Chapter 1: Back Then

Helga was laying against her bed writing more poetry about her love of that stupid football head Arnold. Now he was dating Lila, and it made her sick to her stomach. Miriam was still a deadbeat as usual, and Bob still the owner of a Beeper Empire. Olga, still everyone's favorite in her family at least.

Helga had thought about moving away, but couldn't stand the thought of being away from Arnold. She never wanted to tell him how she felt however she only wanted to be near him. Even if they didn't talk much at all.

Helga and Arnold were now in there 8th Grade year, and Helga somehow had the strange feeling that she had to stay, and not move away like she originally tried to convince her parents to do so...like something really bad was going to happen.

She just hoped it wasn't anything too bad.

Arnold awoke the next morning having a nightmare about loosing Phil and Pookie. He was in high school now along with all his other peers. Arnold decided to shake the thought from his mind and decided to get ready for school.

He stared at himself in the mirror before showering. Blonde hair that hung upwards, warm blue eyes like the ocean, and his usual light complexion. His body was rather skinny muscular, like that of an awkward teenage boy. Arnold somewhere deep down wished he could be more muscular like his friend Gerald, but decided to shove that thought from his mind as well. He still had rather broad shoulders, just not as developed and he cursed himself for being awkward looking.

After his shower, he texted his girlfriend Lila "Good morning baby :)" slinging his backpack around him and ran downstairs...only to find his grandparents were not awake making breakfast.

Arnold did not hear the bantering of his grandparents and Gertie's unusual proclamations and exclamations.

Arnold's heart sank further into his stomach.

"Grandpa! Grandma!" Arnold yelled now terror stricken.

Arnold dropped his backpack in the hallway nearest the kitchen and ran upstairs hoping his dream hadn't come true.

He hurried upstairs and checked his Grandparents and tried to shake them awake. They looked so peaceful, and lifeless.

Both of them were dead.

Helga made her way to school, still having that haunting feeling as if something really bad was going to happen. She made it to homeroom and noticed football head wasn't there. This made Helga panic a bit, he never missed school. Never.

Helga decided to ignore her intuition, even though it was always right. Helga continued through her day, and eventually found out...Arnold's grandparents had just died this morning from Phoebe.

Helga was now terror stricken, and her heart sank further into her stomach.

She knew she couldn't leave and move away like she originally planned to.

"I'm going to visit him now." Phoebe said, as she was trailing her boyfriend Gerald.

Helga said nothing in response, as the last bell rang ending school for them and they walked over to Arnold's house together.

Arnold was sitting on the stoop outside the boarding house, merely looking lifeless and dead. He felt dead on the inside, why did this have to happen? Why now?

"Hey man, we heard what happened. Are you gonna be okay?" Gerald asked now sitting next to his best friend.

Arnold said nothing in response to him.

Helga merely stood there, she wanted to hug him, hold him and comfort him, but she couldn't. It was the job of his girlfriend Lila, yet she was no where to be seen...yet.

Lila and the rest of the group showed up at Arnold's house and tried to comfort him as best as they could, each of them sharing memories they had of Phil and Gertie.

Arnold still sat there lifeless for many hours, and Lila was holding him under her embrace.

This made Helga curse herself for not telling him how she felt about him, because had she done so sooner...she would be the one holding him.

Helga said nothing in response to everything that was going on, she didn't want to taunt or tease him like she normally would. Now was not the time, because she knew he was in great pain. She knew what that felt like, as far as being alone.

"You haven't said anything since we got here, whats up with that Helga?" Rhonda spoke loudly, as if taunting her and read her mind.

Helga couldn't stand Rhonda.

"None of your damn business, princess." Helga spat back at her.

Arnold pushed himself away from Lila's embrace, and looked dead at Helga.

His eyes were cold and lifeless, but seeking an answer to something...perhaps to what she just said.

"I really want to thank you all for trying to comfort me...but there is only one person who has given me comfort these past few hours" Arnold spoke still looking at Helga, his voice dead as well.

Helga snorted back at him, saying nothing in response and only hoped she wasn't blushing.

"What are you saying? Were your friends!" Gerald began saying but was cut short by Arnold's response.

"I just need to be alone." Arnold spoke now walking sluggishly back into the boarding house, and shutting the door slowly.

They all stood there stunned, and Helga's heart was in a million pieces...this made her glad that she didn't move away.

They had never seen Arnold like this, he's normally the optimistic one always telling everyone it would be okay, and yet...in that moment...he changed.

It made Helga worried, and even more glad she didn't leave...and then the thought occurred...how truly different would there lives have been...if she did leave.

They all returned home, but Helga remained on his stoop not moving just contemplating her own thoughts about Phil and Gertie. She needed to be there for him now, only she didn't know how.

-End Of Chapter 1