A/N- Hello all! Welcome to new fic. I have seen (and read) handful o fanfics and I wanted to try and stray away from that path. So new pairs! But my OTP is heavily hinted, hehe.
I scoffed at my best friend's invitation. She was joking, right? Did she really expect me to go on that 'mating ritual' that expects girls to wear thigh-length dresses and is forced to be in a crowd of people and have their body rub against the crotches of the opposite gender? Not to mention the choice of music is enough to make your ear bleed and has no meaning nor purpose whatsoever. "I'm not going, Phoebe!" I snarled at her, though my voice was quiet enough for the librarian to not hear.
"But Helga, this is a once in a life time thing!" Phoebe urged me while holding the copy of 'The Coffee Club'.
"I said no! What will I do there anyway? I don't have a date, a dress or the patience!" I replied with a scowl, earning a few 'Ssh' from the other peers.
"Please, Helga?" She asked doing her puppy eyes on me. "This will be so much fun. I promise you you won't get bored."
"No's a no, Pheebs." I sighed and rubbed my temples.
She gave a deep sigh then flipped a page from her novel. It was surprising that the girl was communicating and reading the same time without fail. "If you won't go Helga, then I won't."
I blankly stared at her and creased my brows. "Phoebe Heyerdahl you will NOT play the guilt card on me."
"I'm not playing the guilt card on you, I'm making a decision." She replied curtly.
I sighed and I gave in. "Fine I'll make an appearance on that ridiculous event." I muttered.
She grinned widely and hugged my arm. "Really? Oh Helga! I can't believe you are! Oh it will be so much fun-" A few kids shushed her and her cheeks burned bright red.
"It better be fun." I mutter and collected my books because I know for a fact that the bell will ring in exactly 3 seconds.
And it did.
{...}
I swaggered on the crowded hall with Phoebe next to me. She was showing me examples of what dresses she would wear and apparently, I had been constantly telling her that they all looked ridiculous. And they were! They were either see-through, too short or too tight. I'm starting to wonder what the media was doing to young teenagers these days..
"Well, how about this one?" She asks me and shows me the picture displayed on her phone. It was a silver satin Qipao with a golden dragon design on the bottom. I knew it was perfect for her.
"That one's nice." I say to her. "You could do your hair up with those chopstick things."
"Yea it does look nice..." Phoebe smiles. I was all too familiar with that smile. It's her 'I-already-made-this-decision-and-you-can't-change -my-mind' smile. "Now let's find you a dress!"
I roll my eyes as we both entered our English class and sat on our usual seats. We had arrived at our class fairly early so there was still time to chat. Other peers has started filing in and soon enough, the class desks were occupied and the teens were just waiting for their teacher to enter and start the 45 minute class.
"Phoebe are you going to prom?" Gerald ask with a hopeful grin.
"I am." Phoebe responds. "Are you asking me to go with you?"
"You bet." He replies. "So I'll take that as a yes?"
She nodded and giggled. "I'll be delighted to go with you."
I groaned loudly and slouched in my chair. I was currently reading a book called 'Heartstrings'.- A rather gruesome book based around the heroine Carmen and her obsessive love for Hector. Soon enough, she starts to get possessive and ends up murdering the girls that lays their eyes on her beloved. I cringed as I remember my 9 year old self. I was rather thankful that I didn't end up like Carmen.
"I take it you're not going, Pataki?" Gerald asks me. My eyes slowly leaves my novel and looks at him.
"Oh I am, Johanssen." I spat. "Forced by your beloved. You should feel proud."
"I can take you, Helga." Arnold joined in. "Like a friend-date, of course."
My heart was crushed by his selfless-attitude. My love for him was undeniable but it was best to 'let him go' or in other words, give up on him. I chuckled darkly. "Yeah right. Shouldn't you be asking Miss Perfect over there? And besides, I enjoy being the third wheel." Sometimes it wonders me if he ever notices my sarcasm.
I see him roll his eyes at me. "Whatever you say, Helga."
I internally smacked myself for being such an idiot and continued reading 'Heartstrings'.
{..}
Our teacher, 'Mrs. Heins' has suspiciously entered the class with her face flushed and hair tousled. She claimed that she ran from first floor to third but I think of something else that can possibly scar me forever if I think it through in detail.
"So class! We all know Prom's in 3 days, right?" She asks everyone and an eager 'yes' was given as a reply.
"Right! Well, Friday morning you will only have half-a-day since you have to get ready! And remember you 17 year-old kids, especially you boys!" She announces clasping her hands together. "Always bring a condom! You wouldn't want to be an early parent, would you?"
The class chuckled. With a satisfied grin, Mrs. Heins pushed her glasses up. "Poetry writing, everyone! I want it handed in by the end of class."
My forehead touched my head as I remember I have no muse to whip out a decent poem. Well, I do have an inspiration but my feelings were lacking. Holding the pen between my fingers, my hand started to write.
'You are the definition of density
But the definition of sweetness
No words can describe
Your stupidity and knowledge
Your acts of bravery and
Straightforwardness
I hate you
But
Do I dare to say it?
Do I dare confess?'
I stare blankly at the piece of paper I currently scribbled on. Yes, my poetry days were long gone. Maybe I need to consider another outlet and not just poetry. I can always try short stories, novels-
"Hey Helga."
Oh for the love of- "Arnold! I-I mean what do you want, football-face?" I quickly shuffled my papers into a pile and placed my arm on top of it. There is no way that he's going to see them or even hear them.
"I was just going to ask for help in this. I heard you were pretty good at poetry so I thought you could help me. You know, give me some tip and stuff." He asked sheepishly. "That is, if you don't mind."
I choked a laugh. "Well you have to ask someone else, bucko. I don't have any inspiration anymore to whip up a decent poem." I sighed and started to balance my pen on top of my lip.
I somehow gotten the football-face's attention since he sat on the desk near mine and looked at me like I was tapioca pudding or something.
"Who was your inspiration then?" Arnold asks me and I could feel heat trickle up my ear.
"None of your beeswax, bucko!" I scoffed at him. "Shouldn't you be continuing your poem about Miss Perfect over there?"
He smiled at me. "You have a point there.. And how did you know it was for her?"
I stared at him like there was a fly on his ear. I can't believe how dense he is.. "I took a wild guess."
"Whatever you say, Helga.."
{..}
Time has apparently moved quickly today because I find myself getting dragged by the shoulder by Phoebe Heyerdahl as soon as the last bell rung. She was too excited for the prom. "Come on, Helga! We have to get that dress I saw online! And we also have to get you one."
"Yeah yeah, hold your horses, Pheebs." I popped a bubblegum on my mouth as soon as we left the school grounds. I have also shoved my hands in my pockets to show guys that I am not interested in any knuckle-headed geek baits that only cares about what's between a girl's legs.
She smiles at me and drags me to the part of the town where I never go to - The shopping district. It felt weird entering the streets that has boutiques and shoe shops. Funny enough that we spot the duo with the weird-shaped hairs. "Tall-hair boy, football-face, fancy meeting you here." I greeted them with such a dull tone, it would be a legitimate impression of Arnold's weird cousin, Arnie. "Picking out dresses I'm guessing? You should really try that strapless one. It matches with your eyes." I laughed at my own sarcasm.
"Very funny, Helga. And since when did you made the effort to go to this part of town, hmm?" Gerald asked me tauntingly. "Could it be that Helga Pataki is actually going to doll herself up? The apocalypse is coming!"
"Touché, Geraldo." I roll my eyes at him and he gets a triumphant smirk on his face.
"Anyway, we're just here to pick up the tux we ordered..." Arnold said as he changed the subject. God bless his soul for that. "And we're going to Slaussen's right after. You guys want to come?"
"Oh we'll have to pass." Phoebe smiled politely. "Helga finally gave in and we have to find a dress for her." She emphasised on the 'we' so much, I was starting to think that the prom was just an excuse for her to doll me up. "So, Arnold. Do you have a date for the prom?" Phoebe asks Arnold since Gerald was too pre-occupied at window-shopping for ties.
"I asked Lila." He replies to Phoebe and my attention was suddenly grasped by the shoulder and I was forced to pretend I wasn't listening to their conversation. "And she said 'yes'!"
And for a moment, my heart stopped functioning.
I knew it. I was losing him. I guess it's time to pack my bags and move on with my non-existent love life.
"That's great, Arnold!" Phoebe chirped. "You two look good together!"
"Thanks, Phoebe. Anyway, we have to go pick up those tux or Gerald will end up having too much ties around his neck." He waved us a goodbye and dragged Gerald in the Tuxedo store.
"You okay, Helga?" Phoebe asks quietly as we walk towards the boutique that held her desired dress. I pretend that I didn't care. Because I don't, right? "-Huh?" I ask her pretending that I was lost in thought about something. "What are you talking about, Pheebs?"
"Nothing.." She replies and we enter the store.
Inside, I was crushed.
Like it? Hate it? I'd like to know what you think about it. :)
