Hiya! Hanna Cabrodi here! Well, to put MILDLY, I am ECSTATIC at the amazing feedback I've been getting for just the FIRST CHAPTER of this story! I am SO EXCITED to be doing this! It's a challenge but it's a real trip! Now, honestly, I'm not too crazy about this chapter and it's not too long. It'll get juicier along the way, I mean, after all, things are just getting started here! I hope to get the juices flowing a lot more freely as the story progresses but for now, my dears, I leave with this. I apologize. :( xD
If you have any ideas or suggestions AT ALL for where you'd like to see the story go, PLEASE don't hesitate to send me a PM! Again, I wanna thank Ashley AKA MuffinLove03 for helping me out with this story! Her expertise has been a GREAT HELP with unfolding some parts of this crazy little ditty here! So without further ado, I leave you with chapter 2: Piénsame (Think of Me)
DISCLAIMER: Hey Arnold AIN'T MINE! GO AWAY :( Oh and neither is Bachata in Fukuoka. That's the genius of Juan Luis Guerra, one of my all time favorite artists! :D Now, go on, shoo! Read!
Helga sat in her room in disbelief with the small gesture that Arnold had just displayed to her. It wasn't like he had PROPOSED or anything but there was something about the way he winked and asked her to consider going. And the statement itself baffled her. "Dominican Republic wouldn't be the same if you weren't there." It echoed in her head, torturing the 18 year old's fragile and lovesick mind.
Won't be the same if I weren't there? What in CRIMINY is that supposed to mean?, she thought to herself. She decided to try and shake it off, convincing herself that Arnold couldn't have had a more than platonic intention behind that. No, Arnold doesn't feel that way about me. He's just too nice. All he wants is for everyone to have fun and make the best of senior year. He's a friggin' SAINT, for cryin' out loud. He'd give Mother Teresa a run for her MONEY". Her facial expression softened. Oh, if ONLY his heart raced for dear life when he sees me in the halls as mine does when I see him. If ONLY he could love me as I love him. If ONLY he could understand how DEEPLY my heart yearns for his love and affection. But alas, I must keep appearances and torture my love, my Arnold. Why must I continue with this facade? With this masquerade of bullying and insults to the ONE PERSON who showed me that there IS good in this world? Ohhh, Arnold...
"Maybe I should call Phoebe, maybe she'll make sense outta this," she thought out loud. THen she paused for a moment. "WHY am I making SUCH A BIG DEAL out of this? All he did was wink... his beautiful green eye at me.. OH, MAN, I'M A BASKET CASE!"
"Hey, Olga, keep it down up there, WILL YA!? I'm trying to watch my new commercial!" shouted an annoyed Bob Pataki from the trophy room. "Got it, BOB!", replied an equally annoyed Helga.
Helga's home life hadn't changed much. Bob was still the same blowhard he's always been, Miriam still succumbs to her addiction to her alcoholic smoothies and Olga is still the apple of her progenitors' eyes. However, they DID have their moments of improvement. Bob learned to praise Helga for some of her achievements, even though he continued to compare her to his eldest. Miriam, in an effort to work on her addiction tried to twelve step various times but always ended up relapsing. And even though Olga was still her parents' preferred offspring, her relationship with her "baby sister" had changed rather signficantly, though it didn't do much to change their parents' relationship with their youngest daughter. Olga and Helga learned to reach common ground and to have each other's backs when they needed it the most. Sure, Olga still got on Helga's nerves with her over the top cheery disposition and desperate need for perfection but Helga learned to love and embrace her older sister.
...
Arnold, after having given Helga her first Spanish tutoring session lay in his bedroom, still contemplating the very unusual gesture he'd done towards Helga just hours ago while staring at the heavens through his skylight. He was listening to "Bachata en Fukuoka" by Juan Luis Guerra, of the Dominican Republic's most renowned and prominent artists, on his stereo. He had taken quite a liking to Dominican music, especially after finding out that the Spanish trip would be there and took the time to research and listen to the music of artists like Johnny Ventura, Juan Luis Guerra, Los Hermanos Rosario and the like.
His mind consciously distant from the music his ears were being subjected to, Arnold was still baffled at his gesture towards Helga. Why did I WINK at her? I mean it was HARMLESS but... the idea of Helga not going on this trip would just be... empty. Albeit, we're not the GREATEST of friends but it just wouldn't be fun without her sarcasm and... her rare smile and... her long blonde hair flowing in the tropical breeze... WHAT!? What is going ON with me? Arnold, SNAP OUT OF IT! I gotta call Gerald and get his help... NO, WAIT! Gerald would SLAM ME for even THINKING about this! Oh, boy, what am I getting myself into? All I did was help her with her pronunciation... She's so cute when she tries to say words in Spanish and doesn't say them properly... AGH! OKAY! I need some self-control! From here on out, I will NOT think about Helga! Why is this even HAPPENING to me for Pete's sake? This is HELGA G. PATAKI we're dealing with! She's a bully! She always has been, as far as I can remember. She's made it her life goal to bug me! I can't let her get to me... I'm so confused... What am I gonna -
"Hey, short man, got a minute?" Interrupting his thoughts was his grandpa Phil, entering his room. Arnold lowered the volume on his stereo. Steely Phil, despite his age, was still in INCREDIBLE physical condition, as was Gertie, though she has gotten a little more cooky than usual over the years. "Sure, Grandpa, what's on your mind?"
"Well, I know you're planning on going to the trip to the Dominican Republic in May and you're all excited but I've got some news for ya." Arnold's face immediately drained any kind of emotion and his heart began to sink. "Pookie and I have been trying to find all kinds of ways to get the money for your trip but we just don't have it, short man. I'm sorry." Arnold's eyes slowly began to water as Grandpa looked at him in pity, knowing how excited Arnold was for this trip.
After a few moments of pregnant silence, Phil burst into laughter. "JUST KIDDING! We got enough money to make ends meet AND finish adding up to pay for your trip! GOT YA GOOD, DIDN'T I, Arnold!? HEHEHEHEHE!" He guffawed as he handed Arnold the envelope with the money as well as his permission slip.
Arnold's face IMMEDIATELY lit up and he laughed alongside his jokester of a grandfather.
"GRANDPA! Don't scare me like that! You know how much I've been looking forward to this trip! This is a BIG DEAL FOR ME!"
"I KNOW, short man, ESPECIALLY since I know you've got Spanish with the girl in the pink bow and the one eyebrow! I've got HIGH HOPES! Hehehehe!" Arnold's head SHOT UP and his cheeks were immediately flushed with the brightest shade of crimson known to M.A.C.
"Grandpa! W-what's Helga got to do with this?" Grandpa slyly smiled at his embarrassed grandson and dodged the question with an unexpected anecdote.
"Arnold did I ever tell you about the time I went to Dominican Republic?" Arnold stared at his grandpa with a surprised look on his face and shook his head. "No! You never told me you'd gone there before!"
"Sure, I did! The year was 1946 and I along with a group of friends had saved up enough money to go to Dominican Republic on the S.S. Paraiso. My old elementary school nemesis Gertie had gone, too! We docked in Puerto Plata. The Atlantic's lover, they call it! Anywho, we stayed at a hotel just a five minute walk away from Playa Dorada, which I think means golden beach! One night, we'd decided to head over to a popular seafood restaurant near the beach. I was dressed in a snazzy suit like my pals and Gertie and her girlfriends went dressed in beautiful beach dresses. Oh, she was stunning that night, but of course, I couldn't let HER know that!" Grandpa laughed with a sort of lovesick smile on his face, Arnold listening intently to the story.
"The waiter had served us our dishes and Gertie ordered a plate of jumbo shrimp. My friend Jimmy Kafka was telling a joke about a drunk fisherman on the beach and Gertie's shrimp had gone down the wrong hole when she laughed. Before we knew it, she was choking and was running out of breath. I panicked but I'd remembered the Heimlich Maneuver they taught us back when I was training for World War II and rushed to her immediately and performed it. As soon as she hacked the shrimp out, I asked her if she was okay and we immediately locked eyes. 'Phil, you saved my life,' she told me. And we just stared at each other for a moment... Oh, I'll never forget the gleam in her gray eyes as long as I live... It was THAT night when I fell in love with her."
Arnold stared at his grandpa in awe. Who IS this Gertie woman... wait a minute.. NO. "Grandpa, is Gertie -"
"WELL, it's gettin' pretty late short man. I'm gonna hit the hay! Night, Arnold!" Arnold relented from asking his question and bid his enigmatic grandfather goodnight. "Night, Grandpa..."
Phil closed the door to his grandson's bedroom and headed downstairs. "I'm such a wiley ol' coot! Hehehehehe!" He snickered heartily and made his way towards his bedroom, leaving a very contemplative Arnold in his attic dormitory.
Man, what the heck is gonna happen on that trip?, he asked himself. Little did he know, just a few blocks away, a hot-headed, blue-eyed blonde had just asked herself the same question.
Love it? Hate it? Like it even REMOTELY? Please gimme some feedback, AHM DAYIN HURR! Reviews motivate me to keep going so PWEETY PWEEZE!? I'm sorry it's so short but after not knowing what else to do, I had close it up! It'll get better, I PROMISE! GBY and thanks for reading! ;)
-Hanna Cabrodi