Working Up to something Fearless
*All rights to Craig Bartlett and Taylor swift. I don't own Hey Arnold or the songs for this fan fic, though, I wish I do. Remember please! This is my first fan fic and I'm open for criticism. Please review so I know if I should continue!
Prologue
The room felt as if it were caving in on the two 17 year old girls in the dressing room. The walls were a dark shade of gray, the floor was gray concrete, the two chairs were black and uncomfortable, and the table, filled with makeup and hair stylizer's, was a shiny metal. The large mirror above the makeup counter was bordered white and just reflected the depressing colors. Only colors that were there to brighten up the vast darkness was the array of makeup, a shag lime green rug, and a large picture that was splattered with paint. No windows, just a dangling light fixture that flickered.
"You have 5 minutes, then you're on." The door then slammed shut, following a silence between them until it was broken by an unnerving voice.
"I don't think I can do this Pheebs. What are they all going to think of me? I've only played in front of you and only you!" Helga was stressed. No- stressed isn't even half of it. Frightened and bewildered and… scared. Helga Pataki was scared. Scared of being mocked, being made a joke, being the center of gossip at Hillwood High, of being… rejected. She couldn't do this here. Not in front of complete strangers, her classmates since preschool, and the love of her life. She wouldn't be able to stand the ridicule, or the rejection. Helga was sure she wouldn't be able to face two boys after this night because the discomfort of one and the sure to be embarrassment from the other, will be an impending doom that is sure to come. Helga Pataki is petrified of that, but the Helga G. Pataki inside of her, that she squashed down to the core, only to show through her lyrics, is ready to face the music and let everything happen. Literally. "What if I cry? What if they walk out? Laugh? Walk out and laugh? What will they say at school on Monday? NOBODY, but you, is aloud to see this side of me!"
"Helga. Everything is going to be fine. We talked about this, remember? Everything is going to be explained through your music tonight. Your lyrics, your voice… your spirit will be showcased, and then, celebrated. You told me you are tired of all of the bull you went through since 5th grade. All of the mixed emotions, all of the happiness that turned to sadness, then to relief, then to complete distraught. You sing to me in my bedroom these stories that make me relate to you in a way that no one else can. I thank you for your trust, but I have to say, everything you went through and everything that has been building up for eight years can be released and you'll feel the weight off your shoulders. Think about the way you feel when you sing to me and when your done. I'm just one person. One. Sure there are probably a little over 50 people out in this huge makeshift café slash kind of club thing tonight, but that's 50 people you can connect with. Fifty stress reliefs," Phoebe Heyerdahl stared at Helga intently, praying she won't back out of this chance. She took a deep breath before continuing cautiously. "Arnold and Brett needs to hear what you have to say, err, sing." Phoebe strengthened her stance, her chin up, locked her eyes with her best friends bright blue ones, and began waiting for her reaction.
Helga stared at Phoebe levelly, lips in a straight line, her now two eye brows bunched together. 'Wow, Pheebs has some balls to say that to my face', Helga thought, 'guess that's what makes her my best friend'. With a small smile and an exaggerated sigh, Helga replied, "You know Pheebs, it's kind of irksome that you tend to always be right. I mean, no one holds a candle to you and your 'epic greatness' of being able to understand the inner workings of Helga G. Pataki."
Phoebe smirked, "Well, 15 years together and six of them spent on you singing along with your guitar about your love life, and pieces of mine, tends to open the door a little wider to your complex mind." She then shrugged her slim shoulders and ran a hand through black hair. Straight as a board now, falling a couple inches beneath said shoulders, with bangs across her forehead to frame her now black, stylish glasses. Helga knows her best friend is a beautiful sight to see and likes how Phoebe is full of modesty. She keeps telling her best friend she's one of the prettiest girls at school, but Phoebe dismisses it as soon as the thought escapes Helga's lips. "Besides," Phoebe continued sheepishly, "I need you to explain my stories tonight too, Helga."
With those words alone, Helga would've ran to that stage, capture everyone's attention, and make the young man (excuse me, boy) pay for the tears he made run from her best friends almond brown eyes. 'I still can't believe she's going to take him back after every damn thing he's done. I trust and love Pheebs, sure, but how can she still love him through all that?' Helga thought in rage, but it then dwindled after the memories of her own forgiveness towards people. Or person. 'Because he's the only person who truly makes her feel… alive'.
Helga then proceeded to give her best friend since three years old a comforting hug. To the moon and back is how far Helga and Phoebe would go to protect, stand by, comfort, and defend each other. Because friends, much less best friends, are hard to come by, and it sure is a hell of a lot harder to keep them. "Phoebe Heyerdahl, I'll tell the world our stories if you want, so I guess we might as start now. We have to begin somewhere, and since the characters of our stories are in this café, we might as well show them what they've done to us to make us who we are today. Just, promise me something?" Helga asked.
"Anything Helga, anything." Tears were sparkling in her eyes from the amount of emotions building up. 'After Helga gets off that stage', Phoebe thought, 'everything I felt towards him is going to be let loose, and no telling how he's going to react'.
Suddenly, the door opened. It made the girls jump and saw a man with a head mic on, communicating with the other stage group. "Two minutes, let's go, you gotta take your position behind the curtain. Then you'll be revealed." he waited with a pointed look on his face.
Helga's eyes went wide and nodded. She turned back to Phoebe and said, "No matter what happens tonight, don't let anyone get you down. We're making them feel how we felt all this time. We're making the people who broke our hearts, feel embarrassed and moronic. We're going to make them understand the pain and all the hell we've been through so they know why we put them off." Helga sighed, "…but also, we'll be celebrating the love we experienced to the people out there who has yet to experience it, and if they did experience it, then we'll be connecting with them all. Whether its the sad or the happy songs. And," Helga looked into Phoebe's eyes, "we gotta make that boyfriend of yours get down on his knees and beg for an apology because I know deep down you want to forgive him. We have to scare him."
Phoebe nodded, thinking of the song her and Helga wrote together last night when she burst into Helga's room crying in devastation, tears falling down her cheeks rapidly. Phoebe gave her another hug and whispered in Helga's ear, "Go tell our stories, make them relate, and…" Phoebe pulled back and looked her friend in the eyes, "Go make Arnold fall in love with you."
Helga smiled one last time, grabbed her acoustic guitar, and left the depressing room to walk with the man. Phoebe walked out too, but towards her front row table, shared with a few of her classmates. She sat in between her boy friend, Gerald, and his best friend, Arnold. Next to Arnold sat Lila… his girl friend, next to Lila sat Brett, Helga's now ex boy friend, and next to him sat a vacant seat.
Helga and Brett had been dating for a full 3 months until they both realized they were just comfortable with each other a couple of days ago. To Helga Brett was the perfect boy friend, only too perfect. The spark that had ignited them had dimmed considerably even the though the world outside of their feelings thought they made such a wonderful couple. They realized that their hearts don't beat for each other like it used, and they came to the conclusion they were better off as close friends. They both had good memories of dates and just hanging out and laughing, and they'll still always be there for each other. It stills stings them a little because of the loss, but Helga and Brett both know it's better for them in the long run. Helga asked Brett to play along as her boyfriend until the concert so she could maybe have a chance at true happiness, and Brett being the good guy he is, agreed and helped Helga and Phoebe with their plan. Even though it might hurt a little to hear what Helga has to say through her lyrics about their times together during their relationship.
Helga and Phoebe convinced them to all go tonight for a 'Triple date', but her and Helga made sure this would just be a perfect set up in the plot to get their 'characters' in their 'stories' in the café tonight.
"Hey Pheebers, did you find the bath room okay?" Gerald asked, he was wondering why his girl friend took so long.
Phoebe nodded and half smiled, "Yeah, I did. There, um, quite nice." She took his hand and stared intently at the freckle on her wrist. Gerald chuckled and said, "okay." Lila looked bored from waiting so long, but Arnold was looking at Phoebe; wondering if something was wrong.
Then it hit him, "Phoebe, where's Helga?"
Phoebe looked his way and bit her lip, "Um, she should be on her way, I think she went to get us some yahoo sodas though."
Behind the curtains, Helga could hear them all. They were all talking a mile a minute, wondering who this special guest was. This special guest who convinced the manager of the newest hotspot in Hillwood, that was created for all ages to come listen to newcomers of music and enjoy a decent meal, to perform a 2 and a half hour block. Apparently the owner, Jason Scott, of 'The Triple Door' was so entranced by this singer/song-writer/guitar player's work that he just had to let her perform. "It would be a sin against music itself if she didn't 'tell her stories on my stage'," Jason wrote on the flyers that are plastered all around, "It would be a damn shame." So naturally, since 'The Triple Door' is already popular, and the teens want to be somewhere on a Friday night, the place was packed to the max- teens and adults alike.
Helga took a deep breath and waited with the band members she met three weeks ago when the plan was hatched between Helga and Phoebe to make their feelings known. After Helga auditioned for the owner, he was so enthralled by them, he let her practice with the café's band for the big unveiling. He also needed time to make it a big hit. They all smiled and gave her a thumbs up and a good luck. Their violinist, a spunky red head, playfully nudged her and said "knock 'em dead". Helga chuckled, nodded, then pulled her guitar over her head.
"I have to tell you all," Jason spoke enthusiastically, "this young woman has everything a person wants to have if they are musically inclined. Her music speaks to my heart, as I know it will yours. We planned every step of this show tonight and I gave her full reigns to lighting, effects, and music. Without further ado…"
And then the lights turned down, spot light was shown to the center of the curtain… and several gasps of shock went through the air when Helga was revealed.
Helga took it all in. She knew she was a sight to see, since this wasn't usually how she left the comfort of her own home, or even in her home. She and Phoebe thought that since everyone is going to be shocked by her abilities, why not go all the way and dress as if she were her own polar opposite? Instead of a band tee and rips in her skinny jeans, she had on a light pink dress with delicate silver sparkles placed on like scattered shining stars. Instead of worn out converse, she wore Reba's, Phoebe's mom, black cowboy boots. Reba let her have them, so Helga was grateful. They'd be a good memory keeper of this day. And finally, to further shock her appraising crowd, her low pigtails and hot pink beanie were put away for the night, instead Phoebe curled her lengthy (falling to the middle of her back) blonde hair into a waterfall of perfect curls. Her childhood bow, which was always wrapped around her neck, made its debut since 6th grade to the top left side of her head, safely secured.
Even though the spotlight was killing her eyes, she could still see them. Mainly the front table where her now ex boy friend of 3 months sat looking at her with a thumbs up and a slight smile, Gerald and Lila with their mouths gaping like fishes, Phoebe with a satisfied smile and a thumbs up also.
And Arnold… his eyes were wide and mouth hanging wide open. Helga's gaze laid on him for several seconds before blushing and quickly looking away. As she walked up to center stage, ear piece/mic in accordingly, she tried to get her thoughts together. 'Okay Helga ol' girl', she thought frantically, 'you're doing this for Phoebe, your doing this for yourself, your doing this for… Arnold'. With that new confidence within her, she began to speak.
Then it was shot down by a wave of voices that surpassed her mic.
"Hi… everyone… um…" Helga was getting annoyed. The whole café was filled with overwhelmed voices, saying it couldn't be true. That it was one of her pranks, that Helga couldn't possibly write and play guitar, much less sing. Helga looked back at the band behind her and they all shrugged with sympathetic looks on their faces.
Then she heard Rhonda say loudly to Lila a table over from them, "Helga G. Pataki, singing? Yeah right! When pigs come flying out of Harold's ass." Her and Lila laughed cockily while Arnold stayed looking at her confused. Helga squinted her eyes, growled and scowled, and then took a deep breath, let it go, motioned the band to wait sec.
'Well, these damn people want proof, then I'll give them proof,' she thought angrily, 'didn't want to start the ''concert'' this way, but hey this song kind of describes the beginning of my undying love for Arnold. Kind of. He offered his umbrella during our first encounter all those years ago. I'm sure everyone knows Rihanna…'
She then started strumming her guitar, which was plugged into the amp on the side. She captured interest of complete strangers, but not the people who knew her. Except the front table; Phoebe smiled widely, to which Helga smirked back and then started singing.
You had my heart, we'll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines but you'll still be my star
Baby 'cause in the dark, you can't see shiny cars
That's when you need me there, with you I'll always share.
'Oh, I got there attention now,' Helga thought mischievously, 'now they are going to be too shocked to leave my performance'. Relief and a new wave of confidence crashed over Helga as she continued on.
Because when the sun shines we'll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be your friend
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end
The whole place was indeed shocked. Too shocked to even breath a word, they were enamored with Helga's voice and guitar playing, and the only sound in the room was Helga's singing and strumming against her pick. Each strum echoed in the room. Jason smirked, 'Did I call it or what?'.
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella-ella-ella-ay-ay-ay
Under my umbrella-ella-ella-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
As she strung the last strum, she gave a satisfied smirk with a pointed look at Rhonda and Lila, whose mouths were wide open in complete disbelief. Almost as if they've been slapped, and in Helga's mind, they have been, repeatedly. 'Take that Princess and Li-la', she thought with satisfaction seeking into her mind. She looked to her best friend, laughed, and Phoebe had laughed back. Helga looked into the now quiet crowd, and at Arnold, who had wide as saucers eyes and a mouth partly open, and chuckled, "Just trying to get your attention," Helga said into the mic, looking at everyone. The band was sniggering softly behind her.
The violinist, Alicia, spoke into the back up mic for the back up singers, with a smile on her face, "Well Helga, I guess you do have these 'lovely'," she shot Rhonda and Lila a quick glare before smiling again, "people's attention. Great cover by the way. So… why don't you start us off in what we rehearsed and you say your little speech, hmm?" Alicia winked with a knowing smile on her face.
Helga laughed, "Thanks, Cia. As I was saying…"
*So how was it? Please review and tell if I did anything wrong. I'm ready for anything! Thank you for reading:)*