Hey guys thanks for all the reviews and all the followers!
AmethystEyes22000: Thank you, I promise there is more to come!
acosta perez jose Ramiro: I'm glad you enjoyed the beginning. I felt it necessary to describe the characters one by one because we all know as lovely as the PS 118 gang was, they could never truly stay the same.
RayLedgend: You're review was really brilliant and inspiring for me. Thank you for noting the symbolism I slipped into the story. I contemplated using a simple anecdote to open the story, but I felt the true nature of the group itself would shine through in a description. Each character represents a piece of society, and their functionality or disfunctionality of each member places a crucial role to the group as a whole. All the characters, despite their crazy antics are actually quite the norm. Watching the show I noticed that Eugene was always a bit off; the black sheep of the group if you will.
Lauralogan80 4: Thank you, I promise there is more to come!
Nep2uune: In the show, I always noticed how Helga and Arnold's morality always seemed the strongest. Helga, despite depicting herself as the bad guy, almost always ended up doing the right thing in the end. For example, reuniting Mr. Hyunh with his daughter, returning Arnold's blue cap, letting Phoebe win the knowledge competition, etc. And Arnold, though despite being known as Mr. Goody Two Shoes, actually struggled to do the right thing often. For example, using Timberly to make Lila jealous, throwing paint on Helga, and skipping school with Gerald. When closely examined, both characters display a strong sense of morality.
nycgirl1 and BlackRob88: Thank you for the nice reviews!
Disclaimer: Hey Arnold was a marvelous show with surprisingly deep characters. Too bad none of them came from my brain. I do not own HA nor the image above, I am simply paying tribute to an amazing cartoon.
Now on with the show!
It seemed like everyone at Hillwood High was out to make a name for themselves, whether intentionally, or unintentionally. But me? I was a simple guy with simple goals. Nothing much had changed over the years for me. I was always happy, always looking on the bright side, much like Arnold. I loved musical theatre, and have loved it ever since I can remember. I'm accident prone, klutzy if you will, and I always seem to be getting hurt. But that was okay, because I knew tomorrow was another day, and I knew whatever mess I was in, the next day, I could rise against it. I was a true believer…
Yeah right. I might have been in the old days, but that definitely wasn't me now. As long as I can remember, people have always been calling me names and snickering behind my back. It hurt at first, but I learned to live with it. I was Eugene Horowitz, the plucky kid who wouldn't let anyone bring him down. The jibes directed toward me were never that cruel, until now.
Now I was fag boy, fruit tart, no nuts, and those were just the nicer names. The day I came out to my best friend Sheena, the news spread like wild fire, and I wasn't sure how. I went from being a casual bully victim, to a constant bully victim. I couldn't tell you how many times mean notes were stuffed in my locker, cruel words written across my deck, degrading terms being spewed at me. The pain was unbearable. I would lock myself in my room and cry for hours on end.
The high school hierarchy ate me up, and spat me down to the bottom. I lost friends left and right. Sid and Stinky quickly accused me of hitting on them one day during lunch when I had asked them for a napkin. Harold demanded that I stay away from him because he didn't want my "gayness to spread". Even Brainy turned against me one day, holding up his hands and wheezing "Uhh…sorry man, *wheeze* I don't *wheeze* roll that way". Through and through, Sheena and a few people managed to stick by me and stand by my side. Even though I had some friends, I felt completely alone.
Things got even worse at the beginning of the year when Sheena and I got prestigious scholarships to attend an amazing performing arts school for a year. I was ecstatic to leave a world where I was an outcast and enter a world where I would be welcomed. But I never made it to the school. The day before I was supposed to leave, I was about head down the stairs out of the school, towards my car. I had just had a wonderful day of rehearsal for a part I would be auditioning for in the school play at my new school. It was late at night. I should have been more careful. I should have been less trusting. I should have known.
A group of boys I didn't even know surrounded me, threatening to "beat the gay out of me". I had never been so terrified in my life. The group encircled me and began shoving me around, stating that they were just getting warmed up. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what I had done. Why were the so cruel to me when I didn't even know these boys?
Tears stung my eyes and I turned on my heel to run away, but one of the guys stuck a leg out and tripped me. I remember the group guffawing as I fell down the stairs, and rolled to the bottom. I put out my arms to brace myself, but then…. SNAP! I let out an enormous cry of pain as the familiar sensation of breaking a bone overtook me.
"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" I exclaimed. I looked around, but my group of attackers had fled. Sobbing to myself I called an ambulance and went to the hospital. My dreams of attending the new performing arts school were shattered. Their musical theatre group often travelled as they performed new plays, and with a broken arm I would be useless. With a bitter heart I attempted to file a police report. But the police stated I would have no case, because I didn't know who my attackers were. After all, a cop had told me, I was accident prone, and for all he knew, the broken arm could have been my fault.
Sheena took my side though, and came over to my house to comfort me, which brings me to the present day. I was currently slumped over on my couch, sporting a tear streaked face, as Sheena sat across me, trying to sooth me.
"Eugene I'm so sorry that happened to you. They're jerks, you know? But it's okay, you're stronger than this" she sympathized with warm smile.
"Oh Sheena I know they're jerks, but I'm just so tired of it! I thought I'd be able to get a new start you know?" I began with a weak smile, "I thought that we could go away to this new school for a year and make new friends, and maybe finally get be accepted. Now you'll be going away, and well…I'll have no one."
Her smile faltered, "Eugene," she began seriously, "I don't have to go to the school you know. I could just stay here, with you."
Stay? Sheena was always so selfless, but was she really willingly to part with her lifelong dream for me? On one hand, she was my best friend. More than anything, I wanted her to stay. I didn't want to lose that bond. Over the recent rather drastic changes in my life, Sheena was the only thing that had remained constant. She was my savior, she was my crutch! But I couldn't hold her back. I knew her words were kind, but they definitely weren't true. If Sheena didn't go to that school, I knew she'd regret it. And so would I.
I grabbed Sheena firmly by the shoulders, "Sheena, going to this school has been our dream! It's finally coming true, and you're willing to throw that all away? I know I won't be there to live out that dream with you Sheena, but I want you to live it anyway. You're my best friend, and I love you," I said tearing up," and being your best friend means having your best interests at heart. I want you to go."
"But Eugene—"
"But nothing! You will go, and that's final."
"Oh Eugene, thank you!" Sheena exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.
"Any time," I sniffled into her shoulder.
"I have to go home and pack! The school is taking us to Chicago tomorrow! I have to get ready! I have to—" Sheena began excitedly, but then stopped suddenly, "Oh Eugene is this…?" She sniffled, trailing off.
"Goodbye? Oh Sheena, this isn't goodbye. You'll be back next year. And anyways, I'll definitely be at the school whenever you guys aren't travelling to catch every single production and play!"
I walked Sheena to the door after we said a few parting words. Sheena smiled and encircled me into one final hug. I held tightly onto her. My best friend was leaving to live out her dream while I was stuck in high school with a bunch of petty bullies. Sorrow welled up inside me.
Whispering into my ear, Sheena said, "You're the best friend I ever had, I know you'll be okay" she said as she shut the door behind her as she left.
"You're my best friend too…" I whispered to the back, failing to state my trademark line, "I'm okay!" Because for once in my damn life, I was not okay.
