"All I'm saying Pheebs is if this year is HALF the year LAST year was," I explained while walking up the steps of PS 118 on this the first day of sixth grade, "get ready for disappointment- am I right?"

Phoebe chuckled from where she walked beside me holding a stack of notebooks tightly to her chest as we walked. "I wouldn't think of it in that regards, Helga. Perhaps this year will be more eventful than the previous years- I hear sixth graders go on approximately three more field trips per year than other grades."

I shrugged my shoulders as we reached the doors and I pushed a kid out of the way who had been at the doors before us; easily giving Phoebe and I access to the inside of the all-too-familiar building. "Yeah well I ALSO hear sixth graders get to dissect cow eyeballs so maybe you're on to something, Pheebs. Maybe this year is OUR year."

"Do you really believe that?" Phoebe asked once we were inside and about to round the corner to where the sixth-grade-lockers were.

"Yeah- why not?" I asked confidently while tilting my chin up in the air and closing my eyes with pride; my chest pushed out to lead the way as I marched down the hall. "Afterall, we ARE the biggest fish in the pond, aren't we?"

"Well, yes I suppose so-" Phoebe said thoughtfully.

"And the biggest fish in the pond RULE the pond, right?"

"I guess so, Helga, but-"

"So this year is BOUND to be the bes-"

"Helga," Phoebe cut me off though I paid little attention as I marched.

"-t year for THE biggest fish; THE-"

"Helga!"

"-Helga G. Patak-OOF!" I hollered as I slammed into somebody face-first only to fall flat on my back.

"Helga! Helga are you alright?" Phoebe asked as she looked at me from above where I lay.

I reached up to rub at the back of my head and groan, "Yeah, yeah Pheebs, I'm FINE. What the heck-" I began to ask but only had to open my eyes to see just what had happened. "A-Arnold?" I asked with surprise; though by this point in my life, I really SHOULD be used to him ramming into me.

"Sorry, Helga," Arnold said while pushing himself off of the floor to stand and brush his clothes off from the dusty floor. I eyed him as he straightened his new jacket which I'd never seen him wear before. Subtly, my eyes drifted down to see that silly skirt of his didn't look so much a SKIRT anymore; just normal coat tails to an almost-too-big-but-fits-way-better-than-it-USED-to button up plaid shirt hidden under his usual teal sweater. His pants fit him better too- Was that a new style of jeans? And on his seemingly-larger feet were two shiny red fresh-out-of-the-box sneakers that (for some weird reason) made my heart flutter inside my chest. I forced myself to look back at him and clear my throat as he tried to explain himself, "I didn't see you-"

"You didn't SEE me?" I repeated with a sudden scowl and glare in his general direction while standing up to loom over him. "How could you not SEE me? I'm practically six feet TALLER than you, footballhead!"

He let out a sigh and collected his books which had fallen out of his backpack from our little run-in. "You're right, Helga. I'm sorry."

"You're SORRY?" I shouted, my fists clenching at my waist as I bubbled over in over-exaggerated anger, "CRIMINY, you're ALWAYS sorry- aren't you Hair Boy? Well, I'll tell you ONE thing, BUCKO," I said while poking my index finger hard into his chest, "You better WATCH yourself THIS year, bub." I pushed my finger off his chest and returned it to my hip. "Helga G. Pataki isn't putting up with you OR your freaky football-headed shenanigans. GOT IT?"

Arnold shook his head slowly back and forth while looking up at me skeptically. "Sure, Helga. Whatever you say."

"That's RIGHT whatever I say," I repeated while crossing my arms over my chest tightly and beginning to walk passed him; my shoulder purposefully running into him as I walked with Phoebe close behind. "And don't you forget it."

Once we were passed him, I heard him call back to me, "Nice to see you TOO, Helga," his voice sending a chill down my back as my nerves completely lost it underneath my skin.

"Hey uh… hey Pheebs?" I asked with slight anxiousness in my tone.

"Yes, Helga?"

"How's about you meet me in class, huh? Save me a GOOD seat in the back- don't let HAROLD get SMART and think he can go and take it just cause he got there FIRST, alright?" I demanded while focusing ahead on the wooden door I was preparing myself to wander into.

"Of course, Helga. Saving!" She cheerfully chirped before scurrying away to our classroom as I made my escape to the Janitor's closet up ahead.

Almost there, I urged myself on as I took abnormally large steps in it's direction across the hallway.

I reached out quickly for the familiar brass handle and after a couple of double takes on either side of me, I opened the door and closed it on myself once safely inside. After a moment of letting my eyes adjust to the sudden change of light, I reached up to pull on the lightbulb chain; the room instantly flooding with dim light.

"That Arnold," I said to myself while glancing around at the shelves lined with cleaning supplies and boxes of garbage bags. I leaned over to rest on the janitor's cart hiding with me in the closet, "He thinks he's SO smart, him and that FOOTballhead of his. Think's he's so special with his new clothes and extra three inches. HA! What a goon. What a doof! 12 years old and he hasn't changed a-stinkin' bit! How I HATE him- completely and utterly DESPISE him and that messy stack of wild blonde hair."

My voice softened as I reached over to gently grab the mop that was connected to the janitor's cart; my eyes softly shutting, "Hair that," I brushed my fingers through the dry mop's head, "smells so delicious I can't hardly stand it but I'd never TELL Arnold that because it isn't like I'm in LOVE with that kid- not, not anymore…"

With a peek out of one eye, I looked around myself before exhaling and dramatically saying, "Oh who am I kidding- I'm in LOVE with him! I'm STILL in love with him- I've never STOPPED loving him and that silly footballhead." I pulled the mop fully from the cart and pressed it to my chest while spinning once around the closet.

"Though years have passed, my love, my feelings remain ever the same. How I long for your sweet embrace now more than ever as we grow older and more mature in our eleven-almost-twelve-year-old-selves. How I ache for your love even after our chance encounter on this- our first day of sixth grade."

Sixth grade.

I was a SIXTH grader. No longer the little fish in the pond like we once were- but BIG fish -like I'd told Phoebe.

As a sixth grader, I was the new big fish- and so was Arnold.

I dropped the mop to fall against the shelves and reached inside my shirt to pull out Arnold's face from last year- it somehow seeming so much younger than it had moments ago. Could one summer have changed him that much?

"Arnold, my love, my one true soul mate," I said to his half-lidded gaze staring up at me through the glass of my locket, "I pray that as we grow older, as we grow wiser, as we age and blossom into the adults we will one day become," I pulled the locket to my heart and softly cooed, "we can grow closer in ways I've never allowed us to become; that perhaps THIS YEAR I may FINALLY be able to show you who I REALLY am- the real and authentic Helga G. Pataki."

I shut my eyes softly and finally let out the swoon I'd been holding in, "Oh, Arnold…"

Waiting for the usual breathing I'd become so accustomed to hearing after speeches of this caliber, I gave it a full minute before dropping my arms from my heart to look around the empty closet. "Hmm. No Brainy, huh?" I asked the emptiness before shrugging and placing my locket back inside my shirt.

"Maybe things really ARE looking up this year," I commented while reaching for the door to open it.

And there.

Standing RIGHT THERE in front of the door.

None other than that breathing geek-bait I'd been waiting for.

With a grunt, shove and a THUMP to the floor, I pushed Brainy and stepped over him as he lay in the hallway and I stalked my way to class.

Maybe things are looking up? Pfft. Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it.

Can you guys tell I was inspired by a certain new sloo of pictures from SDCC?

This little idea popped in my head the MOMENT i saw the pictures and I just HAD to write about it.. I have another idea in this universe I have going, so i'll leave the story going for now.

Get excited for the next little chapter-ette. It'll be great!

xoxo

Polka

PS

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