Notes: So I had no idea about Shortaki Week until just now (coincidentally), but since all these awesome stories have been popping up, I got curious and then really excited to attempt something too. I'm probably not playing by the rules so this is just meant to be a fun tribute to all of you fellow fans out there who continue to inspire me to write. I know there are many variations on similar themes out there so I apologize if the stuff that comes out of my brain reflects anything that's already been posted. :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Thanks for reading!
Growing Pains/Fear/Window
Helga looked at her reflection in the bus window. The sky was cloudy and an ugly gray, reflecting her mood that morning. With every pothole, her knees bumped painfully into the seat in front of her, and the squeaky springs poked her back ruthlessly. Figures. She knew she was tall, but to grow tall enough to never be comfortable on public transportation or airplanes ever again was not on her top ten list of lifetime achievements. Suddenly, her heart stopped as she realized she was being watched. No… glared at. She dragged her eyes from the window to the boy who had turned around in the seat in front of her.
"Helga—I know you can't wait to torture me, but this time, can you please wait 'til we get to school before you start kicking my seat?"
"Huh?" Helga internally slapped herself as she watched his eyes shoot downward towards her pale, ungainly legs. She almost cringed for fear of—what, she didn't know—and hastily tugged at her shrunken skirt in vain effort to cover herself better. "S-Shut up, you moron! Like I have nothing better to do than—"
"Oh… sorry… I—never mind."
A few stunned moments later, Helga did her best not to grin mercilessly at herself in the window. She chanced a curious peek at his own window-double ahead, slumped so far down in his seat his hair was no longer visible above the edge of the vinyl. She decided she would pen a name for that particular shade of pink that seared Arnold's face as his eyebrows shot up into his hairline before he'd turned back around.
Torture, indeed.