I edited some bits. Now on, I will start writing fics in a computer.
It was once again the annual Cheese Festival. Cheese was in every direction the eye could see. People were talking, eating cheese and having the time of their lives. And just like last years' festival, and the year before that, Helga G. Pataki was all alone.
Who were they to blame anyway? No one in their right mind would want to ask her out. But it wasn't like she cared. She can have fun by herself.
But unlike the previous years, she didn't have her sweet, sensitive, best-friend Phoebe with her. Apparently she got asked out by some boy in their class. She was guessing that it's either Stinko or Geraldo that asked Phoebe out.
"Cheese Festival," Helga scoffed while kicking a small pebble that crossed her path. "What a stupid festival, what a stupid excuse to get rid of all the cheese rotting away in the grocers,"
Maybe that was partly true. It was rather odd for a festival dedicated only to cheese. But then again, Hillwood is a pretty odd town.
She headed over to the whack-a-mole station, played a couple of rounds then ended up bored again. Buying another cheese kebab, she could see Arnold and Lila on one of the Can Knocker booths. He was throwing the ball towards the pyramid of cans, attempting to win her something. She was encouraging him and clapping when he manages to throw one row down. Just looking at the two made the girl nauseous.
"Arnold, he's such a dweeb. What a loser. What a know-it-all that has bad taste in women. Falling for big-footed 'Ruth' or Ms. Perfect, 'Li-laa" She said hatefully, having the mocking tone as she said the girl's name.
Hiding behind a dumpster, she looked back and forth just in case anyone was looking till she pulled out her heart-shaped locket and gave out a lovesick sigh.
"And yet" She said dreamily, "I love you! Oh why must you cause me this pain that crashes to my heart every-time your shoulder brushed past mine? Oh why must you make my heart melt whenever those lips of yours gives me a smile? Such cruel, unfaithful world we live in! .Pulled in the opposite sides and never to come together. Why must my pride keep me from professing this undying love to you? When will it get through your weird football-shaped head that the right girl is right here?" She finished yet again with a heartbroken yet dreamy sigh. Hearing a constant heavy breathing behind her shoulder, she scowled as she hit the Brainy's nose with her knuckles.
Half an hour had passed and the girl was still bored as dud. She wasn't planning to terrorize Arnold's date this year. There was no point. The girl just likes him, but doesn't 'like him' like him, and watching the boy try win the girl's heart was all-too pitiful. Besides, if she did plan a master plan, wouldn't it be starting to get suspicious?
A small booth had picked up her interest as pessimistic thoughts clouded her mind. Embellished with small gems tied on gold string, the whole booth was decorated with cloth and glitter. A couple of stools, a woman wearing a veil that covered half of her face while her hands hovered above a cloudy crystal glass. It was definitely Madam Talaitha's fortune-telling stall. Rumor has it that she's scarily accurate. A boy from PS.119 had his fortune told with a girl and they've been together ever since. Apparently, Madam Talaitha's cards have predicted it.
The line wasn't particularly long, but seeing two particular people made her scowl.
"Hello Helga," Arnold greeted a fairly medium-sized stuffed bear under his shoulder. "Enjoying the festival?"
"Yeah I'm just peachy," She answered back.
"Arnold and I are going to get our fortunes told. It would be ever so fun if you can join us," Lila smiled, hugging the plush turtle Arnold had won for her.
"I'm fine, Lila." Helga scoffed, placing her palms on her waist. "And besides, I bet I can't even sit next to the football-head with the enormous head size of his."
Arnold shrugged, "Whatever you say Helga."
It took about 2-3 minutes for Madam Talaitha's to tell each pair or person (if they have come to the stall alone) their fortunes. A good handful of roughly 5 minutes had passed as Helga was getting very, very impatient. Her feet was tapping the ground while her arms folded under her chest, her right index finger was also tapping in the same rhythm of her foot. She was forced to watch the girl with the rose-colored hair tell stories to Arnold. His laugh irritated Helga. Her stupid stories about her aunt were added to her irritation.
A crowd of boys' chatter and laughter was heard from a distance. They were very familiar to her because it belonged to her class mates, Stinky, Sid and Harold.
"Boy howdy, looks like its Arnold!" Sid said from a distance, pointing to Arnold's direction.
"And willikers! He has Miss Lila with him!" Stinky added.
"Arnold and Lila sittin' on a tree! K-I-S-S-In a tree, Hahaha!" Harold laughed, two kebab sticks on his hand.
"I feel bad for Arnold," Stinky confessed. "Sooner or later, he'll have his heart broken again by Ms. Lila."
"Yeah..." Sid agreed. "I wonder when he'll get over her."
"He always told me 'There are plenty of fishes in the sea. You just have to keep looking.' But I think it's time for him to look for another fish. Because this one's not letting it gets reeled in." Stinky said with a shrug.
"You know, Stinky that was pretty smart."
'"I figure it is." The taller boy agreed. "And I just figured out what that phrase means just now."
"You guys are confusing me!" Harold whined.
"Come on guys; let's go ride the roller coaster." Sid decided, walking towards to the direction of the ride. Soon enough, two boys were following him and mingled with the crowd.
"Guess Stinko's gotten pretty sharp," Helga said to herself. Realizing it was her turn to get her fortune told, she sat on the stool Arnold sat on.
"Hello Helga, I am Madame Talaitha's and you have come to know what your fortune is, yes?" The woman asked, shuffling her cards.
"That's why I'm here, doi!"
Madame Talaitha's chuckled as she placed the first card down. It had a picture of star. Its shape was bigger compared to the other stars. "The star." The woman said, "It is good omen, Helga. You will be more inspired and happy about the future. Plus," She said, "It will be a good time for you to start a relationship with someone."
"R-Relationship?" Helga asked, feeling her ears get hot as she loosens her collar. "What about the next card?"
Doing as she was told, Madame Tailatha flipped over another card showing a woman upside-down. "The empress reversed." She said. "This card is telling me that you have too much masculine energies and not enough feminine. It is time for you to get more in touch with your feminine side. If you do that child, a boy might want you to become their lover."
"L-Lover?" Helga repeated once again. What if Arnold just happens to be one of those boys...? "W-What about that last card?"
"Last card," The card was flipped over to show a picture of a man hanging on a rope. "The Hanged Man. It is time for you to let go of any negative, self-limiting beliefs. It is a card that opens you to a much more open life but of course, it is your choice to do so,"
Helga stared at the three cards laid in front of her, her lone brow knitted together in the middle. "Madam, is there a chance for this to happen in you know, my life?"
The woman chuckled and patted the girl's shoulder. "Best of luck for you, Helga."
Paying the woman $5, she left the carnival and started on her long winding road to get home. What if the cards were true? Will she get more feminine, happier and open if she would just confess to Arnold? And how did the woman know her name anyway..?-
Her thoughts were interrupted as she crashed into another figure when she was about to turn into a corner. It was Arnold. And there weren't any surprises there. They always seem to crash at each other.
"Watch where you're going, Hair-boy! I was thinking!' She snarled, an arm propped herself up from the concrete ground.
"Sorry Helga. I was just walking my pig, Abner," He said, standing up and offering a hand for the girl. His pig snorted a happy snort. "It's getting pretty dark so I guess I should walk home... Want me to walk you home, Helga?"
"It's fine. I can walk myself home." Helga sighed, accepting the hand that was offered to her and pulling herself up. "And why in the world will you have a pet pig?"
"Abner was a present from my parents. We've had him ever since he was young," He said while patting off the dust on his clothing. "And I'll walk you home, Helga."
"Suit yourself, Arnoldo."
Two minutes had passed and their walk is dead quiet. Frankly, he doesn't know how to start a conversation with Ms. Helga Pataki. He doesn't want to start a conversation and end it with the two of them arguing over some stupid thing.
"So how did it go?"
"Huh?"
"Your fortune telling session." He corrected.
"It was... Uh, Interesting." She replied with a shrug.
"Mine was interesting too." He smiled to her.
"Did you leave the festival early?" She asked.
"Yeah... Lila told me she wanted to go home after the fortune telling session. She said she has homework left to finish."
"Oh."
By the time they arrived in front of Helga's house, their walk turned quiet once again.
"Well, see you tomorrow." Arnold said, waving her a small goodbye wave. Abner oinked a small goodbye oink to her too.
"Yeah..." She said tiredly, entering her own house without even making an attempt to call him names or shout at him.
I hope you guys like it. Reviews are nice :)