So, this is my first Hey Arnold fanfic 'Welcome to My Life'. This is going to be a 'Pataki's' fanfic, meaning that it is my version of the show that never was. Originally I intended for every chapter to be like one episode; with rising action, conflict, and falling action. Unfortunately that would make for some very long chapters, so I am just going to go with about two chapter per episode aside from the finale, which will be too long for me to imagine right now. So now without further ado, here is the disclaimer.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD!, NOR DO I INTEND TO USE THIS PIECE OF FICTION TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF THE HEY ARNOLD! FRANCHISE.
Welcome To My Life:
The Rise and Fall of Stars
Helga sighed and stared forlornly at her wall. It had been almost two months since the center of her world had just plummeted out, and the pain still felt as fresh as it had then. The situation in question was the day that Arnold, the boy she had been dating for the last two years, had moved out of the country with his parents. His parents had been offered a chance to be a part of a documentary covering the Green-Eyed people, but to do so would require them to move back to San Lorenzo for a year or two. Arnold didn't have to go with them; he could have stayed behind and started the 7th grade with the rest of his friends but he didn't. He chose to go with his parents to San Lorenzo.
Now Helga understood that Arnold didn't want to lose his parents again after just having them back for the last two years. Especially considering the fact that the last time they went to San Lorenzo it took them eight years just to get back. She understood his desire not to lose them a second time, but that didn't change the fact that it still hurt that he was choosing to leave! He didn't need to go! The likelihood of his parents getting stuck in San Lorenzo again was slim. I mean how often does one get kidnapped by pirates for eight years? You would probably have a better chance of getting struck by lightning during a drought than getting captured by pirates twice! And if any other disaster would happen they would have a specialized team of medical experts on hand to help. It wasn't like they would be going alone again! But Arnold still insisted on going, and nothing Helga said could change his mind.
So they argued. Back and forth the arguments went, neither side giving up. Arnold hated the fact that he had to choose between his parents and the girl whom he had fallen in love with, while Helga just hated the whole situation. She hadn't wanted to saddle Arnold with this choice but she couldn't bear the thought of him leaving her world. The fights between the two were so fierce and emotional that the rest of their friends didn't know what to do. Whenever Arnold and Helga were in the same room together the smarter ones would leave immediately to avoid becoming embroiled in those heated arguments. As Arnold's day of departure drew nearer the fights between them intensified to the point where even Gerald and Phoebe would be driven away.
The day before Arnold was to leave his friends threw him a going away party, with Helga pointedly not going. After the party, Arnold called Helga, not wanting to leave without at least making up with the girl who had been such a large part of his life. But Helga refused to answer and instead he was forced to just leave a message on her machine, asking her to meet him at the airfield before he left the next day so he could say a proper goodbye to her. The next day Helga headed to the airfield that Arnold asked to meet her at, not to say goodbye, but to try one last time to convince Arnold to stay. But when she saw Arnold by that plane helping his parents pack their gear into it, Helga realized that there was nothing she could do to convince him to stay. The world dropped away from her as the realization sunk in. Arnold was truly leaving. And so, Helga didn't ask him to stay one more time. She didn't even say goodbye. She just hid behind some cargo, and watched as the center of her whole world just flew away.
Helga cringed at the memory of that day. Why did that stupid studio have to make that stupid documentary? Why did they need to take Arnold's parents all the way back to San Lorenzo? And why did she have to waste so much time fighting with Arnold when she should have savored those last few days together? Helga sighed again as she rolled over and thought to herself, why did you have to leave me Arnold?
Suddenly someone rapped on the door to Helga's bedroom. Through the door Miriam's slurred voice broke through into the melancholy aura of the room. "Hey Helga, it's time to get up, dear. Your sister Olga is coming home for a visit today, remember?"
Helga groaned to herself, and burrowed deeper under the covers. Great, just one more little misery to add to my already miserable summer, Helga thought to herself. The burning animosity that Helga felt towards her sister had died down a little after Helga and Arnold had gotten together. At the time Helga had felt like all the praise that had been bestowed upon her sister and all the pretentious affection that her sister smothered her with was ignorable in favor of Arnold's affection. It was as if putting up with her family was the price that Helga had to pay in order to be with Arnold.
This was going to make Olga's visit all the more unbearable to Helga. Now she would have to hear Big Bob rant about all the awards and trophies that she had won, and Olga would just keep throwing out all the anecdotes of the various ways she was recognized for something or other. And all the while she would have to sit there, invisible to all, remembering that this time there was no Arnold to make up for it.
Miriam knocked again. "Helga, are you up? C'mon, Helga, aren't you excited to see your big sister again?"
Big Bob's voice boomed down the hall, "Crimeny, Miriam, what's the big hold up? Olga's gonna be here in less than half an hour!"
"It's Helga, B. I'm just trying to get her up"
"What? Is that girl still not up? For cripes sake, It's nearly 2 o'clock!" At this Helga could hear the heavy stomps coming from the stairwell, indicating that her dad would now be joining the audience outside her door. When he finally reached her door he immediately started hammering away with his fist shaking the door on its hinges.
"Oi! Olga, get your fanny up, dressed, and downstairs pronto!"
"It's Helga, dad." Helga replied sullenly.
"What was that?" Bob growled, assuming that Helga was being snarky.
Helga sighed in defeat and said, "Nothing, Bob. I'll be down in a minute." She waited for until she could hear them going downstairs, and then reluctantly headed to her closet. As she pulled out the clothes she was going to wear, she caught a glimpse of the space where her old shrine of Arnold used to reside.
A month or so after Helga and Arnold had gotten together, Helga realized that she didn't need the shrine anymore when she had the real deal. So she decided to throw out all the statues, masks, and other random junk that she had accumulated in her closet. The only things she kept were all her volumes of poetry and, of course, the locket that held her beloved's face. Helga continued to think about that locket as she got dressed. She remembered the first one she ever made all the way back in preschool. It had been during a session of arts and crafts, and she had just gotten hold of her first picture of Arnold. To get the picture she stole Arnold's grandfather's keys, and offered them back in exchange for the picture of Arnold inside his wallet. The old man laughed, but ultimately agreed with her terms. Helga had been so proud of her insidious scheme at the time.
Helga smiled a little at the memory, as she reached for her signature pink bow. She paused as she reached for it, as another, older, memory dredged itself up from the depths of her mind. It was the memory of her first day of preschool, and the day she first met Arnold. Her parents had been too busy fawning over Olga at the time, so she had walked herself to preschool that day despite the fact that she was only 3. It was cold and rainy that day and she remembered that by the time she got to the school she had been soaked to the bone, covered in mud, and utterly miserable. Then all of a sudden the rain had stopped. She looked up and there she saw a little boy with golden hair and a strangely shaped head holding an umbrella over her. He smiled at her and said the most unforgettable words of her life: "I like your bow because it's pink like your pants." It was at that first meeting that Helga fell in love with Arnold. Ever since then Helga would always wear that little pink bow, just for him.
But now he was gone. There was no point in putting that bow on, anymore. It wasn't like Arnold would see it, and there were plenty of times when wearing it was a pain. But, on the other hand, she had worn this bow everyday for over 9 years. It was her signature; it was a part of what made Helga G. Pataki.
"Hurry up, Olga! Your sister is gonna be here any minute," Big Bob shouted from downstairs. Helga snapped out of her reverie. She quickly stuffed the bow into her pocket and headed towards the stairs shouting, "I'm coming! I'm coming! Geez, Bob, don't get your panties in twist!"
As Helga stomped down the stairs, she put her thoughts of Arnold and bows on hold. It wasn't time to mope and sigh, it was time to fortify herself against the idiocy and boredom that was about to commence in her home. Every time Olga came home the same ritual of reuniting would occur. Bob and Miriam would be standing by the door eagerly, both looking their best and not at all acting like their usual selves. Then Olga would burst in through the door and sunshine, cherubs, and all the local creatures would come in to sing her hymns of praise, along with "Mummy and Daddy".
"Jeez, girl, what the heck were you doing sleeping in so late, especially with your sister coming," Bob complained as Helga walked into the living room. "What kind of person spends all day in bed? You would never see your sister do something like that!"
Helga rolled her eyes at this remark and replied sarcastically, "Oh, of course! Preciously, perfect Olga would never do something so vulgar as to spend her entire day in bed!" Helga snorted at the thought, "Except of course for all the times that she did!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Those were special circumstances!"
"Oh yes, because getting one B is worth a whole week of moping," Helga replied. "I mean, crimeny, think of all the poor mentally starving children all over the world who would kill for a B."
Bob was about to retort when the door flew open and in came the ever perfect ray of sunshine named Olga Pataki. "Hello everyone!"
"Olga! Aw, it's so good to see you again, honey!" Miriam exclaimed as she ran over to greet her eldest daughter.
"Oh, Mummy, it's so good to see you!" Olga replied as she hugged Miriam tightly.
"Hey, what about me?" Big Bob groused good naturedly. With the appearance of his favorite daughter Bob's attention to his argument with Helga was quickly forgotten.
"Oh, Daddy, I would never forget you," Olga replied while reaching out an arm in invitation to join the hug, which he quickly did. Helga stood off to the side and stared at them. Well, isn't this just the perfect Kodak moment, Helga thought with disdain. It was at moments like this that Helga would feel the most frustrated and hurt by her so called "family". It was like watching one of those old fifties family sitcoms, with the "Hard Working" dad and happy housewife greeting their perfect little girl. Meanwhile, Helga was left out in the real world, ignored and forgotten.
Well, ignored and forgotten by everyone except the one person she didn't want to notice her…
"Now, where is my precious baby sister?" Olga exclaimed cheerfully as she disentangled herself from the group hug.
Helga took a deep breath and prepared herself for what was to come and said in a falsely cheery voice, "Here I am Olga!"
"Oh, baby sister! It's so good to see you again!" Olga said as she ran up to embrace her little sister. Helga swore she saw stars as she received the tightest hug in the history of hugs. Crimeny, anacondas give softer hugs! Finally Olga's grip slackened and Helga took the opportunity to pry herself loose. "For cripes sake, Olga what are you trying to do, suffocate me?" Helga said as she disentangled herself from her overly affectionate sister.
"Oh, I'm sorry, baby sis," Olga replied in her sweet tempered voice, "but I just couldn't help myself! It's been far too long since I've seen everyone!"
"It sure has, Olga! And we're all excited to see you! Now, let's take this conversation to the trophy room and you can tell us all how your last year at college is going." Big Bob said as he put his arm around his favorite daughter and lead her into the trophy room. Before Olga was carted off to tell more tales of her glory, Helga saw something in those eyes that she had never seen before. If Helga had to put a name to it, she would probably call it: dread.