist, making him flinch a little in pain and shocking everyone around him "Call me bigoted, but for all I know, he stole her away from me, that kiss spoke for itself"
"That kiss?!" Stella growled "What if SHE kissed HIM? What if SHE felt something for him, what if SHE is the problem he…"
"The problem?" Lincoln snarled back "Stella, you may be a good friend, I gotta recognize that, but I won't let you speak that rough about Ro…"
"Ronnie Anne, you say?!" Stella snarled back "The bully who tormented you just because? The bully who punched you? The bully who almost made your sister beat you up? THAT GIRL?!"
"Yes" Lincoln grumbled "She committed mistakes in the past, but she has changed" he retorted "You cannot hold onto the past Stella, if I can forgive her, why not you?"
The entire table was in silence at this, as Stella still glared at him, and Lincoln glared back. Stella then took a deep breath "Lincoln… I don't wanna argue with you, but at least, give Rodrigo a chance!" she was out of words "For me?"
Lincoln looked at her thoughtfully. She was right, he didn't know Rod's 'two cents' about all of this. After all, he was frankly an unknown at all of this, victim of circumstances, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, a guy with chance's bad luck. The white-haired boy then sighed "I'll give him a chance, but I'll talk to him after school, I need time to process all of this"
"Thanks, Linc" Stella smiled "That's all I asked for"
Zach, Liam, Rusty and Clyde just got their jaws dropped during the entire argument, eyeing the two curiously. Lincoln and Stella turned to stare at their friends "What?" they asked in unison.
As the bell rang and everyone was exiting school, Rod was away from the others, while grasping onto his backpack with a shoulder, feeling the same feeling he felt (Forgive the redundancy) during lunch. As he was walking, he suddenly felt a bump from his side, as he then looked at his side, he then saw Lynn and Maddie walking by him as they were chatting happily. They covertly bumped onto him, probably, courtesy of Lynn, as a retaliation for what he 'did' to Lincoln. It was followed by another bump, and another one, and another one. In fact, his feeling that he felt as a pariah to the school… was becoming a fact!
Rod then huffed through his nostrils in signal of exasperation, his signature reaction. As he looked around, people being candidly chatting between them, he reminisced his days at Argentina and compared with these ones: It was no different. He always felt… alone? Distanced… from everyone? Nonetheless, he was used to it, so he just brushed it off and kept walking away.
"Rod!"
As he listened to that familiar voice, the Latino turned around on his back to see Lincoln and his friends. But they weren't mad at him or something, they were… forgiving? As Rod noticed them, he simply turned back forward and started to walk away.
"Rod, wait up!"
But he didn't want to listen to them. He was done with him AND his friends, AND maybe… just maybe… Ronalda. Period. He brushed them off and kept walking away.
"Rod… I am sorry"
He then stopped onto his tracks, and with a slight leg movement, turned around to face them "Qué?" he deadpanned.
Running, Lincoln approached Rod, then panted heavily, since he wasn't an athlete like her sister. After bending down, regaining his breath, he stood up and faced him "Listen, bud, I am so sorry for what happened today" he said, slowly panting.
Rod then turned his back at him "If you think, that just because you apologize, I will…"
"I was bigoted at first, I admit it!" Lincoln tried to defend himself "But…"
"BIGOTED?!" he growled as he turned around "I saw you were more than that!" he huffed "And also, you hit like a girl"
Lincoln implicitly accepted the insult "I'm so sorry, had to listen to you, but that's because…"
"Because…?"
"Because…" Lincoln then gave a huge sigh "Because I love Ronnie Anne, I always did ever since that moment my sisters had made me live with" he muttered "I felt jealous, and when you told me you kissed her, I felt angry" he frowned "Irrational at first, yes, but I really went overboard just because of my feelings" as Lincoln was saying this, tears slowly formed into his eyes.
Rod at first glared at him, but then sighed, walked towards him and moved his hand towards him before shedding his tear. As Lincoln looked up to face him, Rod smiled.
"You're in my book" he cooed at him "You can have Ronalda, she's all yours for what I care, I never wanted her as more than friends, she's yours"
"Ronalda?"
Rod quickly turned his attention to his friends, who were just behind him, staring at him inquisitively "She goes by Ronnie Anne, why do you call her that?"
"Probably because I am the only one in here who pronounces her name well?" Rod put an akimbo.
"True that" Zach nodded as the others did so too.
"Now, let's go, tiger" Rod chuckled as he fake-punched Lincoln on the cheek, making him chuckle.
"Where?"
"Well, for all I know, there is someone you must declare your love to now" Rod laughed.
"What?" Lincoln gasped "N-No, Rod, I can't!"
"Why not?" Rod frowned "Afraid she'll say no?" he smirked "Come on, it'll be fine!"
"You… sure about that?"
Rod then grabbed his arm "Trust me, whenever I have a hunch, it is always true" he told him "Come on!" he kept on pulling him away towards their destination.
"Oh… ah…" Lincoln then hesitatingly looked at his friends "See ya tomorrow, guys!" he yelled as he was getting away from them.
"See ya Lincoln, remember you still gotta introduce Ronnie Anne to me!" Stella waved.
"She's totally gonna ask her out" Rusty smugly looked at his friends "I bet 10 dollars that he doesn't reach even first base"
"You're on!" Zach smirked.
As Rod and Lincoln were walking towards the Hotel, which wasn't far away from them…
"Before I forget…" Rod then rummaged through his pocket and then drew out the folded drawing from it before handing it to Lincoln "Here, I want YOU to give it to HER"
Lincoln then frowned upon noticing the piece of paper… again "You sure about that?" he asked.
"Totally, she'll love it"
"Okay then…" Lincoln accepted the drawing "Hey… uh… Rod?"
"Yes?"
"I know this might sound weird, but…" Lincoln was shyly rubbing his arm "Is there a chance that… maybe… you can teach me Spanish?"
"Why so?" Rod asked.
"Well, i…" he then gulped "I wanna impress Ronnie Anne and such so…"
"Gotcha" Rod chuckled "Well, teaching Spanish to someone who speaks English is easier than the other way around" he asserted him "Just tell me when do you wanna start and with what"
"Well, I was wondering… if you can first tell me how to say Ronalda properly" Lincoln's pronunciation of Ronalda wasn't quite accurate, as he wasn't used to it. He pronounced Ro as Roo, which was already something wrong.
"It's… quite easy if you come to think about it" Rod laughed "Repeat after me: Ro…"
"Ro…"
"No, not Rou, only Ro!"
"Ro…"
Rod then facepalmed "Forget that phonetic 'u', just say it, Ro…"
"Ro…"
"Ro"
"RRRRRR…" Lincoln was trying "RR-Ro!"
"Jackpot!" Rod grinned "You got it!"
"Yes… YES!" Lincoln cheered "RO!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
"But keep… an inner voice?" Rod could cartoonishly erupt smoke from his ears at such big scream "Now… Nal"
"Nal…"
"Nalllll, keep the L, L boy"
"Nal…"
"Ro-Nal…"
"Ro… Nal… Da"
Lincoln gasped upon realizing what he said… he pronounced it like a real Latino "Ronalda, RONALDA!"
"You've got an A+" Rod smirked.
"Ronalda, yes, RONALDA!"
"The trick is on repeating it moderately" Rod chuckled "Now come on, class is over, we first gotta need to see Rona"
"Ronalda… Ronalda… Ronalda…"
"OK you're starting to tick me off"
"Sorry"
10 minutes later, they were getting nearby Hotel Horizon, where Ronnie Anne and Bobby were "Wait…"
Rod stopped onto his tracks again as he, forward, turned around to look at Lincoln, with a perturbed and nervous expression on his face "Qué?"
"What if…?"
"What?"
"What if she doesn't reciprocate?" Lincoln still felt uneasy about the whole situation.
"Again with that?" Rod groaned "Lincoln, she met you for years, she met me for a day!"
"And she kissed you!"
"A kiss is different than knowing for nearly a lot!" Rod growled "And besides, it was circumstantial" he added "If you were in my place and got mugged, you…"
"I wouldn't be able to protect her" Lincoln interrupted with a sigh.
"How do you know?" Rod put an akimbo "Sometimes, love can give you big strength, you know, love conquers all!"
"I hope… you're right"
"A wise man once said that only a real idiot is sure of what he or she says" Rod stated "I'd rather be an idiot than being unsure my whole life about every step I take"
"Good for you to say" Lincoln cackled.
"Now come on, Casanova, you got a girlfriend to declare your love to"
"She's not my girlfriend!" this time, Lincoln wasn't stammering or sweating, he just chuckled "Well, yet… I hope"
"You'll be fine!"
The two entered the hotel, and were instantly received by the concierge behind the counter "May I help you?"
"Yes, we…"
"Let me guess, you two young boys wanna see that 'special' girl of yesterday, am I right?"
"You're far from wrong" Rod laughed "Listen, I know it may be against your rules, but…"
"I am afraid I am gonna stick by my hotel's security measures, I cannot give you the number of the room they are in"
"It's okay" Rod muttered "At least can we wait here until she gets down? My friend here will text her to come down"
"That I can accept" the elderly concierge nodded.
"Alright" Rod then looked at Lincoln "Call her"
Just as Lincoln nodded and drew out his phone from his pocket, the two noticed some steps coming down from the stairway. She was still with her hair let loose.
Turning around, the two then saw Ronnie Anne coming down "Not nee…" Rod's comment was cut off by his jaw metaphorically coming down as they saw Ronnie's new look.
"Ro… Ronnie Anne!" Lincoln gaped in awe.
Ronnie Anne noticed the two "Lincoln, Rodri!" her eyes widened.
"Ronnie Anne…" Lincoln just couldn't help looking at her new hairstyle, like everything he dreamed of. He then took a few steps forward towards her "You look…"
But ignoring it, Ronnie Anne quickly walked towards Rod, and upon arriving, embraced him "Oh Rod, you OK? Let me check your wo…" she started to undo his jacket to take a look at his wound, but Rod suddenly grabbed her hand softly to stop her.
"Ronnie… Anne?" Lincoln then got a disillusioned look on his face.
"It's OK, Rona, I'm OK" Rod gently moved her hand away and then unzipped his jacket and shower her that his wound was almost finished scarring "See?"
"Oh, I am terribly sorry about what happened yesterday, we shouldn't have gone out so late!"
"It's okay, Ronalda, nobody could have guessed" Rod chuckled.
"Also…" Ronnie rubbed her arm sheepishly "I am sorry for yesterday… you know… act of gratitude"
"Ronnie?"
"Act of gratitude?" Rod rose an eyebrow "Heh, you have pretty ways to show you're thankful" he chuckled.
"Yeah, but you haven't told anyone, don't you?" Ronnie Anne smirked playfully.
"Maybe, maybe not" Rod smirked back.
Ronnie Anne then playfully punched his arm "You sly dog…"
"Eh… ahem"
The two then turned around to look at Lincoln, who was with his arms crossed, furrowed eyebrows and patting his foot "Oh, hi Linc, haven't seen you there, buddy"
"Hi… Ronnie Anne"
Ronnie noticed the dry tone of voice he used when he uttered his name "What's with that tone?"
"Nothing, everything's fine" Lincoln still had his eyes furrowed.
"You sure?"
"Yeah"
Ronnie Anne then glared at him "What's with you, Lincoln?" she growled "Why are you…"
"Why I am what?" Lincoln interrupted her "It's fine by me if you wanna be with Rodrigo, I understand it"
"Oh…" Ronnie Anne clenched her fists "So that's what is all this about!" she snarled "Well, maybe if you were with me yesterday, none of this could have…"
"You know I gotta take care of family!"
"Then why I was expendable?" Ronnie Anne, almost tearing, pointed at herself with both hands "If you were the oh so Man with The Plan, you coulda had figured out a better way, instead of involving Rod in this!" she pointed at Rod.
"Oh, so you didn't like Plan B then?" Lincoln growled "Why did you kissed him then in first place?"
"What?!" Ronnie Anne gasped, then looked at Rod "You…?" Rod just replied by shrugging. She then glared at him, then at Lincoln "He told you?!"
"I gave him no option, I HAD to know!"
"Well, let me tell you that I actually enjoyed it MORE than when you kissed me at Jean Juan's!"
Lincoln gasped as his eyes widened. That was a real punch on the groin, Ronnie Anne, a bold statement, if I may "You… you did?!"
"Yeah!" Ronnie Anne snarled "Because he did something you'll NEVER EVER do: Protect me from someone who wants to wrong me in any way!"
"Yeah, he told me already, tough luck for him, I guess" Lincoln sighed "But why do you think that if I went out with you, it'll be different? Why do you think I couldn't deal with someone like Rod did?!"
"Well, knowing you, I can guess that you would get beaten into a pulp so quick that you couldn't have time to ever apologize!"
"Don't say that Ronnie Anne!"
"Make me… Lame-O!"
"I bet I will… Oscurada"
Ronnie Anne's eyes widened at Lincoln's sudden racial slur insult, then glared daggers at him "That does it! I'll…"
"Okay okay okay, that does it you two!"
At this point, and during the entire argument, both Lincoln and Ronnie Anne were with their heads both collided, glaring daggers at each other. Rod walked in between both, looking at Ronnie Anne "Rona, I think it's time to settle this once and for all"
Ronnie Anne then backed away, then huffed "You're right, Rodri" she then smiled at him "There is something i…"
"If it is what I think it is… then no" Rod sighed as he still was in between the two.
"What?" Ronnie Anne couldn't believe that he kind of read her mind, knowing she was gonna go all in with him, regardless of Lincoln.
"I think I know you're starting to like me" Rod sighed "But I must say no to whatever you have to say"
"But…" Ronnie Anne was tearing. The first man to ever say no to her. She knew her best bet was Lincoln "But… why?!"
Rod then sighed as he clenched his right hand into a fist while looking down "Remember… the question I evaded to answer to you?"
"What ques…?" Ronnie Anne then remembered 'Love…' she thought "About… love?"
Rod then nodded "Love: I once had a girlfriend"
Ronnie Anne then gasped "Had… as in?" Rod then nodded "Oh my Gosh, don't tell me that you had, and upon realizing about yesterday… she…"
"No, Dios Mío no!" Rod quickly interrupted her "Dead people cannot break up with someone, not even after that"
"Dead… people?"
That even got Lincoln puzzled.
Rod then nodded again "Her name was Ana Gabriela Cruz Montiel" he uttered her full name, complete with her mother's surname "She always went by Gabriela, but i particularly liked to call her… bomboncito all the time I could"
"Gabriela…?" Lincoln and Ronnie Anne gaped in awe, in unison.
"We were good friends since kindergarten, and when we turned 10, I asked her to be my girlfriend and promised her a future, she gleefully accepted, and we were very happy since then, until…"
"Until…?"
"When we turned 12, on our two-year anniversary, I bought her an expensive ring and gave it to her, I asked her to never ever take it off, and she never did indeed" Rod explained "What a mistake, because that made her an easy target for a robber, who one day ambushed her and killed her" he then growled "He couldn't take it off her bare hands so he cut off her finger and left her to die!" he snarled "Stupid, stupid me! I shouldn't have bought her that, she is dead because of me!"
Both kids couldn't believe the entire situation Rod was going through. For Ronnie Anne, it was painful to see how much someone could suffer, even though she still didn't understand why he rejected her. But for Lincoln… it was utter confusion "It wasn't your fault, Rod" he walked towards him with an assuring smile "You couldn't ever know in which predicament Gabriela was"
"I shoulda had given her flowers or something" Rod sighed as he was still looking down in sadness.
"And what does this have to see with…?"
Rod then rose a hand to stop Lincoln "I swore to never EVER see another girl after her, no matter who she is, no matter WHERE she was, I just quit"
Not to date anyone else just to honor her dead girlfriend? That was totally unhealthy! Lincoln couldn't believe it "Wanna know something funny?" Rod cracked a quick grin "Rona reminds me of her: Dark-toned skin, a ponytail, nice lips and such" Lincoln especially listened the 'lips' part, but, due to the circumstances of that moment, he'd let it pass.
"She looked… like me?" Ronnie Anne gaped in awe.
"Beautiful, the most beautiful girl in class" Rod nodded "In fact, I have a pic here I always carry" then, from the chest pocket of his jacket, drew out a photo and walked in between the two to show them.
As Lincoln took a glance, he noticed that in the photo, both Rod and Gabriela were at some burger joint place, 2 years younger, Gabriela had a dark toned skin color and her hair in a ponytail just like Ronnie Anne, and was wearing a dark purple shirt with blue pants and sandals, and both were smiling. But Lincoln noticed one particular detail: Gabriela… was chubby? She was nearly overweight and with a nearly big dewlap.
"I hate to do this question, but…" Lincoln rubbed the back of his head sheepishly "Was she… fat?" Ronnie Anne then grumbled and elbowed Lincoln's chest as she heard that "Ow! What did I say?"
"Yes" Rod laughed as he put the photo back on his pocket "It's curious, but I have a thing for 'those' kind of girls, I see them as pretty as the moonshine"
Lincoln then chuckled "I guess No Fat Chicks don't…" but before he could finish, another elbow from the Latina "OW!"
"Lincoln… behave!"
"Yes milady…" Lincoln sighed.
Rod then let out a small laugh "Look at you two, you're as tighter as bark on a tree" he grinned "Look at chu! You look like the perfect couple, and that is another reason of why I don't wanna date Ronalda" he explained "Rona, you deserve better than a guy with serious issues like me" he looked at Ronnie Anne.
"B-But…"
"Ronalda…"
That didn't come from Rod, that came from… Lincoln? As she heard this, she turned around to look at the albino-haired boy "L-Lincoln? D-Did you just?"
"Pronounced your name in fluent Spanish?" Lincoln smiled "I am willing to do a lot of things for you, Ronnie" he then walked towards her, genuflected at her and took her hand "Ronalda… ever since we first met when you initially bullied me, I started to feel some spark, something told me that we were, well… meant to each other even after I brushed off my sister's ideas that you did all of this because you secretly liked me, and when I kissed you at Jean Juan's, I felt like you were the girl I wanna spend the most time with" he explained "Cristina, Paige, Stella, all those girls who turned out to be only friends are nothing compared to you, I love you more than everything in my whole life, I cannot think of a life without you, and I know you want or at least, I think, wanted us to stay friends, but I just cannot keep these feelings for you for myself"
"L-Lincoln?"
"Ronalda Anne Santiago…" he pronounced her last name pretty well "Would you… like to be my girlfriend?"
As Lincoln peered into Ronnie Anne's eyes, he saw that, out of shock, had her pupils like small dots. She couldn't believe it. A chance… she DID NOT want to waste.
Ronalda, tearing, slowly formed a smile as she placed a hand on his hand holding hers, and grasped onto it "I used to think that… our friendship would be ruined if something like this happened, but.. I don't care, I just don't care anymore, I must listen to my heart!" tears ran down her cheeks "Yes, Lincoln Albert Loud, I wanna be your girlfriend" she replied as she could, as she felt she was gonna break into sobs.
Lincoln stood up, still holding hands, then shed her tears "You made me the happiest and luckiest boy on the world"
Ronnie Anne briefly turned at Rod, who was still there, smirking and with his arms crossed, and saw that he nodded at her. Upon noticing that, she looked back at Lincoln, puckered her mouth and started to get closer to her.
Lincoln did the same, and in a matter of seconds, the two met lips and engaged in a kiss, the third kiss they ever had (A/N: Heavy Meddle and Save the Date). They kept on kissing as much as their lungs could handle, as Rod noticed that tongues were meeting.
"Awweh, just like me and Gabriela" Rod cooed "You two make the perfect pair" he chuckled.
As the two heard that, they slowly broke from the kiss, as, same with Rod, they had a string of saliva that connected their tongues while they panted for air "That was… amazing!"
"Yeah well…" Ronnie Anne smirked "Get used to it, Linc"
"I just wish I had a ring or something to give to you" Lincoln sighed.
"It's alright, materials aren't important, it is the feeling that matters" Ronnie Anne assured him with a grin.
"Speaking about that…" Rod then showed the two his left-hand palm. As the two directed their attention back at Rod, they saw something shiny on his ring finger "Rod…"
Rod then grabbed the shiny item, now identified as a ring, and took it off his finger "This is the ring that I bought as a double for both Gabriela and me" he explained as he walked towards them "It's no use to me anymore, and It isn't real diamonds per se, so there's no risk of putting you in danger" he told Ronnie Anne as he then grabbed her hand "I want you to keep it, so you can wea it as a sign of love for your boyfriend"
"Rod… no… i-I couldn't…!"
Rod silenced her by putting the ring on her hand, closing it and gently pushing her hand towards her "I insist" he told her "After all, I nearly destroyed your years-relationship you have with Lincoln"
"No, Rod, you didn't…"
"Yes. I. Did" Rod deadpanned as he looked at Lincoln "That kiss was a mistake, but luckily, pencils have erasers" he gave him an assuring smile.
"Oh Rod, you shouldn't…"
"But I did, no cry over spilled milk" the two admired his eloquence, considering he came from a country where English wasn't its main language "Its's your now, end of story"
Ronnie Anne then looked at her hand as she opened and looked at the ring, it was a shining quartz-beaded pure silver ring. Smiling, she grabbed it and gently put it on her left-hand ring finger, then admired it "It's beautiful…" she cooed.
"That's what bomboncito said when she wore it for the first time" Rod smiled "Only that… hers was a real diamond one" he frowned.
"Bomboncito?" Ronnie Anne chuckled.
"Yeah well, every couple has it's ways, you know?" Rod chuckled with a shrug.
"Agh, just like Lori and my brother, yuck!" Ronnie Anne gagged, as there was a severe need to get her in-character sometime.
"That's not nice" Rod laughed.
"I concur with Ronnie Anne" Lincoln nodded "Name-calling? Mushy love? Count me out on that!"
"Bah you don't know about love!" Rod snorted.
"Well anyways…" Ronnie Anne then walked towards Rod "Thank you for the ring, and for everything" she then gave him a brief kiss on the cheek, a friendly one.
"Es todo un honor" Rod smiled.
Lincoln then walked towards Ronnie Anne and wrapped an arm around her, to which she giggled.
"Ahhh… young love"
The two, eyes widened, realized that during the ENTIRE conversation, certain concierge was looking at them. Upon turning around, they saw him with his chin resting on his hand, and a smile "You remind me when I was young"
"Still remember?" Rod wisecracked.
The concierge then glared at him "Piss off!"
"OK… OK" Rod sighed, then looked at the two "Okay, that's my cue, guys, see you tomorrow at school, Linc?"
"Yeah, that'll be alright" Lincoln smiled, then lend out a hand to him "And before I forget… thanks"
Rod, puzzled, looked at his hand, then at him "It's nothing?"
Lincoln noticed Rod didn't wanted to shake hands with him, but before he could move his hand back, Rod quickly grasped onto his hand into a handshake "No, really" he smiled again "You made our love possible"
"Don't mention it" Rod chuckled as he pointed at him with both index fingers "Ta-ta" and with that, he turned around and started to leave. As he did that, Ronnie Anne leaned closer to his new boyfriend's ear and whispered something to him, to which he nodded at her, then looked at Rod, who was nearby the door.
"Rod… wait!"
Rod then turned around with an inquisitive look on his face "Da?"
"Look, I dunno how to repay you for all of this, but…" Lincoln then sighed "I wanna break it to my family and perhaps they are gonna make a great deal and that and…"
"Wanna invite me for dinner?" Rod interrupted him.
"W-Well, yeah, but… how did you…?"
"Eh, read your mind" Rod laughed.
"Huh?"
"Nevermind" Rod cleared his throat "I would normally say 'no', but…"
"There will be Coke there!" Ronnie Anne quickly interjected.
"How to say no to a dinner invitation!" Rod grinned.
Both Lincoln and Ronnie Anne chuckled at this as the latter was shaking her head.
15 MINUTES LATER…
The three, Lincoln and Ronnie Anne walking holding hands, and Rod watching them with a smile, were walking towards the Loud Residence "So, Rod…" Lincoln looked at him while still holding hands "Tell me more about Gabriela"
"What else do you wanna know?" Rod's smile slowly faded into a neutral expression.
"Well…"
"Oh, don't pry too much, Linky" Ronnie Anne chuckled. Lincoln couldn't believe it: About a quarter an hour of being in a relationship, and SHE was the one that started putting him names a la Lori and Bobby.
"Well sorry I am curious!" Lincoln laughed back.
Ronnie Anne chuckled as she elbowed his shoulder playfully, then looked at Rod "Rodri?"
"Hah?"
"Lincoln told me… you'd agree to teach him Spanish, is that right?"
"Ja"
"Well, I was wondering…" Ronnie Anne looked at him "If you can… if you want, of course… teach me… Spanish?"
Rod rose an eyebrow before answering "But you already know Spanish?"
"Yeah, well…" Ronnie Anne rubbed the back of her head sheepishly "I know a little, and I wanna honor my Abuela by…"
"That's alright" Rod smiled "Yeah sure, why not? I can teach you both!" he laughed.
"Thanks!" Ronnie Anne smiled "And also…" she added "Since Lincoln and I are now, well. You know… together, there is… a free spot for a new best friend, and I was wondering if…"
"Yes" Rod interrupted her "Anything but being in a relationship" he sighed "Sorry, it may take almost my whole life to forget Gabriela, so I am taking precautions"
"Whoah" Lincoln laughed "So now it is you, Sid and Rod, eh?" he smirked at her teasingly.
"Don't push it, dork" Ronnie Anne glared at him but with a smirk.
Walking around and chatting even more, the three finally arrived at the Loud house "Here we are!" Lincoln announced "I'm dying to tell everyone"
"I'll just stay outside for a while" Rod muttered as he felt some buzzing on his pocket.
"You sure?" Lincoln asked "You're already invited, so…"
"Don't worry, I'll be in soon, gotta handle something first"
Both Lincoln and Ronnie Anne looked at him, confusedly, Lincoln then smiled "Well okay then, but try to be quick"
"Gonna" Rod rummaged through his pocket and drew out his phone. As he looked at it, he saw a text message that reads 'Get here ASAP, got something to discuss' in Spanish.
Lincoln and Ronnie Anne then looked at each other as they were holding hands "Ready?" he smiled.
"Ready when you are" she smiled back.
Lincoln took a deep breath "Okay… here goes nothing…"
As the two entered, Lincoln had the bad luck to not to find all of his ten sisters on the living room, sitting on the couch watching The Dream Boat, but also their parents, Rita checking on Lynn Sr.'s bandage on his thumb "Uh… a…hem?" Lincoln was hesitating on whether or not say what did he said. Upon catching their attention, everyone looked in shock on what was in front of their eyes. Lincoln and Ronnie Anne… HOLDING HANDS?! "Eh, family, let me present you my girlfriend, Ronnie Anne!" he chuckled nervously.
"Lincoln…" Lorri stammered a little "A: We literally already know Ronnie Anne, and B…"
OUTSIDE
Rod was texting back the message, when suddenly…
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
"Que carajo?!" Rod screamed in shock as he heard such squeals, then ran towards the house's front door and opened it quickly "What the…?!" but his shock expression changed from shock to a smug smirk "Aw"
All he saw was… everyone hugging both Lincoln and Ronnie Anne tightly "You know, Linc… I am starting… to regret… this!" his new girlfriend could barely speak, choked and gasping for air.
"Uh, family… space please? We can't… BREATHE!"
As they've heard this, they instantly separated "Sorry Linky…" Leni giggled nervously "Cold of the moment?"
"Uh, second eldest sister, I believe the term you're looking for is… heat, isn't it?" guess who corrected Leni. Seriously, you'd get a cookie if you're right!
"Right!"
"This calls for a BIG celebration!" Lynn Sr. announced "Good thing I am prepared already!" he then ran towards the kitchen.
"Lynn!" Rita gasped, as he was still with his finger cut and couldn't do certain rushed stuff like running.
"Family, say hello to…" Lynn Sr. then came out from the kitchen with a big, frozen, uncooked turkey "Big Bertha!"
"But dad, we've agreed we already had that name was already for my tool!" Lana pouted as she stomped her foot.
"Sorry honey" her father chuckled nervously "How about… Martha then?"
"Works for me" Lana shrugged.
"But…" Rita looked at him sternly as he walked towards his husband before snatching the turkey away from him "I'll cook it this time"
"Works for me" Lola shrugged.
"Hey, don't copy me!" Lana growled at her twin sister.
"Make me!" Lola growled back, as everyone burst out into laughter
"That's what I love about your sister" Ronnie Anne chuckled as she elbowed his boyfriend's shoulder.
Rod, still witnessing the entire thing, briefly smiled, then remembered he had to go, so he immediately turned around and prepared to leave.
"Huh?" Lincoln caught a glimpse of Rod leaving after completely catching his breath "Rod, wait!" he stopped him as he ran towards him and got in front of him "Aren't you gonna stay for dinner? We already said we have Co…"
"It's alright, I can't, I have business to attend" Rod replied "Maybe another day, enjoy the turkey, I don't eat it very well, ex… another excuse" and with that said, he walked away down the house's porch and walked away "See ya tomorrow"
"Rod…"
"Leave him, Linky…" Lincoln felt someone placing a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he met eyes with Ronnie Anne, who had an assured smile at him "We'll see him tomorrow, alright?"
Lincoln then smiled upon his new girlfriend's reassuring words "Okay"
"For now, let's enjoy the turkey, I am already drooling for it" Ronnie smiled "Come on"
Lincoln looked at the street for a moment before back at Ronnie "Okay" he smiled "By the way, got a surprise for us"
"Oooh, what is it?" Ronnie Anne's eyes widened.
"Ta-Da!" Lincoln Drew out the two Dairyland passes from his pocket.
Ronnie Anne then gasped as she put her hands on her cheeks "Are those…?"
"Dairyland Premium year passes?" Lincoln smiled as he handed one to her.
"Those are hard to get!" Ronnie Anne snatched the pass from Lincoln's hand and looked at it curiously "And also expensive…" she then looked at him "How did you…?"
"My parents got them, so ask THEM" Lincoln smiled "We can go out this weekend if you want… and can"
"Oh, trust me" Ronnie Anne smirked "I will"
"That's… great!" Lincoln smiled "So… shall we enter now?" he then held her hand.
"Sure!"
The two soon entered the house.
About half an hour of walking later, Rod finally arrived at his apartment building. Upon walking up the stairs, walking through the hallways and opening the door of his apartment, which by the way, was suspiciously not locked, he entered.
"Rodrigo?"
That voice echoed through his head like a reverberating white noise "Doctora?"
"I am here at your bedroom" the female voice replied.
Rod walked towards his bedroom, and the first thing he saw was Doctora, standing on front of the bed with a stern look on her face and an akimbo, grasping onto his long-sleeved pierced and bloodied shirt with one of her hands "Care to explain me THIS, Rodrigo? She asked as she showed him the shirt on the 'THIS' part.
Rod sighed before answering "What were you doing with my stuff?"
"You forgot to pack your scarf back into the luggage so I decided to put it back and stumbled upon… THIS!" she then moved her hand forward, showing him the shirt, her hand shaking "I dunno what to think about this, but I just wanna know… What. Happened. Yesterday?" her voice was becoming heavier at each word.
"Listen, Doctora…"
"Seriously, Rodrigo, I am starting to doubt the liability of all of this student exchange program!" she snarled "Your mother brought you here to start a new life, try to forget all of the bad things that happened to you, Gabriela's death included, and…"
"It wasn't our fault, we came out so late, she wanted to go to a private place to call her brother and…" he interrupted.
"Private place?!" she interrupted back.
"Yes, as in… an alley" Rod sighed apologetically.
"ALLEY?!" she gasped "Whose idea was to go to an… alley?!"
"Hers" Rod sighed "But in her defense, she thought…"
"Imagine what your mother would think if she realizes you got… mugged!"
"She won't know!" Rod growled.
"I have to tell her" Doctora sighed "Unless… you promise me these kinds of things won't happen again" she informed him "Every day, I want you here earlier than Eight o' clock or earlier if possible, got it?"
"Yes, Doctora" Rod sighed "Sorry, I just made a favor to someone"
"But that doesn't mean you gotta risk your life for it!" she snapped "What if you get killed? What would your parents say? I don't care what would they ever do to me, sue me or worse, but you cannot risk your life just because you had a…"
"Date!"
"Yes!" Doctora then sighed in exasperation, then put the shirt down on the bed before walking off. As she reached the door, she looked at him "Eight o' clock curfew from now on, got it?"
"Crystal clear, Doctora" Rod sighed "I promise this won't happen again"
"I know you do, I believe you" she gave him a weak smile, before finally leaving the room and finally, his apartment.
Rod then walked towards the bed and sighed in exasperation "Gotdammit" he muttered as he then lay down on the bed. Looking at his side, his bloodied shirt, he still couldn't believe yesterday's ordeal. But for some reason, he won't trade it for the world.
Little did he know… that was only the tip of the iceberg.
Oof, what a chapter, eh? Again, I am SO SORRY for taking so long, I just been procrastinating into writing. Don't worry, It is not writer's block, I am full of ideas for a new chapter every time I update, and I promise I won't take so long, but as of every adult in this website… I have a life too, and I must do my stuff. Also, I've been translating this fanfiction into Spanish, cuz I know I have some Spanish-native readers. Hopefully won't take me as long as this chapter, since it is only writing and translating, piece of cake! Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, see you next time!