Their Midsummer Night's Dream
A/N Heya, well I had an idea of writing a high school Hey Arnold story, which goes somewhat along the lines of the film Get Over It. If you've never seen it, then it follows a school production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The lead character joins the production, in order to get closer to the girl of his dreams, but in the end realises that she isn't that great after all, and falls for someone else who helps in his quest. Okay so I think you know where I'm going with this. Eventual Helga + Arnold and Phoebe +Gerald.
This chapter is introducing everybody, I hope you like it, and please review good or bad to give me pointers and let me know if I should continue
Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, craig bartlett does.
Arnold shook his head, trying to draw his eyes away from the picture in front of him. It didn't work. As soon as he raised his gaze again, it was instantaneously and unwittingly drawn to her. As if she knew she held his, and the majority of the other guy's attention, she giggled louder. Flicking the rippled waves of her auburn hair out of her face, she continued to talk animatedly to Rhonda at her side. Comparing them was like comparing the sun to the moon, Arnold thought to himself. Rhonda was all about commercial beauty, whilst Lila...
He let a small sigh escape his lips. Why was he still hankering after her after all these years? Why was it that she haunted his dreams? What was the power she had over him?
"Arnold....Arnold......Hey Arnold!" Gerald, the Afro-American by his side shook him by the shoulders, dragging him out of his trance. His eyes focused on the face of his friend next to him
"Huh.....Ger...." Arnold managed to stammer out. The table laughed at the classic sight of their friend being caught in the headlights, so to speak. Blushing slightly, he shook his head again as if to clear it of its thoughts. Finally he returned to looking back at his best friend beside him
"Lila was saying Arnold..." Gerald started, but she immediately cut in with that sugary sweet voice of hers, batting her eyelashes at him like she was just playing a game.
"I was saying Arnold that I'm ever so certain we should start." With that she turned back to Rhonda with a smile playing about her glossy lips. Arnold had to stop himself from staring at them again, and so he looked round the table.
"Right, well as everyone's here now I guess we can-" A small voice piped up from beside Gerald at his left. Phoebe, a small Asian girl they had known since preschool, leaned slightly across him and towards Arnold, to be certain that he heard her.
"We're not all here yet Arnold, Helga hasn't arrived" It was amazing how much attention such a small voice commanded Gerald thought privately. Arnold on the other hand slapped himself lightly on the forehead. Of course, Helga.
The sugary sweet voice started up again "Oh I'm so sure that she wouldn't mind if we started. After all she's ever so late" Arnold gazed at the watch around wrist. Only 15 minutes late, and any way she was one of the gang, same as all the rest of them...
"She deserves us to wait, she's one of us" He said, more to himself than anything, but realizing what he had just voiced, he thought of Lila's comment as a little harsh.
"Oh I'm sure I didn't mean anything by what I said" the red head muttered, dropping the sweet tone just a little. Arnold was just thinking her comment over when the bell over the door rang, and Helga walked towards them.
They were all gathered round a large table, with a window facing the dock, framing a picture postcard view. Helga had no idea why Arnold had called this meeting, but when he phoned her last night she had agreed with very little battle. She had mellowed out over the last few years, but still contained that fire about her which was so unique. Raising a perfectly arched eyebrow at Lila, she flopped down into the space on the bench beside Arnold that he had just made for her.
"What didn't you mean Lila?" The comment was polite enough, but there was a slight edge to it; almost like a sword. Arnold chuckled slightly to himself as he thought of this, and then his mind gave to the fact that most of Helga's chosen comments were weapons. She used them skilfully, knowing that you'd only be impaled if you walked into the trap set for you. She was clever like that he mused. However he noticed that Lila wasn't taking this questioning at all well.
"I...well I...was just saying that..." Lila stammered as all sweetness left her voice completely. Helga raised her eyebrow a little higher. Rhonda, obviously bored and wanting the meeting to start already, swept her raven locks behind her ear and intercut in her ever so slightly haughty voice
"She was commenting on your tardiness Helga." Helga swept the table with her deep blue eyes, finally resting them on Lila. Her long blonde hair tied back, not in its trade mark pigtails but in one graceful ponytail, her pink ribbon formed an alice band round her head, though some of her short bangs escaped it framing her face. She's pretty, Gerald grudgingly admitted to himself, but then as an afterthought he added; damn is she a handful.
"Well" Helga began, addressing the table but keeping her gaze firmly on Lila "if you must know, my father wanted me to run an errand for him whilst he and mom returned Olga to the airport. So I had to leg it to Finnegan's before coming here."
"Wow, but that's all the way to the other side of town!" Sid exclaimed from his corner of the booth. "It's a wonder that you were only 15 minutes late and not 50!" Arnold shifted sympathetic eyes towards Helga; he knew that a thing like that would be given no thought by Big Bob Pataki.
A waitress came forward to take their orders, and when she left Lila leaned slightly towards Arnold. Why did she persist in giving him the shivers? "Well now that that's cleared up" her sugary sweet voice intact once more "I'm ever so sure that you should tell us why we're here Arnold".
He cleared his throat slightly, surveying his friends "Erm right..." they all turned to face him, and so he continued "Well as you know, we have a week left until our junior year at high school..." groans emitted from the majority of the class mates and he grinned at them "...Well yeah exactly...so I was thinking that we should all do something together before we go back, like a party or something. I wasn't sure when you were all free so..." Rhonda cut in once more
"It can be at my place on Saturday". The table nodded its assent and the girl smiled to herself, she loved being the hostess. "Just one thing, maybe we should do something a little different..." With this Nadine's face lit up
"How about a themed party?" at that Lila giggled excitedly, making Helga roll her eyes. The friends round the table started talking eagerly about different themes whilst the food arrived. Rhonda gave a commentary of "No too over done" or "Not varied enough" and even with the flicking of some fries at the offender "Stinky, what the hell were you thinking of?". Finally Phoebe found her voice again
"Ahem" she gave a little cough and everyone turned to stare at her, making the girl blush a little. "How about 'exotic'?" Lila gave another giggle, it was starting to really try Helga's patience, whilst enrapturing Arnold all over again. The group nodded in assent once more, they had found the perfect theme. Helga smiled in encouragement at her best friend, and the table started to clear as they paired off and made excuses to leave.
She turned round, ready for the lonely walk home and swung her bag over her shoulder. Lila was saying her goodbyes, making Helga wonder to herself, what was it about that girl that made her feel so sick? She watched Lila leave Arnold, batting her eyelids at him, and walking slap bang into some guy. It was now that a giggle escaped Helga. Curse that girl, she thought, half an hour with her and i'm becoming just as light headed as she is! The giggle stopped however when she saw Arnold's face.
The guy had picked Lila back up to her feet, and they were openly flirting, before she seemed to relent and he led her away, his arm draped about her shoulders. This sight left Arnold looking openly hurt. Helga sighed, she didn't understand why he was still chasing after her, she wasn't worth him, and of course being infatuated with Arnold herself, she was envious. It was more than that though, she could feel his pain and disappointment. Making her way back to him, Helga dropped her heavy bag.
"You okay football head?" It was a nickname now, rather than an insult. He looked so dejected, when he finally raised his eyes to her.
"Yeah I guess..." He trailed off, before looking at her and continuing "It's just....I don't know why I like her so much, I don't know why I keep trying..."
"Look Arnold" Helga interjected, another sigh escaping her lips "If she's not interested by now, and she hasn't seen how great you are, then she's not worth it" He really looked at her then, before giving a small smile
"Yeah..I guess-" he stopped realizing something "Hey you just complimented me". She flounced off in front of him, out of the cafe, as he trailed after her.
"Yeah well Arnoldo" she muttered "don't get too used to it!" He put his head back and laughed, trust Helga! She turned around with a scowl "What's so funny?" but she couldn't hold it in, and exploded into a fit of giggles. At least he seemed to have cheered up again.
When he stopped laughing he turned to her, a grin plastered on his face "You need some company on the walk home?" She smiled back, and he knew exactly what she would say.
"Whatever floats your boat, football head".