Helga's Voice
It was a dark and stormy night, but this was to be expected for weather this late in the year. The weather man said to expect it to last throughout the week. Normally stormy nights didn't bother him this much, no something else was keeping Arnold from a good night sleep. His mind raced with all that had happened in the past month. Arnold had stopped future tech industry from turning his neighborhood into a Mall or condos or whatever Mr. Shank had planned before he went to jail. Something Arnold was quite pleased with, but none of this was bugging him. What was keeping him up so late was something that a particular girl had said, nay had confessed to him.
He tossed and turned on his sky blue bed sheets so many times that his blanket had fallen off the bed some time ago. "Ugh this stinks", Arnold groaned, turning over and looking at his clock he let out a heavy sigh when it read two fifteen AM. This was the fifth night in a row that he had trouble sleeping. He decided to go to the kitchen to get himself a glass of warm milk maybe that would help him get some sleep. When he walked into the kitchen he found that he was not the only one who had trouble sleeping that night. One of the other boarders, Susie Kokoshka was at the table in her nightgown and bathrobe sipping what looked to be a cup of tea. "Oh hello Arnold, couldn't sleep either huh?" Susie asked, she seemed almost surprised to see Arnold up so late. "Yeah" Arnold replied as he poured himself a glass of milk. He pulled up a chair and sat across from Susie.
They sat in the quiet dark of the kitchen for a few minutes until Arnold decided to break the silence. "So umm… Mrs. Kokoshka, why are you up so late?" He felt nervous asking, he didn't want to pry but he was a little curious. Susie looked up at him with a smile, she could tell something was bothering him and just wanted someone to talk to. "Oh it's Oscar", she said in a tired voice. "His allergies are acting up and it's making him snore, I tell you it's like sleeping with a bear." Arnold couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't want to laugh at her expense, but the thought of Mr. Kokoshka sleeping on the floor of a cave like a bear was a little funny to him. His mind was put at ease when Susie started to laugh as well.
"So Arnold what's keeping you up, if you don't mind my asking?" Susie asked. Arnold let out a heavy sigh and stared at the empty glass in front of him. "Well it's kind of a long and slightly confusing story"; "I've got all night" Susie replied. Arnold spent the next half-hour telling her everything about Helga, deep-voice, and their little kiss on the FTI rooftop. When he finished he felt a little better but still unsure of himself. "Well Arnold it seems like she cares about you an awful lot" Susie replied. She was a little shocked when he told her about Helga's confession. But she couldn't help let out a little giggle when she saw how red his face gotten when he started to trail off as he talked about their kiss. "Wow to think that he went through all that to save the neighborhood, no wander he's having trouble sleeping" Susie thought.
"I just don't know what to do. I mean we agreed that it was in the heat of the moment, but now-". "Now you're not so sure" Susie answered. Arnold started to fidget with his fingers the more he thought about it. "It's not that I don't care about her feelings, I do…it's just-". "You're not sure if you feel the same way?" Susie asked, Arnold paused unsure of how to put what he was feeling into words. "Well… not exactly… you see". Susie looked at Arnold with attentiveness as he stumbled with his thoughts. "Arnold do you have feelings for Helga?" she asked with a touch of curiosity in her words.
Arnold's eyes went wide. He had been so busy thinking about Helga's confession that he didn't stop to consider his own feelings. Did he have feelings for Helga? He did like having her around and he had to admit she certainly did make his life interesting. He ran his fingers through his hair rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey Arnold tell me what's Helga like" Susie asked. Arnold blinked "huh?" "Well I'd like to know a little about the girl that helped save my home." Susie said. Arnold giggled a little as if to say sure, he spent the rest of night telling Susie about Helga and all the things they did when they were together.
The next morning Arnold left the sunset-arms boarding house and headed to school. He let out a long yawn; it had indeed been another restless night for Arnold. After his talk with Susie he went back to his room hoping that a little sleep would do him some good. But found no rest as he was roused by his alarm clock not but twenty minutes later. He decided to walk to P.S118 rather than taking the bus, thinking that the long walk would help clear his mind. Arnold only made it a few feet past the bus stop at the corner of his block before he heard someone call out to him. "Hey Arnold wait-up" he turned to see his best friend Gerald running toward him. "Oh hey Gerald what's up?" Arnold said whipping the sleep from his eyes. "Hey… man …why aren't you… taking the bus" Gerald said trying to catch his breath. "I just felt like walking today that's all". "Another bad night huh?" Gerald asked. "Yeah you could say that", Arnold let out a little laugh as he continued on his way.
The walk to school felt longer then it usually did. Arnold had a hard time consecrating on Gerald's conversion drifting in and out of thought as they walked. Gerald started too worried about his friend. Having to snap him out of his daze several times to prevent Arnold from wander into the street and getting hit a vehicle. "Man Arnold are you ok?" Gerald asked, "huh yeah I'm fine why?" Arnold said fighting back a yawn. Gerald looked at him with concern, "because you almost got hit by the jolly olly-man!" Arnold through up his hands in defense "all right I hear you, it's just…" he let out a sigh before he continued "I got a lot on my mind right now that's all. But I'm fine Gerald I swear". "All right man I trust you, but be careful would you. The last thing I need is to explain to your grandparents why you just became street pizza". Gerald said trying to lighten the mood. Arnold just laughed as they continued down the cracked side walk to school.
As the boys made their way toward the large stony steps to the front doors of P.S118, Arnold stopped when he heard an all too familiar voice. It was Helga; she had just gotten off the bus with her friend Phoebe and was making their way toward the school playground. Helga often liked to sit on the monkey-bars before class and chat with her best friend Phoebe or Pheebs as she called her. It was then Arnold noticed that Helga was not in her usual outfit today. Normally she would where a pink dress with a matching bow in her hair and pigtails. But today she whore something different. She had a pink sort sleeve shirt, dark blue jeans and a blue ball-cap. She was too far away for Arnold to hear what they were talking about, but he could see that she was smiling.
Arnold started to smile when he thought about how nice she looked when she did smile. It was rare that he ever got to see Helga's nicer side, but when he did he would always noticed how pretty she looked. Gerald noticed his friend had stopped walking beside him, looking back he saw him staring off into space with an alto familiar look on his face. Gerald followed Arnold's line of site and saw what he was looking at. He nudged his friend in the side in an attempted to get his attention. "Hey what was that for?" Arnold said rubbing his side "Arnold what was that?" "What was what?" "Now maybe it's just me but it looked like you were giving Helga the same look you always give Lila". Arnold said nothing, he hadn't realized he was smiling at her and felt a little embarrassed. But Gerald just waved his hands, "you know it's probably just my imagination, I mean you and Helga come on." "Whatever you say Gerald" Arnold said as they began to make their way inside.
The school was as it always is in the morning; busy and alive with the chatter of many kids. The hallways echoed with the sounds of slamming locker doors and shoes skidding on the hard wood floors. A discordant chorus of chatter filled the halls as Arnold and Gerald made their way inside their classroom and took their respective seats.
Arnold and Gerald hadn't been seated for more than five minutes before there teacher Mr. Simons a man who many had described as dangerously optimistic entered the classroom. "Good morning class" Mr. Simons greeted his students in his usual cheerful manner. "I hope you all had a great weekend. Now before I begin with today's lesion I have a little surprise for you all". The class became quiet in anticipation as to what the surprise could be. Most of the students started to whisper amongst each other hoping it was a party or no home work for the rest of the school year. While the rest where just hoping that it was not a pop quiz. It was then that Mr. Simons reached in his desk and pulled out a flier that read in large friendly yellow letters "Talent Show".
Everyone remained silent while Mr. Simons continued "That's right class the school is hosting a talent show on Friday, and if you wish to be a part of the fun sign up after class". When their teacher finished the class exchanged looks of intrigue and excitement.
Immediately everyone's hands were raised with questions about the talent show. "What time dose it start", said Sheena, the rest of the class asked questions like, how long will the show be? How many can enter? But it was a question that Ronda Lloyd had asked that made the class grow quite. "What does the winner get?" Mr. Simons looked up from his desk with a look of surprise on his face. "Well it is a talent show after all and it just seems only logical that the one with the best talent should win something". The half of the class that wasn't facing towards her turned to look at Ronda. She was always known for wanting to be the center of attention but. "She's got a point", came a voice from the back of the classroom, it was Helga this time "I mean were the ones who got to get up in front of everyone so shouldn't there be something in it for us?"
Mr. Simons hesitated for a moment but shook his head remembering that he saved the best for last. "Well Helga you are absolutely right that is why the winners of the talent show will be awarded prizes". "Prizes?" said Ronda in an approving tone. "Well yes Ronda, three actually, third place will receive a coupon for a free Sunday at Sullies, second place will receive a free dinner at the dug-out and first place will be a summer pass to Dino-land." The whole classroom went into an uproar over this news, but Mr. Simons reminded them that it was this Friday and that they had the rest of the day to sign up.
While Mr. Simons proceeded with his lessons, Gerald looked over to Arnold in excitement hoping to converse about the talent show and saw something odd. Arnold was asleep. That wasn't the odd part; it was that he was sleeping in class. This was something completely out of character for Arnold. He was slumped over his desk with his head resting in his arms. Gerald nudged his shoulder in an attempted to rouse him but to no avail as Arnold just muttered something and continued to remain asleep. "Arnold! Arnold! Wake up man." Gerald tried but Arnold still would not wake up. He had only one course of action left, "sorry man but you left me no choice". "OUCH!" Arnold shouted after being awoken by sudden sharp pain in his side, Gerald had poked Arnold in the side with the tip of his pencil.
His sudden outburst did not go unnoticed by Mr. Simons. "Yes Arnold? is something the matter?" "Uh no every things fine," Arnold said trying to shake off the feeling of embarrassment. "Well since you are up would you mind reading the next sentence please?" Arnold nodded as he began flipping through his text book until he found what page they were on.
Gerald wasn't the only one to notice Arnolds little nap during class; Helga who sat behind him had a clear view of Arnold and could tell something was up with him. She looked over at her friend more than once during class with a look of confusion mixed with concern on her face, but Phoebe never gave anything more than a shrug. The rest of the lesson was without incident, Arnold was no longer sleeping in class but he still had trouble concentrating.
When lunch rolled around all the kids filed out of the classroom grabbing their lunch boxes and headed towered the cafeteria. Save for Helga and Phoebe who decided to stay behind so they could talk in private. "His behavior has been a little odd the past few weeks". Phoebe said as she closed the classroom door making sure no one could hear them. "Yeah well the football-head has always been a bit odd if you ask me." Helga said trying to evade the question. "That's not what I mean Helga, he's sleeping in class, and he almost fell down the stars last week and the week before that he came to school without his shoes". Helga chuckled a little at the memory but quickly stopped when she saw phoebe give her a stern look. "What it's not like I had anything to do with him acting all weird", Helga said in a defensive tone. "Actually I think you did, when you confessed your feeling for-". "I KNOW!" Helga shouted, cutting off her friend before she could finish. Helga's sudden outburst startled Phoebe; she had never yelled at her before and could tell that Arnold was not the only one on edge.
"S-sorry Pheebs I didn't mean to snap at you like that" Helga apologized turning her head to look out the window. "It's just that we agreed it was in the heat of the moment, and now look at us he's barely spoken a word to me in weeks". Phoebe didn't need Helga to tell her, she knew this was hurting her more then she let on. She walked over to her friend and gently put her hand on her shoulder. It was a small gesture but it was all she could do for her friend right now. "Thanks Phoebe", "any time Helga".
(A/N) OK so what do you guys think I would love to hear your thoughts, R&R and let me know. More is to come and you won't want to miss it.