A/N*** Many thanks to all the exceptional reviewers! I don't have my list
in front of me, but I will acknowledge everyone in the next chapter so's I
can get this one up. This is going to be a different twist on most of these
types of stories, so let me know if I am being a complete moron, (even if I
am being a partial moron, let me know!)
On with the show!
Disclaimer: Don't own HA! Yet....
Chapter 2 Losing My Mind
Arnold peeked around the corner of his bus seat at her...Helga G. Pataki. His heart did an unfamiliar flip-flop, and he felt nervous and fevered. He ducked back in his seat, his chest pounding. What't wrong with me? He thought anxiously. Why do I suddenly feel like I..
Can live without him? Helga wondered, her mind utterly confused. She felt a sudden jolt, and it was like all she felt for Arnold was mild curiosity and concern. She knew she was SUPPOSED to love him, but it just wasn't prominent like before. In a way, it was freeing, she no longer felt flushed and anxious around him.
" Gerald, do you have a copy of our yearbook on you?" Arnold fidgeted in his seat, feeling as though everyone was going to somehow figure out his new found feelings for Helga. His eyes darted nervously through the crowd.
" Sure, buddy, why?" Gerald eyed him with interest.
" No reason, I just wanted to see...how Lila's picture turned out, that's all," Arnold lied as best he could.
" Didn't she give you a new one just yesterday?" Gerald cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.
" Oh yeah, silly me. I meant I wanted to see..how it looks in black and white," Arnold's pulse raced. He knows!
" I don't know," Helga whispered to Phoebe, her blonde head leaned in close with her friend. " It's like all the sudden, I don't really care what anyone thinks about me. In a completely different way. Like I almost feel, I don't know. Peaceful?"
" That is strange indeed," Phoebe agreed, " but perhaps, a blessing as well? I don't know what could have caused such an extreme change in perspective and personality so quickly, but I would explore this new side of yourself carefully,"
" Seriously, Man, you are freaking me out," Gerald murmured to Arnold, who was now scribbling fervently in his science notebook. He had borrowed Rhonda's sky blue pen and had been writing like a mad man ever since. " What in blue blazes are you doing, unfinished homework?"
" Sort of," Arnold muttered, his eyes shining with passion. He scribbled on with vigor.
Darling Angel, Eyes of blue
How long have I been in love with You? Under your spell I forever remain I tell no one of my tortured pain Someday you will know The full extent of this report Or my name isn't Arnold-
"...short attention span!" Gerald's words finally penatrated his thoughts. He quickly finished writing and shoved the notebook haphazardly in his backpack. " Huh?" he asked breathlessly.
" I said you seem to have the shortest attention span I have ever seen! Did you get enough sleep last night,man?" Gerald was clearly growing impatient with his erratic behavior.
" Of course I got enough sleep, Hair-" Arnold cut his words short, clamping his hands over his mouth in disbelief.
" What were you about to say?" Gerald's eyes bugged out in shock.
" Nothing, too much time spent around Monobrow, that's all," Arnold spat in an unfamiliar tone.
" Okay, I assume you speak of one Miss Helga Pataki, but my friend, since that unfortunate bottle rocket slash gasoline incident of Harold's, the brow has been seperated. Why the sudden need for name calling anyways, Poppa Theresa?"
" I uh, am just tired, that's all," Arnold's mind was spiraling out of control. Okay, just pull yourself together, Arnold ol' chap, he thought hurridly. There has to be a logical reason that I just all of the sudden worship the ground that Helga walks on, and am snapping at my best friend and-
" ..I guess you could say I feel like a whole new person," Helga finished as the bus screeched to a halt. She stepped into the aisle, only to brush up against her beloved. She felt warm and somewhat attracted to him, but wasn't overwhelmed as she usually was.
" Oops, sorry Arnold," She commented, stepping back out of his way.
Arnold swooned. She talked to me! And she said she was sorry! Ohhhh!
" Yeah, well watch where you're going, Pinky," Arnold spat, shoving past the stunned trio of Gerald, Phoebe and a gape mouthed Helga.
" That boy needs to stay off the internet," Gerald murmured apologetically. " He didn't get enough sleep, apparently," he explained to Phoebe with a red face. He couldn't even make eye contact with Helga.
" It's alright, Gerald. After the way I've treated him for the past 8 years, I suppose I had it coming," Helga answered evenly. " Let's go, Pheebs. I have chem first hour and I need to go over my notes before class,"
Gerald's mouth hung open in surprise. Phoebe gently lifted a finger to his jaw and pushed it closed. " Coming!" Phoebe chimed. She kissed Gerald hurridly on his cheek. " I have no idea what's up with either of them. We'll just have to keep a close eye on our friends," Phoebe whispered as she ran after Helga.
" You got that right," Gerald sighed in exasperation. " Mmm mm MMM! Helga being nice? Arnold snapping at everyone? Nothing would surprise me now,"
" FREEEEEEEEEEEE! ALL THE ANIMALS ARE FRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE! COME WITH ME MY LABORATORY FRIENDS!!!!!" Curly ran screaming down the hall clad in only a lab coat and a pink tutu. A stream of white mice and frogs scurried through the corridors after him, causing many kids to jump back, screeching in horror.
" I stand corrected," Gerald laughed lightly, searching the halls for his moody friend.
Arnold sat behind stacks of books in the library, scissors in hand. He had fashioned a makeshift heart from red construction paper from the art department supplies closet, and was now feverishly cutting away at the new yearbook he had just raided from his locker.
He looked around anxiously. Sensing that the coast was clear, he cut out her picture hastily and glued it on the paper heart. He then rushed over to the library's laminating machine, ran it through, then trimmed it again. He clipped a keychain attachment to it, then shoved it under his shirt along with his house key.
Arnold heard a familiar voice coming down the aisle. " I just need to see if I caught all of Mr. Packenham's boring speech on ribosomes," Helga chattered uncharacteristically as she strolled through the library with Phoebe close at her side.
Helga! Arnold leapt behind the nearest trash can, knocking the new foreign exchange student to the floor. " Sacre Bleu!" he screeched, pulling himself up in a huff. Arnold shushed him through gritted teeth, then peered around the garbage can at Helga.
Helga..beautiful sphinx, a mystery wrapped in an enigma. How I love you...and yet.
His grip tightened on the keychain bearing her likeness,
How I despise you! How can you look blindly past me, never seeing how much I truly care for you, have loved you and never realized it myself. Why can't you be kind so that I may return your feelings without looking like a fool? Why-
Arnold heard the harsh, shallow wheezing before he actually saw him. Brainy?
" What are you doing? Get out of here before someone sees me!" Arnold hissed at him, shoving his Helga keychain out of sight.
" Uh... (wheeze)...Hey...(wheeze)"
Without even thinking, Arnold clenched his fist, preparing to knock Brainy's lights out. He caught himself before doing so, however.
" Get out of here before I sock you," Arnold muttered, surprised at the words as they escaped his lips. He would never hit anyone, let alone Brainy! What was wrong with him today?
" I wish I knew what's up with me today," Helga shook her head. " I have been hung up on ..ice cream, since like, preschool. Now, it's like, I know in the depths of my soul that I love him, but it's like I'm in some sort of denial," Helga shrugged her shoulders. " Beats me," she smiled in a funny, lopsided grin.
" When did you start feeling so much at ease with ..ice cream?" Phoebe wrote patiently in her notebook as she questioned Helga.
" I don't know, this morning? It's just so bizzare. Well, I'll figure it out after first period, I have to go," Helga scooped her books up and headed down the hall.
Phoebe examined her notes carefully.
Helga is acting uncharacteristically patient, kind, and empathetic. Arnold is acting uncharacteristically boorish, rude, and suspicious. Neither has openly acknowledged feelings towards one another since Helga's confession and recantation in the fourth grade.
Strange, indeed. I wonder if by some cosmic intervention, they have somehow switched life roles? Seemingly impossible, but what else could explain the sudden role reversals?
Phoebe pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her delicate nose and closed her notebook, exiting the library as well.
Arnold sighed, pulling himself to an upright position as the library cleared. Something was wrong, he just knew it. This morning, all the world was right. He loved Lila, he was clear headed and still trying to befriend Helga, as usual. Now, it was like Lila was a bitter taste in his mouth, a thorn in his side, of sorts. He had never felt that irritated by her as he did now. And Helga! What was up with that? Out of nowhere he couldn't keep his eyes or his thougths off of her. Had he always felt this way about her, just not noticed it?
That'd be a pretty big oversight on my part. How could I not see how beautiful she is? If only she wasn't such a brat all the time, I could confess my love, tell her that Lila is indeed a part of my past. NO, what am I saying? And I thought if Helga could spend a day in my shoes, she'd see how impossible she was. Now I adore her? That doesn't make sense.
He kissed the makeshift locket of sorts absentmindedly and grabbed his own backpack, rushing towards class. He just had enough time to make Algebra before the bell rang.
**** Okay, I know this one wasn't as good as my opener, and maybe I got them into their alter egos rather quickly. Just rememeber, it'll be following them in this state for only 24 hours, just like the wish! Any suggestions or critiques are welcome, as I am getting nervous about my abilities with this story! Thanks to all my reviewers, I'll name ya'll next chapter!
On with the show!
Disclaimer: Don't own HA! Yet....
Chapter 2 Losing My Mind
Arnold peeked around the corner of his bus seat at her...Helga G. Pataki. His heart did an unfamiliar flip-flop, and he felt nervous and fevered. He ducked back in his seat, his chest pounding. What't wrong with me? He thought anxiously. Why do I suddenly feel like I..
Can live without him? Helga wondered, her mind utterly confused. She felt a sudden jolt, and it was like all she felt for Arnold was mild curiosity and concern. She knew she was SUPPOSED to love him, but it just wasn't prominent like before. In a way, it was freeing, she no longer felt flushed and anxious around him.
" Gerald, do you have a copy of our yearbook on you?" Arnold fidgeted in his seat, feeling as though everyone was going to somehow figure out his new found feelings for Helga. His eyes darted nervously through the crowd.
" Sure, buddy, why?" Gerald eyed him with interest.
" No reason, I just wanted to see...how Lila's picture turned out, that's all," Arnold lied as best he could.
" Didn't she give you a new one just yesterday?" Gerald cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.
" Oh yeah, silly me. I meant I wanted to see..how it looks in black and white," Arnold's pulse raced. He knows!
" I don't know," Helga whispered to Phoebe, her blonde head leaned in close with her friend. " It's like all the sudden, I don't really care what anyone thinks about me. In a completely different way. Like I almost feel, I don't know. Peaceful?"
" That is strange indeed," Phoebe agreed, " but perhaps, a blessing as well? I don't know what could have caused such an extreme change in perspective and personality so quickly, but I would explore this new side of yourself carefully,"
" Seriously, Man, you are freaking me out," Gerald murmured to Arnold, who was now scribbling fervently in his science notebook. He had borrowed Rhonda's sky blue pen and had been writing like a mad man ever since. " What in blue blazes are you doing, unfinished homework?"
" Sort of," Arnold muttered, his eyes shining with passion. He scribbled on with vigor.
Darling Angel, Eyes of blue
How long have I been in love with You? Under your spell I forever remain I tell no one of my tortured pain Someday you will know The full extent of this report Or my name isn't Arnold-
"...short attention span!" Gerald's words finally penatrated his thoughts. He quickly finished writing and shoved the notebook haphazardly in his backpack. " Huh?" he asked breathlessly.
" I said you seem to have the shortest attention span I have ever seen! Did you get enough sleep last night,man?" Gerald was clearly growing impatient with his erratic behavior.
" Of course I got enough sleep, Hair-" Arnold cut his words short, clamping his hands over his mouth in disbelief.
" What were you about to say?" Gerald's eyes bugged out in shock.
" Nothing, too much time spent around Monobrow, that's all," Arnold spat in an unfamiliar tone.
" Okay, I assume you speak of one Miss Helga Pataki, but my friend, since that unfortunate bottle rocket slash gasoline incident of Harold's, the brow has been seperated. Why the sudden need for name calling anyways, Poppa Theresa?"
" I uh, am just tired, that's all," Arnold's mind was spiraling out of control. Okay, just pull yourself together, Arnold ol' chap, he thought hurridly. There has to be a logical reason that I just all of the sudden worship the ground that Helga walks on, and am snapping at my best friend and-
" ..I guess you could say I feel like a whole new person," Helga finished as the bus screeched to a halt. She stepped into the aisle, only to brush up against her beloved. She felt warm and somewhat attracted to him, but wasn't overwhelmed as she usually was.
" Oops, sorry Arnold," She commented, stepping back out of his way.
Arnold swooned. She talked to me! And she said she was sorry! Ohhhh!
" Yeah, well watch where you're going, Pinky," Arnold spat, shoving past the stunned trio of Gerald, Phoebe and a gape mouthed Helga.
" That boy needs to stay off the internet," Gerald murmured apologetically. " He didn't get enough sleep, apparently," he explained to Phoebe with a red face. He couldn't even make eye contact with Helga.
" It's alright, Gerald. After the way I've treated him for the past 8 years, I suppose I had it coming," Helga answered evenly. " Let's go, Pheebs. I have chem first hour and I need to go over my notes before class,"
Gerald's mouth hung open in surprise. Phoebe gently lifted a finger to his jaw and pushed it closed. " Coming!" Phoebe chimed. She kissed Gerald hurridly on his cheek. " I have no idea what's up with either of them. We'll just have to keep a close eye on our friends," Phoebe whispered as she ran after Helga.
" You got that right," Gerald sighed in exasperation. " Mmm mm MMM! Helga being nice? Arnold snapping at everyone? Nothing would surprise me now,"
" FREEEEEEEEEEEE! ALL THE ANIMALS ARE FRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEE! COME WITH ME MY LABORATORY FRIENDS!!!!!" Curly ran screaming down the hall clad in only a lab coat and a pink tutu. A stream of white mice and frogs scurried through the corridors after him, causing many kids to jump back, screeching in horror.
" I stand corrected," Gerald laughed lightly, searching the halls for his moody friend.
Arnold sat behind stacks of books in the library, scissors in hand. He had fashioned a makeshift heart from red construction paper from the art department supplies closet, and was now feverishly cutting away at the new yearbook he had just raided from his locker.
He looked around anxiously. Sensing that the coast was clear, he cut out her picture hastily and glued it on the paper heart. He then rushed over to the library's laminating machine, ran it through, then trimmed it again. He clipped a keychain attachment to it, then shoved it under his shirt along with his house key.
Arnold heard a familiar voice coming down the aisle. " I just need to see if I caught all of Mr. Packenham's boring speech on ribosomes," Helga chattered uncharacteristically as she strolled through the library with Phoebe close at her side.
Helga! Arnold leapt behind the nearest trash can, knocking the new foreign exchange student to the floor. " Sacre Bleu!" he screeched, pulling himself up in a huff. Arnold shushed him through gritted teeth, then peered around the garbage can at Helga.
Helga..beautiful sphinx, a mystery wrapped in an enigma. How I love you...and yet.
His grip tightened on the keychain bearing her likeness,
How I despise you! How can you look blindly past me, never seeing how much I truly care for you, have loved you and never realized it myself. Why can't you be kind so that I may return your feelings without looking like a fool? Why-
Arnold heard the harsh, shallow wheezing before he actually saw him. Brainy?
" What are you doing? Get out of here before someone sees me!" Arnold hissed at him, shoving his Helga keychain out of sight.
" Uh... (wheeze)...Hey...(wheeze)"
Without even thinking, Arnold clenched his fist, preparing to knock Brainy's lights out. He caught himself before doing so, however.
" Get out of here before I sock you," Arnold muttered, surprised at the words as they escaped his lips. He would never hit anyone, let alone Brainy! What was wrong with him today?
" I wish I knew what's up with me today," Helga shook her head. " I have been hung up on ..ice cream, since like, preschool. Now, it's like, I know in the depths of my soul that I love him, but it's like I'm in some sort of denial," Helga shrugged her shoulders. " Beats me," she smiled in a funny, lopsided grin.
" When did you start feeling so much at ease with ..ice cream?" Phoebe wrote patiently in her notebook as she questioned Helga.
" I don't know, this morning? It's just so bizzare. Well, I'll figure it out after first period, I have to go," Helga scooped her books up and headed down the hall.
Phoebe examined her notes carefully.
Helga is acting uncharacteristically patient, kind, and empathetic. Arnold is acting uncharacteristically boorish, rude, and suspicious. Neither has openly acknowledged feelings towards one another since Helga's confession and recantation in the fourth grade.
Strange, indeed. I wonder if by some cosmic intervention, they have somehow switched life roles? Seemingly impossible, but what else could explain the sudden role reversals?
Phoebe pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her delicate nose and closed her notebook, exiting the library as well.
Arnold sighed, pulling himself to an upright position as the library cleared. Something was wrong, he just knew it. This morning, all the world was right. He loved Lila, he was clear headed and still trying to befriend Helga, as usual. Now, it was like Lila was a bitter taste in his mouth, a thorn in his side, of sorts. He had never felt that irritated by her as he did now. And Helga! What was up with that? Out of nowhere he couldn't keep his eyes or his thougths off of her. Had he always felt this way about her, just not noticed it?
That'd be a pretty big oversight on my part. How could I not see how beautiful she is? If only she wasn't such a brat all the time, I could confess my love, tell her that Lila is indeed a part of my past. NO, what am I saying? And I thought if Helga could spend a day in my shoes, she'd see how impossible she was. Now I adore her? That doesn't make sense.
He kissed the makeshift locket of sorts absentmindedly and grabbed his own backpack, rushing towards class. He just had enough time to make Algebra before the bell rang.
**** Okay, I know this one wasn't as good as my opener, and maybe I got them into their alter egos rather quickly. Just rememeber, it'll be following them in this state for only 24 hours, just like the wish! Any suggestions or critiques are welcome, as I am getting nervous about my abilities with this story! Thanks to all my reviewers, I'll name ya'll next chapter!
