Part one, Chapter one

Breakaway

She ran.

Helga couldn't take it anymore. Her neglecting parents, Arnold moving away, she hated it. She had been planning this for months. She had enough money, she had a car, and she had the guts. When she got to her emerald green convertible though, there was one problem. As she looked at the green exterior of the car shining in the moonlight she asked herself, 'What will I do when I get there? Should I find him? Or should I just live there?'

'Why do I miss her?' Arnold thought to himself. He had been gone from Hill-wood for 2 years now, yet he missed Helga. Even though she was friends with him until he moved when he was 16, he still felt that Helga wanted to be more than 'just friends', but, he was just a little too dense back then.

"You're where!" Phoebe asked in disbelief. "At the Center city airport." Helga replied casually, as if there was nothing to talk about. "B-but you don't have a passport!" "I do now." Helga said happily as her new passport was put in her hand by the employee at the desk. Helga smiled, for these little papers where her door to her life in Costa Rica, and her key to Arnold. 'Ahh, Arnold, such a wonderful handsome…' POP! Helga's dream bubble was popped by the sharp voice of the flight announcer. "Flight number 103 to San Lorenzo will be leaving in half an hour." The voice echoed throughout the long hallway of the airports. Sound blurting into every nook and cranny. Helga went back to her conversation with her best friend that she had since she could remember. "Oh, sorry Pheebs, I have to go, that's my flight that's leaving soon." Helga heard a sniffling noise coming from the other line. "I'll miss you Helga, all of us will miss you. Please write when you can Okay?" "Bye phoebe, can you say bye to everyone else too?" "Why don't you say it to them yourself?" "What!" "They're all here to say goodbye!" After all the 'good-byes' and 'farewells', Helga had to go through the metal detector.

BEEP Went the metal detector. She pulled out her cell phone and took off her jewelry, and walked through again. BEEP went the annoying machine yet again. She remembered her locket that had his picture in it. She gingerly took the golden heart out of her pocket. The airport employees searched through her belongings. "Aww, you have a sweetheart?" Said one of the employees with an English accent .

"Yes, that's why I'm here. You see, I haven't told him how I feel, so I'm going to go and tell him." "Well, you're a persistent young lady, aren't you?" Helga liked the woman's accent; it calmed her down enough that it tricked her into telling her secret. She still hadn't told anyone about Arnold except for Phoebe, Dr. Bliss, and her parents (yes, her parents, she did because they found her shrine and poetry books when she was 11), but, somehow she felt alright with telling a complete stranger this. (Quite strange isn't it?)"Well young lady, you're alright to go now. Oh, and I hope you find him!" She called as Helga sprinted to her plane.

one day before

"Arnold, Arnold, you have a letter!" Called Arnolds mother, Stella. Arnold woke from his daydream and came out from his secret oasis. He'd found the little piece of heaven when he first got to San Lorenzo, and it was his favorite place ever since. "Who's it from mom?" Arnold asked " Someone named Helga G. Pataki, do you know anyone by that name dear?" " Do I ever!" Arnold rushed over to his mother, took the letter, thanked her, and ran back to "the oasis". The letter said in neat writing and blue gel pen:

Dear Arnold,

Great news! I graduated from high school, Gerald is going steady with Pheobe and…….. You will be seeing me soon! No, I didn't send a picture, if that's what your'e thinking,

'Good old Helga, always bing sarcastic even when she's writitng' Arnold thought, continuing to read on,

Actually, it's even better! I'm coming to san Lorenzo! So, get in a car and come and pick me up alright? I've been missing yo forever, so I'm doing something about it!

Can't wait 'till I'm here,

Helga

End of Chapter one