Brainy's First Request
Brainy never asked for much in life.
He never really asked for the new xbox game, even if he wanted it. He never asked the kids at school to stop making fun of his wheezing, even though the teacher knew the severity and asked him repeatedly if he was okay.
Brainy knew he had a perspective on like that no one else did.
His parents assured him he would be cured in no time; he just had to wait and listen to the doctors and be careful not to get too worked up and risk an attack. He knew he was getting weaker, and that no matter what his parents tried to deceive him with, he knew he wouldn't last much longer.
Of course, no one at school knew the truth. He did his best to fade into the background, because he couldn't stand the idea of people morning him.
It was like he put himself into his own bubble, away from the world, before he had had the chance to do anything or make something of himself. And everyone let it happen.
But with this perspective that no one else in his eighth grade class had, he noticed and paid attention to things that no one really took time to.
Like Helga Pataki.
Until the day he had caught her behind the trashcans, Brainy didn't know what he was going to do with his life. When he saw her holding the pink paper heart that had been missing from the class Valentine's Day bulletin board, declaring her love to the boy who she thought was the only one who paid her any attention or kindness, he gave himself a purpose in his surely short life.
He wanted to be there for this girl. He wanted to make her happy.
Sure, they all paid attention to her. After all, she did have this habit of standing out with her anger, unibrow and big pink bow. But now she was older, unibrow gone, anger subdued mostly, and beautiful, at least to Brainy. But no one tried to get past the walls she puts up around herself, perhaps, to protect herself from getting hurt.
He knew all of her secrets, because he loved to watch her. He knew of her barrenly lonely home life, and of her love for Arnold.
Arnold Shortman, the most popular, smart, creative, artsy guy in the entire school. He was everything Brainy wasn't, no wonder Helga was head-over-heels with him.
You might think that Arnold made Brainy jealous, but that's not true; Brainy had the highest respect for Arnold, and would never dare hold any hostile grudges against him, especially because of how Helga felt towards him.
It was right before Valentine's Day though, a week before the Valentine's Day Dance, that Brainy decided enough was enough, and he had to speak up.
"Hey Arnold, who're you taking to the dance? Have you asked anyone to it yet?" Gerald harassed his football headed friend from his desk across the aisle. Arnold looked up from his textbook and shrugged.
"I don't know. I might ask Lila or something…" Brainy watched Helga pretend she wasn't listening with hope, and he watched her pretend that she wasn't hurt when she heard his answer didn't involve her. She didn't miss a beat with her conversation with Phoebe, but the hurt in her eyes was something Brainy had learned to recognize years ago.
Again. Helga was going to spend Valentine's Day alone again. She was going to spend the night alone, watching Arnold dance with Lila and imagining what it would be like if it was her instead.
Brainy couldn't let Helga get hurt again.
For the first time, Brainy stood up from his seat and slowly walked to Arnold's desk. He didn't care that his heart was beating so fast, and he was breathing so heavy, like it did sometimes whenever he did something concerning Helga. He didn't care that he could have an attack. Nothing like that mattered.
"*Wheeze* Arnold." Arnold and Gerald looked over at the nerdy boy, surprised he was speaking without being spoken to first.
"Hey Brainy, what's up?" Before Arnold could react, Brainy used all the strength he had to grab Arnold by the shoulders and hoist him onto his feet. The entire class stopped and watched in horror, terrified that Brainy was pulling a Curly and finally snapped.
"Brainy! What the hell-?" He pushed Arnold out of the classroom and slammed him into a locker.
"*Wheeze* *Wheeze*"
"Brainy, what's wrong? Why are you-"
"Don't hurt her. *Wheeze* Not again." Arnold was confused.
"Hurt who?" The class was crowding around the two boys. Brainy started to cough, slow at first but then it quickly got more violent.
"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" the student chanted.
Brainy started to grab his chest.
"Are you okay?" Arnold asked, no longer concerned about a potential fight. Brainy started wheezing more and more.
"Someone go get Mr. Simmons!" Arnold cried out, searching the crowd. "Sid, Go!"
Sid skidded off to find Mr. Simmons, Stinky following behind him.
"Brainy, can you talk to me?" Arnold grabbed Brainy, and started to lower him to the floor.
"*Wheeze* *Wheeze* Stop hurting her. *Wheeze*"
"Hurting her? Hurting who?" Arnold didn't notice Helga standing above them, disguised in the crowd, mortified yet touched at Brainy's actions.
She never understood why Brainy followed her around, and she never understood why he let her hit him over and over and over again over the years. But at that moment, watching him hyperventilate on the hallway floor, she finally understood.
"Brainy…you didn't have to." She whispered to herself.
Brainy was transported to a hospital, passed out, with Helga and Arnold in the ambulance. They didn't speak to each other, and they didn't ask each other why they were there. Arnold felt guilty, and Helga felt guilty and touched.
Helga felt terrible. She knew this was somehow her fault. Brainy didn't associate himself with anyone else in the class except her. He had to have known about her love for Arnold after all these years. Was he going to convince Arnold to give her a chance?
He may have been creepy, and probably a stalker, but he was a good kid, even she knew that. But that was all she knew; she never got to know him.
Within the next few hours, the entire class ended up in the waiting room of the emergency room. They all buzzed with talk and concern, and realization that none of them ever really knew Brainy.
The only ones who were pacing in real concern were Helga and Arnold.
When the nurse finally came in to speak to them, Arnold and Helga almost tackled her.
"Is he-"
"What happened-?"
"Will he be alright-?"
"Did he say any-"
The nurse smiled.
"Well, it's good to know Brian has such good friends. He never mentioned so many."
"Is he going to be alright?" Arnold asked. The nurse frowned.
"I'm afraid I'm not allowed to discuss it with you. But he asked for an Arnold…"
"That's me."
"He wishes to see you, and then a Helga." Helga nodded, understanding. The nurse led both blondes past the doors to the patient hallway and down the hall to a door.
"I'll go first." Arnold said nervously, slowly entering the room and shutting the door behind him. Helga stood outside, lost in her thoughts.
"Brainy?" Arnold uttered, frightened at all the tubes going in and out of Brainy. He had never noticed Brainy much, but he had no idea he had a condition he had. Why did he hide it from everyone?
Brainy, oxygen mask strapped to his face, motioned for Arnold to come sit next to his bed in the wooden chair placed there. Arnold timidly obeyed.
"Brainy, I am so sorry. I had no idea..I…I don't know what to say."
Brainy shook his head, signaling to dismiss the apology.
"But…If you didn't want me to apologize, then what did you want me to-" Brainy held his hand up to stop Arnold mid question before moving to remove the mask.
"Brainy, what are you-?"
"*Wheeze* She loves you. *Wheeze* She always has."
"What? Who?" Brainy looked over to the door, and the dark feminine shadow pacing outside.
"What- Helga?"Brainy nodded.
"But…how do you-?"
"I've always *Wheeze* known. And I *Wheeze* know you like her too." Arnold stayed silent.
"*Wheeze* *Wheeze* I know you're scared. But please *Cough* don't hurt her again." Arnold stayed silent for another moment, before nodding.
"Okay Brainy. I'll try my best, okay?" Brainy nodded, smiling peacefully. Arnold stood up and left the room.
"What did he say?" Helga asked, frantic. Arnold merely looked at her before just turning away and walking back to the waiting room.
Confused, Helga slowly entered Brainy's room.
"Brainy?" Brainy looked over, smiling at Helga in the goofy way he always did.
"Brainy, I'm really sorry. This has to be my fault. Maybe I hit you too many times or something…" Brainy shook his head, similar to what he did to Arnold, and motioned for Helga to come close to him.
Hesitant, she brought herself close to his face, and he surprised her.
He placed an IV punctured hand on her cheek.
"It's okay Helga." He wheezed. "You can be happy now." She didn't understand, but she realized that was all he wanted to say to her.
"…Thank you Brainy." She said, scared because of the tone of his voice. It sounded so…final.
She glanced around, knowing full well no one was around but still wanting to make sure, and pecked him a kiss on the cheek.
"I'll see you at school tomorrow, right?" Brainy nodded, smiling, but somehow, Helga knew she wouldn't see him at school again.
Brainy died of collapsed lungs just a few hours later.
Mr. Simmons explained to the class that what happened to Brainy was that he had a chronic lung and heart condition, which caused his wheezing, and inevitable, his body couldn't take the stress anymore. He assured the class that he went peacefully, and he didn't feel any pain in his last moments.
Several students cried, including Herald and even Gerald. At the funeral, it was only worse. Brainy's parents were shocked at how many students came. When they realized who Helga Pataki was, they told her that they believed the only reason Brainy lived so long was because he had her as a friend, and they thanked her for being so good to him.
Helga left the room and went outside to the parking lot. Arnold followed.
She sat on the curb in the parking lot, tears finally beginning to leak out of her eyes onto her black dress. Everything outside seemed so gray with the dark sky and colorless pavement.
Arnold stood in the doorway between outside and in, looking out nervously.
"Helga, can I…talk to you for a minute? I know it's a bad time but..."
Helga looked up.
"Fine, whatever Football Head." Arnold smiled, and went to sit beside her, shutting the door behind him.
~End
I guess I feel that Brainy had an unspoken dedication to Helga, even though she never felt anything towards him. I've been feeling kind of angsty lately, maybe I'll do something completely different with Brainy later, but for now…Unrequited love it is.