Synopsis: It's their High School reunion. Arnold and Helga meet again after 10 years. Do sparks appear? How does everyone change? Read to find out.
Chapter One: Big Wow
Dear Ms. Helga G. Pataki,
You have been invited to the PS 118 High School 10 year reunion rendezvous! The date is May 25th, and the festivities will be held in the city's banquet hall and it will be formal. The time is from 6 to late at night.
Hope to see you there!
-Principal Whine
"Ugh," Helga said under her breath. "The ten year reunion has finally come to taunt me." She put the letter on her refrigerator door and walked to her computer in the living room and stared at the Calendar next to it. "I have nothing to do that weekend. Crimity, I don't have anything that whole week. Who ever knew this job would be so boring?" She growled and walked into her bedroom.
Her apartment wasn't too big. It was comfortable. She had a bathroom, a bedroom, a living room/ computer room and a kitchen (of course). Her computer and table took up lots of the living room, and so did her TV. But it didn't matter, there was only her in the apartment. No one else.
Why? Because she had no care for anyone. Sure, she had lots of boyfriends, but no one was "the one".
In her bedroom, Helga looked through her big bookshelf. She was looking for her yearbook. All that was in her bookshelf were her diaries and a couple of dictionaries, a few classic books and her award-winning poetry books.
"Eureka!" Helga exclaimed, pulling out her senior yearbook and flipped through the pages until she found her picture. A weird-looking unibrowed girl. How she dreaded those years. But don't get me wrong, Helga did change. She has two eyebrows and is not the same "weird-looking girl".
Then she saw Arnold's picture and sighed. "Arnold…" she said softly. How she missed him so. She wanted to go visit him, but she was too far away from home. So far away. She was living in the big apple now after going to NYU. Besides, who knows where he is now.
She read all the things her friends wrote to her.
Hey Helga!
Good luck in the new world I'll miss you dearly.
I know you'll do fabulously in NYU. Keep in touch, okay?
Love,
Phebes.
Helga sighed again. "Phebes…we never did keep in touch lately." For the first year of college, they kept in touch a lot. But things got harder, and Phoebe needed to study.
Helga,
I won't call the fashion police if you do.
Love always,
Rhonda. PS. I'll miss you!
"I never liked you Rhonda." Helga shook her head and chuckled about the thought of field day for the seniors. They were planning to do all these sports and be out in the sun all day. Stuck up Rhonda wore her new white shorts (made only by Calvin Klein) and A|X (A/N: Armani Exchange) shirt. She was just sitting on her lawn chair in the middle of the football field. Then Stinky threw a long pass and it his Rhonda, making her fall in a mud puddle (it was only there because it rained the night before). She was covered in muck.
Hi Helga,
It's been great hanging out with you. I'll see you at our high school reunion, alright?
-Gerald
Helga -
Best wishes to you. I hope you do well out there. I'll miss you.
Your friend,
Arnold.
Helga smiled. Who knows what Arnold became? Helga always though he would be some chemist. Or maybe a lawyer. He was always trying to be fair with everyone. And what she last heard was the Gerald was chosen to play for the Lakers or something. But Gerald didn't accept the offer for a contract.
Now she had an urge to go to that High School reunion. Just to show off. To tell people "Hey, I'm not the same weird girl I was went I left this school."
***
"Man, the High School reunion," Arnold chuckled. "This is going to be good." He twirled around in his big leather chair. His hair was slick and he had on his sunglasses even though the sun wasn't in his view.
He pressed a red button on a box on his desk. "Hey Connie," he said into the speaker. "can you check for me if I have any plans on, oh, May 25th."
There was a short pause. "No, Sir. It's blank. The whole week after that too in fact."
"Good…good. Make sure it's empty. I want no one ruining anything. Mark the 25th, alright?"
"What's the occasion?"
"My 10 year High School reunion." Arnold smiled. "So, that means I'll be out of town. Make sure that none of my clients book anything on that week, okay?"
"Will do, Sir. Is there anything else I can get you?"
"Nope, that'll be it. Thanks a lot, Connie."
"You're welcome."
He let go of the red button and layed back and began reminiscing about the past. It's been such a long time. So much has happened to him. First his Grandpa won the lottery and bought a basketball team just for Arnold. Arnold owned the basketball team. Then Arnold just became head of an advertising company. Executive in fact. The only way he got the position was because Grandpa's "ol' chum" had given it to him (since he actually used to own the whole thing and passed away.)
He sighed and turned to face his big window with the view of the New York City skyline. "Wonderful…just wonderful." He glanced the clock on the wall. "Holy shit…I'm late!" Quickly, he jumped out of his chair and ran through his office door, grabbing a coat. He passed by Connie's desk. "If anyone calls, Connie, I'm out for a really late lunch!"
"Yes…sir…" she said slowly, watching him run into the elevator.
Arnold got into his Lexus and drove off.
After a while he parked in front of a Robin's Brothers store. ( A/N: I personally have no idea if there's a Robin's Brothers ring store in NY)
Arnold adjusted his tie and walked into the gigantic ring store. He looked around and rocked himself back and forth until a man with gray hair came from the Employee's Only room.
"Ah, Arnold, you've come just on time. Let me show you the beauty I have with me here," he said in a raspy old voice.
Arnold walked up to the man behind the counter of diamond rings and looked at the velvet case he held in his hand.
The old man opened it carefully revealing a beautiful diamond ring. It had a princess cut, and oval side diamonds with a gold band.
"Wow, Paul, you did an amazing job on this ring," Arnold complimented, taking out the ring from the blue case with two fingers.
"Thank you." He smiled, and slightly bowed. "You know, your fiancée is a lucky girl. I know any woman would die for this kind of ring."
"Only the best for my love…" Arnold smiled.
"Just yesterday I was showing off the ring and this one couple came in and fell in love with it. They offered a thousand dollars for it."
"And you still kept it on hold for me?" Arnold asked in disbelief, chuckling.
"Sure did, Sonny."
Arnold handed it back to the old man and took out his checkbook. "How much do I owe you?"
"Let's see…" He took out a big black book and flipped a few pages. His finger went down one of the pages and stopped and put on his glasses. "900 dollars."
Arnold shook his head. "I must be crazy spending this much on her…"
"Crazy, or in love…" He smiled.
"Eh…" Arnold shrugged as he wrote signed the check. "So is there anything new going on with you?"
"Not really. Just the usual things. And yourself?"
Arnold tore the check from the book and handed it to Paul. "High school reunion coming up."
"Excited?"
"Sure am. I can't wait to see all my old friends. I just regret that we never really kept in touch."
"Anyone in particular you want to see?"
"Yes. Actually there's this girl who was awfully mean to me in Elementary school. Her named was Helga Pataki. I've often wondered about how she is now. I mean, she was sorta my friend. But its just 4 through 6th grade were problems…but in High School…well."
"Oh. Love was it?"
"Love?" He scoffed. "No, it wasn't love. She was just mean lots of times. Now I think she's married to some rich man. Just because she's so selfish sometimes but I don't know…"
Paul slightly grinned and gave Arnold his ring. "Don't lose it."
"I won't," he winked. "Thanks Paul." He walked out and waved.
"Tell me how it goes!" Paul hollered as Arnold walked out the door. He put up a thumbs up.
As Arnold sat in the car, he put the ring in his pocket. This was it. He would propose to her…not now. But he will.
***
Helga dialed a number on the phone.
"Hello?" asked a weary voice from the other end.
"Hey, Mar - I mean, Mom?"
"Helga? Wow, it's been years since I've talked to you. How are you dear?" She asked excitedly.
"I'm fine, Mom. Just great."
"I read that poetry book of yours. It's so good!"
"Thanks…Mom, I have news to tell you."
"Yes?"
"I'm going over to town on the weekend of May 25th for a High School reunion. Is it okay I stay over at your house?"
"Of course, Helena…"
"Mom…it's Helga."
"Oh, right. Helga."
Helga knew that that period when Mariam actually remembered her name was a phase. Helga was still subordinate compared to Olga (whom was a teacher in Alaska, living with an Eskimo). But still was able to gain a little more respect from the family.
"That's fantastic Helga!" Mariam exclaimed. "I'll fix up your room for you. I can't wait to see you!" She hung up.
Helga put down the receiver and let out her breath.
A/N:: HI everyone. I hope you liked the 1st chapter of "The Real Thing". Yup…please R/R! Oh yeah, tell me if some parts don't make sense or something, I will change it!!! I'm just really tired and too lazy to re-read it.