Helga rolled over on her side and looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. It glowed 12:02 AM in big red numbers.
"Happy Birthday Helga! Yeah right." she turned on her back and looked up at the pink ceiling. "Bob and Miriam won't remember. None of my friends even know. Olga's thirteenth brithday was almost as big as her sixteenth. 'Oh, you're such a beautiful young lady now!' They said. 'This is a special day for you!' They said. And mine will be just like any other day, but more depressing." She yawned, "I hate birthdays."
Helga got up and quietly creeped to her bedroom door, opening it just a crack and listened. All she could hear was her dad's loud snoring and the whir of her mom making "smoothies" (Helga always wondered why she was never allowed to drink any of them. Later on, she learned that her mom always put alcohol in them. In fact, Helga could tell by the smell that lately they were becoming more like rum drinks and less like smoothies.)
"Perfect!" she whispered to no one in particular and slowly shut the door. She walked over to her closet and slid back the clothes to reveal a small shrine of Arnold, her one and only, surrounded by unlit candles. Helga quickly lit them.
"Oh, Arnold, my sweet, sweet Arnold, save me from this wretched day. This that comes each year, marking the tragedy of my birth into a family that keeps me in the shadows of their memory. Only you, Arnold, the beacon of light in these shadows, can save me from this dying day. Why, oh why, did God give me this life? But at least he sent me you, my angel." Helga picked up the head of the Arnold shrine and pretended to dance with it. "What's that, you say? You don't think my birth was a tragedy and you were glad that I was born? That I am your beacon of light, and that your life would be a shadowy Hell without me? Oh, Arnold." She put the head back with the body and pretended to hold something. "A dozen red roses, for me? Why, you shouldn't have! They're so lovely! Not as lovely as me, you whisper in my ear? Arnold, how you can flatter a young girl so!" Helga twirled around, but tripped on her own feet and fell on the floor with a thump.
"Who am I kidding?" Helga sat up and hugged her knees, suddenly scowling.
"Olga, go to sleep!" Her dad yelled from downstairs.
"I am asleep, Bob, crimeny! And my name's HELGA!" she yelled back.
"I said Helga!"
Mumbling, she stood up and dusted herself off. "Goodnight, my sweet Arnold." She whispered and with that, Helga blew out the candles, climbed back in her bed, and tried to cry herself to sleep.
NEXT MORNING
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEE- Helga, depressed and drowzy, felt like a zombie even as she slammed the button on her clock. She hadn't slept for a minute through out the whole night, though the crying part came pretty easily. "Stupid alarm." She grumbled outloud and rubbed her eyes. "Stupid day." Slowly, she got up and headed for a cold shower. Then she got dressed in her usual pink dress and bow, brushed her hair, and headed downstairs.
As expected, Miram was passed out next to the smoothie machine. Helga scowled and grabbed some leftover stale coffee and downed it in one gulp, ignoring how it nearly scorched her throat, and headed for school. "Goodbye, Miriam, I'm going to school now!" She yelled, opening the door.
In an attempt to wipe the drool off of her face, she rubbed her cheek (which only smeared it around) and mumbled, "Bring me back a toy from work, wouldga, Mommy?"
Helga stopped, watched her mom drink the last of another smoothie, and pass back out again. "That was new. Usually, I'm Olga. Oh well, not like it matters." She shrugged and closed the door behind her. Across the street Helga could see the new neighbors getting ready to drive their son to kindergarten. The mom gave the little boy a kiss on the cheek before putting him in the back seat and buckling him in.
'Geez, that's more affection than I've gotten from both my parents put together in my entire thirteen years of life.' Helga thought and kicked a can as she walked along. 'Why do I have to go to school on this stupid day. I should've stayed home. Maybe it's not too late to get back.' She thought, already a few blocks from her home. 'Miriam wouldn't notice, but what if Bob forgot something and went back in the house? I could probably just tell him we didn't have school today. He wouldn't care. He wouldn't even check to make sure. Yeah that'll work. I'll just-'
"Hey, Helga."
"Shut up, Football head! I don't want to talk to you today!"
"Whatever you say." Arnold rolled his eyes and walked ahead.
'Wait, Arnold? Doesn't he take the bus? Oh, crap.' Helga was so into her thoughts about leaving she didn't even realise she had already arrived at school.
Helga watched Arnold as he walked up to the school building and held the door open. "You can go first, Helga."
She wanted to say thanks, but what came out instead was a bunch of grumbles and a sharp glare as she headed straight for her locker.
Arnold sighed, "Your welcome." and went for his locker too.
Helga put in her combination. No give. She put in her combination and smacked the locker door, causing it to swing open and scratch her shoulder. "Owe, stupid- great." She sneered, only to find she was sneering at herself. Literally. "Why the heck do I have a mirror in my locker? Oh yeah, Olga gave it to me." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Arnold and Gerald do their thumb shake thing and go into class. As soon as all was clear, Helga reached for the mirror and dropped it on the floor. Something about the sound of shattering glass was satisfying. "Oops." She muttered and grabbed her Math books just as the late bell rang and Helga went into the same class Arnold and Gerlad had.
Helga immediately chose a seat in the back corner.
"Hey, that's-"
"Just sit in my seat, Sid." She growled.
He slowly backed away and made for Helga's usual spot. "Tch." Helga slammed her books on the desk, slumped down in the chair, and used the books as a pillow. Her lack of sleep was finally catching up on her, and the second she layed her head down, she was out and dreaming.
Arnold quickly looked back at her, then to Phoebe. She was Helga's best friend and might have some answers, but he'd have to ask quickly. Luckily, Ms. Matcher was running late.
"Hey, Phoebe? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Arnold sat left of Gerald, who sat left of Phoebe, and he was at the pencil sharpener so Arnold took his seat.
"Yeah, sure, Arnold. What's the matter?" Phoebe adjusted her glasses.
"Do you know why Helga's so down today? I mean, she isn't always the kindest person to me, but usually she has something to say. She won't even talk to me. Do you know what's up?"
Phoebe thought for a moment, then looked over at Helga. "Oh, it must be..." She leaned in and whispered, "her birthday."
Arnold looked puzzled. "But... that doesn't make any sense. Why would she hate her birthday?"
"Um, maybe that's something you should ask her."
"But-!"
Phoebe gave an apoligetic look to him as the teacher walked in the class room and he went back to his seat. Gerald quickly returned to his seat too.
The seventh grade math teacher began to talk about Algebra, meanwhile in the back right corner seat, Helga's eyelids twitched franticly.
"Happy Birthday, Olga!" My parents are cheering... but... it's not Olga's birthday, it's mine... Hey! Hey, it's my birthday! Can't you hear me? I'm trying to touch Mommy's leg... but... I can't feel her... Why is everyone so much bigger than me? "Oh, Olga, you're ever so perfect!" Lila? What are you doing here? "We're sisters!" "Oh, Lila, my little sister. My one true Helga." But... I'm Helga... "Honey, who's Helga?" "Why, she's right here, Mother!" That's not me... that's Lila. When is it my birthday? "Later, Olga." But... I'm... Helga... I'm Helga...
"Helga! Class is over. It's time to go to next period, before we're late." Helga blinked a few times and saw Phoebe giving her a grin. Not a normal Phoebe grin, but an "I know something" Phoebe grin.
"I wasn't sleeping, Pheebs, I know what time it is." Helga sat up and realised she had something in her hand. "What the-" She squinted and saw a peice of gum as she uncurled her fingers. It was still in it's silver wrapper and appeared safe, so sje unwrapped it and popped it in her mouth. She was about to crumple the leftover wrapper, when she noticed something written inside of it.
Happy Birthday Helga! - Arnold
Helga sighed as she grabbed her Math books and ran out of the class room to her locker. She quickly put in the combination, banged the locker (which flew open and scratched her again.). "Owe! Crimeny, I don't have time for this!" She threw in her books and pulled out her pink book, Language Arts/Social Studies journal, and favorite pen.
AFTER SCHOOL
Helga was scowling as she left school, still chewing the same gum from this morning, still tired from last night, and staring at her feet, when she heard a familiar voice. 'My prince!' she thought to herself, even as she realised he was not alone. 'And that... princess...' She looked up to see Lila giggling like a Miss Pre-Teen Hyena, while Arnold faced the ground, blushing and smiling.
Slowing down her pace, Helga decided she would wait until Lila left to start talking to him. At a certain point, she had to stop completely and pretend to fidget with her books, because their conversation was lasting so long. (Helga keeps a book bag in her locker, which she only takes home if she has homework or something to study. Despite what everyone believed, Helga was pretty acedemic in everything, except the alternative classes.)
Eventually, Lila left and Helga jogged to catch up with Arnold. "Hey, Football-head."
"I'm sorry, Helga, but I've got to go before I... miss... my bus, as is drives away without me." Arnold sighed as the long yellow vehicle moved it's way down the street. "I guess I walk with you." Despite the fact that now he had to walk a pretty far way home, he still smiled.
"Then hurry up." Helga said stiffly. Staring straight ahead, she flared her nostrils in anger and started to speed-walk. She knew what was going on, or at least, she guessed it.
"Hey, wait up! Helga, you're going too fast!" When Arnold caught up, she glared at him, but slowed down anyways.
"So, what were you and Lila talking about?" Helga looked straight forward again.
"Oh, nothing much. Just... arranging a date, that's all." Helga couldn't see his blush, but she could definitely hear his goofy, love-sick sigh. "She's so... perfect! And... uh.. Helga?" He looked back. 'First she says hurry up, then she falls behind. Does it have something to do with her birthday?'
Helga had almost forgotten to walk. Then she shook her head and sped up again. "Well, that's..." she gritted her teeth, "that's just great. I hope you two are very happy. Very happy."
"Helga, what's up with you? You've been grouchy all day. I don't understand, why do you hate your birthday so much?"
Her eyes narrowed as she faced Arnold and shoved a finger in his face. "How'd you find out about that anyways? You know what, nevermind, 'cause it's none of your business, so just keep out!" She stomped off royally pissed, and he decided it was best not to follow her. Instead, he checked the time on his watch as he remembered his promise to help Grandpa fix some things around the Boarding House, and started running home.
Oh, what he would have seen if he had followed her.
"Stupid Arnold. Nosing in my business... why does he care, anyways? Oh, that's right, he doesn't. He only wants his Princess Liiilaaa." Helga grumbled sarcasticly. Across the street, the little boy was crying and whining about something while his mom and dad tried to calm him down. "And that's STILL more affection than I get in a life time!"
When Helga stopped in front of her house, she tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Hm. Bob must not be home yet." She picked up a large rock and took the key from underneath. After she unlocked the door, there was a sight to see in the kitchen.
Miriam was still passed out by the smoothie machine.
So maybe it wasn't exactly a shocking to sight.
"'Happy Birthday, Helga! Welcome home, Helga!' No, that's okay, you can keep your presents. It's not like you have any for me anyways." she threw her bag on the floor. Miriam didn't wake up, so Helga went on, finally able to properly vent. "You didn't even call me Olga this morning. No, you don't even recognise me as your own daughter anymore! Crimeny, I might as well be dust on the floor for all you care! Remember Olga's birthday? Her "special day"? What a lovely piano you had bought her! Three layered cake, giggling grimlins all over the place. You can't even snore me Happy Birthday! So happy... FUCKING... BIRTHDAY... TO YOU!" Helga kicked the table and Miriam's head rolled over to the side.
"Wait a minute..." She wasn't snoring. She was passed out, but she wasn't snoring. "Miriam?" Helga's face, once fierce a minute ago, instantly softened with worry. "Miriam?" Nothing. "M-Mom?" Helga reached out and touched Miriams cold cheek, and screamed.
Miriam had finally drank herself to death.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Wow. First chapter, and already someone dead. But, it will get brighter as the story goes on... right? (And next time, I'll try not to make Helga... so... well, she was supposed to be more miserable than whiney, but maybe I'm just a bad writer. (shrugs) Try and stay interested for... CHAPTER 2!