The Heffley family attends a back-to-school roller skating party, where Greg, now about to start seventh grade, reunites with Rowley Jefferson and meets a new girl named Holly Hills, whom he instantly develops a crush on. His older brother, Rodrick, interferes with the party by sabotaging his attempt to ask Holly to skate with him and tricking their parents, Susan and Frank, into embarrassing him by talking to him on the rink's PA system and carrying him off the rink. Greg tries to tackle Rodrick for humiliating him, but ends up face-planting in a girl's birthday cake, causing her and her friends to beat him up.