The month before.
"Criminy! Are you honestly insane Fletcher?" screamed a shocked (and horrified) sixteen year old Helga Pataki, who felt a sudden sense of dizziness overcome her as she heard her teacher's 'special little' announcement to her.
"Miss Pataki! That's definitely no way to talk to your teacher," exclaimed Ms Fletcher, a small smile stretched across her wrinkly old face. "But yes, I did, and you got in. Are you happy?"
"Don't you think you should have asked me before making any wonderful decisions of your own, you old coot." Helga muttered silently under her breath. But she just nodded her head, mutely acknowledging what her teacher has just said, wanting to get out of the class room as soon as humanly possible, craving fresh air.
Outside, Helga's loyal best friend, Phoebe, was patiently waiting for her, her head bent down in a thick book, as per usual.
"Oh hello Helga. What did Miss Fletcher want to talk to you about?" she said perkily as she saw Helga dash out of the classroom.
"Oh hey Pheebs. That old coot apparently does not understand how to respect's the decisions made by others, and just has to act against the will of others for the "greater good of her students". Blah blah blah." Glancing at her best friend, she saw a clear look of confusion lit up onto her face, Helga sighed deeply, taking in a huge gulp of air she had craved so badly just now before starting again.
"Don't you remember that dumb writing competition that offered prize scholarships to that school in New York in something." Seeing Phoebe nodded quickly in agreement. "Well, old little Fletch here put in one of my writings for it, and she didn't even tell me. She's definitely my top choice of favourite teacher of the year, that's for certain." muttered Helga.
"Erm, Helga. She did ask you. But you were, busy writing about, well, Ice Cream.", stammering as a crimson blush started to spread upon Phoebe's porcelain white face as she mentioned Helga's favourite "desert treat".
"Oh criminy! That's right! I'm just an idiot!" exclaimed Helga, smacking her own forehead, cursing at herself for her own stupidity of giving the cold shoulder to the Fletch that day, so engrossed in her latest poem about Arnold that she was completely oblivious to her surroundings. Ironically, her obsessive love poem writing habit at the random spur of the moment continued even after they started dating, her poem writing still kept a secret from her beloved
"So… are you going to tell him" inquired a meek Phoebe.
Helga briefly considered this, finally contemplating on the possibility that since she got the scholarship, she would have to, indeed, move to New York for a period of time, and would be away from her Arnold. She would be devastated, leaving him after they had just started dating the month before, leaving him after finally tasting her sweet ice cream after so many years of patient, uncertain waiting. Helga was caught at the first major crossroad in her life. Two paths that held different fates, two paths that will never cross once again. If she never saw Arnold again, she would be devastated, her world would unravel apart, because without Arnold, there was no more glue to hold the pieces of her life together anymore.
Snapping out of her train of thought by a gentle poke from Phoebe, she licked her lips slowly, as she articulated the words that determined which path she was taking in the crossroad of her life, the one that held the future with no Arnold in it.
"No, I'm not."
Decided to continue with the one shot since some people were interested in knowing what happened before :)
Enjoy! (and sorry for the crappy beginning, I need to get back to studying D:)
