Hello all, Aaerowyn here. This is my first fan fiction based on a few ideas I had floating around in my head that I wanted to get out so please be kind with your feedback and/or reviews. I wanted to conduct a story about Arnold and Helga turning their relationship from frenemies to good allies with a possible romantic future. The setting of this story is set during middle school where Hillwood has become significantly darker, either that or the children are growing up and realizing the city isn't as cut out as it used to be. Hope y'all enjoy it :).
Chapter 1
A gentle breeze swept throughout the enclosed office causing papers and blinds to lightly rattle in its wake. Beams of sunlight swayed across the canopy of the ceiling, lightly fading with the ever growing prediction of a shower. The overcast clouds of silver streamed outside, covering the sun in a blanket that threatened to spill rain at any moment. Thankfully the humidity outside was kept at bay with the air conditioning, at least until she was to vacate her psychologist's company and once again brave the elements without appropriate shelter or cover. Now officially eleven years old, Helga Pataki had begun to flower into her first stages of puberty. With it came the unpleasant cramps and pains associated with breast growth as well as the churning in her lower abdominals at the end of every month. Her periods were quite heavy and sporadic, causing her mood swings and anger to intensify over the past couple of years and leaving very little to tolerate about her. Even her friendship with Phoebe had taken a beating as her frustration made the meek girl fear for Helga's well-being…and if there was one thing Helga despised, it was being pitied.
The sound of whirling fans filled her ears in a therapeutic fashion, steering the anxious thoughts away and giving a short moment of reprieve while she waited for the doctor's verdict. Not only had her anger frightened her friends, but it had begun to worry her. Helga was much more irritable with the feeling of anxiety becoming quite frequent in her daily life. Often would she lash out at anyone close enough to be the brunt of her verbal assaults, even so much as her teachers who had begun referring her back to her former psychologist whom had helped her so well in the past. Dr Bliss had been expecting Helga to return, but not to realise that her relation with her classmates had gotten worse. After an hour of discussion, Dr Bliss had formulated her summary on Helga's situation and was filling out the forms at her desk for impending approval. The random scribbling of ink onto paper was faintly heard over the fans gyrating as Helga finally opened her eyes to gaze at the back of the psychologists' chair.
"So, what's it going to be, Doc? Am I really going insane or is it just all these hormones affecting me?" Helga inquired as she propped herself up with both elbows, giving the female doctor a sidelong glance. Dr Bliss let out a chuckle as she finished signing the necessary forms and turned around in her leather chair to face her young client.
"No, you're not going insane, Helga. In fact, what you're going through right now is very normal for a girl your age. It just seems that your hormones might be fluctuating and giving you unnecessary mood swings." Glancing down at the forms in her hand, Dr Bliss stood and walked over to sit upon the nearest couch next to where Helga lay. "What I can do for you is write a reference to your local doctor: who will give you the prescription to help you out with your hormone imbalance. All you need to do is get your parents to sign the permission slip."
Helga rolled her eyes and took the forms as they were handed to her from across the table before shoving them into her backpack disquietly. "Yeah, like Miriam would even be conscious enough to remember her own signature." The preteen snorted as she met Dr Bliss' concerning gaze. She knew about Helga's less than functional home life with recalling the former tales about her mother being a struggling alcoholic and a narcissistic father.
"I am sure you will be able to get one of them to sign, Helga. Just be timely, because the sooner you get that signature, the sooner you'll be able to go to school without getting in further trouble."
Helga glanced down at the crumpled sheets in her backpack and frowned; the doctor was right. Her grades had slipped slightly and her participation in class had been less than positive. Practically everyone in the sixth grade had begun to avoid her like she was a walking time bomb whose fuse was every exposed wire. Being further alienated by her peers for her behaviour and being the first to develop into puberty, she felt lonelier than ever. PS 118 had converted into an elementary and middle school because of the sudden growth of the city. Ever since the neighbourhood had been saved from Sheck, the story had gone national and caused a boom of interstate travelers and tourists to flock to Hillwood, both increasing its population and its crime rate.
Now, it was a growing metropolis with its schools being pushed to accommodate the expanding number of students flocking to its doors. Not all young people were able to get in and now with the crime rate beginning to get out of control, street gangs of rebelling youth now claimed the inner suburbs and downtown, making it a dangerous area to trespass or travel to.
Helga knew if she wasn't able to keep herself in check, that she might risk getting suspended or even expelled and the last thing she needed was to end washed up on the streets with those other rejects of society. The blonde girl frowned and turned her gaze back to the doctor who was busy filling out the last details of their meeting.
"I'll try and see what I can do, Doc. But I hope you're right..." Shifting herself from off the couch Helga grasped her backpack and threaded an arm through one of its straps to heave it onto her shoulder. Dr Bliss lowered her pen and peered over the top of her glasses to survey the young juvenile.
"I hope so too, Helga. If not, you still have three appointments to keep with me. You'll eventually get the help you need." Dr Bliss replied with a reassuring smile. Helga offered a faint smile in return, though with a hint of uncertainty. It had been somewhat comforting to see Dr Bliss again, even if she herself didn't want to admit it and wished it was under better circumstances. Part of her felt that she had let the doctor down. The sessions of therapy in the past with her had not gone unchecked but now it seemed all of it was coming undone and fruitless in the light of these new and confusing issues. With a wave of her hand, Helga turned and walked out the door, closing it behind her with a heavy sigh. The hour spent there felt like only a few minutes and whatever point of relaxation she had reached while in Dr Bliss' care was soon forgotten as she spotted the drizzle of rain beginning to pound the pavement just beyond the corridor.
"Great... just what I needed." The young female groaned as she held her backpack over her head and stomped out into the rain, beads of water already beginning to slick her back. Still wearing her pink jumper and white undershirt, little had changed about her attire other than her sneakers and freshly pierced ears which she had gotten done for her 11th birthday as a gift from Olga. She turned and began to stride quickly toward the bus stop, solely wishing that the bus would actually be on time and save her from the punishment of having cold clothes stick to her skinny figure. Her thoughts stirred toward her family and wondered why neither of them could give her a proper rain jacket.
Miriam's drinking habits had become more frequent and it wasn't uncommon for Helga to find her mother passed out on the floor or in other random locations within the house. Her mother seemed hell-bent to descend toward a path of self-destruction with no intention of rescuing herself. Big Bob's epiphany had made him a little more consciously aware of his neglect toward his family and had kept the yurt as he so promised. His business, however, still came first and was always the first topic brought up at any conversation. He tried to take some notice toward Miriam's drinking problem and had even proposed for her to attend some alcoholic anonymous classes which Miriam agreed to but stopped going to after three weeks. Sometimes, Big Bob would not come home until very late hours at night where Helga would be awoken to his heavy shuffles echoing up the stairs. Helga had the uneasy feeling he was getting himself and his business into issues that were kept quiet and under the rug for good reason but his success meant that the roof over her head remained stable, even if it wasn't exactly what she entirely wished for. Realistically, she was quite a lucky young girl compared to the less fortunate and she tried to remind herself that whenever she felt negatively toward her housing conditions. Olga had gone on to work with the humanitarian services in Alaska and often came to visit. Her older sister also did part-time volunteering at the youth centre where she helped vulnerable young people get in touch with their musical side to lift their spirits. Their relationship was still somewhat strained and Helga continued to revel in keeping her distance away from her overbearing and confident sister, although she would engage in sending her letters whenever it was asked of her or when she would receive one in the mail. She had to admit that despite their differences, Olga was quite admirable; knowing full well the level that their parents pushed her to reach.
Seeing a hue of white and yellow come into view, Helga stepped out from the bus stop and shook her free hand viciously through the air to get the driver's attention. It was when the hazy orange writing of 'Out of Service' came into view did she realize it was too late as the large vehicle simply roared past, causing the nearby pothole filled with rain water to be conveniently emptied onto her. Throwing her arms out, the preteen glared at the back of the bus as it continued down the street until the rain obscured it out of sight. Letting out a guttural groan, Helga stomped her foot into the pavement and shook her fist high into the air.
"Can't you see when someone is standing here, you idiot?!" She screeched in anger before leaning over to wipe her face down on her jumper. Thankfully, her backpack wasn't too drenched as her body had taken the brunt of the damage, meaning the important documents within remained intact. Her pigtails laid flaccid against her shoulders as she turned to trudge down the walkway before a warm shadow came to hover over her. "Huh?" She questioned as she glanced up, her movement forcing to a stop upon seeing the yellow fins of an umbrella spreading above her like a lotus.
"Are you okay?" asked a familiar husky voice, one that still caused her heart to leap at her ribcage.
"Uhh…" was all that Helga could say as she momentarily forgot about her anger, her eyes roving down until they came into contact with verdant green. Arnold.
Being one of their younger classmates little had changed for him other than his height. He had grown an inch but still remained on the shorter side, living fortunately or unfortunately up to his surname. His green eyes that reminded Helga so much of ripe jellybeans peered at her, holding a look of uncertainty. During the years and introduction of Helga's hormones, her bullying and mistreatment toward him and others had made her ties with Arnold to be shaky and awkward. The confession atop the FTI building had somehow blossomed Arnold's curiosity, allowing her to catch him glancing at her stiffly every so often or when a certain romantic topic was brought up. Her outbursts of anger at school had at first compelled him want to try and help her, much as his ways were. It wasn't until he realized however, that her anger now transferred to the teachers as well as to her best friend did he understand that perhaps it was out of his hands. Helga had always been an enigma to Arnold, a puzzle that constantly changed and altered whenever he felt he was finding some truth to the matter. Despite his doubts, he still yearned to be somewhat there for her, even if it meant her swearing at him and witnessing her horrible tantrums. Helga had gotten into several fist fights at school, resulting in her parents being summoned and leaving her classmates to gossip about her ever increasing hostility. They had given her the title of 'crazy', but now she was going to prove them wrong. However, Helga was pulled from her thoughts when she saw Arnold raise a brow inquisitively and repeat his previous inquiry while shielding them both from the rain.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh...of course I'm okay, football head! Why wouldn't I be okay?" Helga snarled in response as she placed her hands on her hips and lowered her brow defensively. Arnold's questioning look turned to one of agitation as he noted how clearly soaked her clothing was. Not that he expected her to admit she needed an umbrella, of course.
"What are you doing out here? I thought you were supposed to be at baseball practice." Arnold asked brazenly. Though her temperament had become worse, Arnold had developed into being more assertive when it came to tolerating Helga and her mood swings. He was still considered 'Mr Nice Guy' but wasn't so quick to back down if she put up a struggle.
"Not that it's any of your beeswax Arnoldo, but if you –must- know, I was ordered by Principle Wartz to go see Dr Bliss again to get 'evaluated'." Helga quoted with her fingers sarcastically. "Annnnd as it turns out, now I have to go see a doctor." Arnold's brow raised in interest.
"A doctor? Does that mean you're really sick, Helga?" Helga scoffed dryly at his remark.
"You wish geek bait. But as it turns out, no, I'm not 'insane'. I'm just uptight because of all the shit my life seems to be throwing at me. Turns out, me becoming a woman can't go unheeded without some necessary drama and painkillers." She turned away from him and threw her backpack onto her shoulder with a wet smack.
Arnold simply stood there comprehending what she just said. He was still quite a dense boy but lessons in sex education and life class had fed him enough information for him to realize that females were an entirely different species in their own right. Helga cast a glare over her shoulder at him as she began to trudge back into the rain, the wet pavement causing her soaked shoes to squelch with each step.
"So you can go tell Princess and her gossip minions that I'm not some loon who's losing her mind after all. Yeah, that's right. I know you talk to them, bucko. So you better stay the heck away from me, otherwise I'll make sure those rumours come true and I'll shove your face through the meat grinder during recess!"
Arnold's agitated glare returned as he watched Helga Pataki stomp off through the rain with jagged elbows and her words of spite ringing in his ears. It was true that most of their grade, not just their classmates, had thought that she was beginning to become a loose cannon. Tossing between the constant bickering, swearing, bad attitude, verbal abuse, threats and actual physical violence, it was healthy to assume that something was going quite wrong with the female bully. Her sarcasm still remained as healthy as ever but her oppression upon those that dared to oppose her and even those that didn't granted her a bad reputation. Arnold turned his attention to the skies, the rain beginning to wear down as small sparks of sunlight began to trickle through the heavy clouds. Much of what had happened before the FTI incident made sense to him now: like the random times he found her mumbling and swooning in a soft voice behind a trash can or wall or why she had decided to bully him the most out of everyone in their class back during their elementary days. Or maybe even how she threatened him but had never carried it out. His usually placid features furrowed at the thought as he continued to peer skyward, the chirping of birds ringing as the rain and sun coalesced. He only wondered, why does she of all people continued to make him doubt in his ability to help and understand people? Why did her storm continued to rain when all others seemed to pass and move on?
Why did girls have to be so confusing?