Time flies when your having fun. Fall break came and went, with Arnold staying put. Then it was Thanksgiving. He packed some bags, said goodbye to his friends, then he and his parents flew back to Hillwood. He caught up with the boarders and some old friends, and then they were leaving again, promising to be back for Christmas and New Years.
Arnold sulked on the way home. Nothing had really gone the way he had wanted.
Things were awkward between him and Gerald, and he felt out of loop with his old friends. They had made new friends, also, as well as catching up with Arnold, some of them were catching up with each other as well. Or talking about people he didn't know. Telling stories where you had to have been there.
But the biggest disappointment was Helga. He had seen her once from a distance, and she had looked his way, but turned and walked in the opposite direction. When he went to her place he was told she wasn't home. He also found out from Sheena that she had changed her mobile number, too, and hadn't let him know. Sheena gave it to him, but when he called it she wouldn't answer. When he asked Lila she just smiled apologetically and told him she was sorry but she couldn't help him.
Phoebe said hi, but didn't stop to chat and hang out.
He didn't know which emotion was more powerful: hurt or anger. And he was angry, he admitted it to himself. She had just completely cut him out of her life. Which also hurt so much.
The only time things weren't awkward for Arnold with Gerald was when he was talking about Phoebe. He had finally found out that over the summer she had met someone and was in contact with him still. He went to the high school in the next town over. He was gutted at first, but was coming to terms with it, and was even flirting with someone new.
Arnold said nothing to him about Helga, though.
"She's been busy, man," Gerald finally said.
"Who?" Arnold asked, trying to act as if he didn't care. Gerald sighed.
"You're a terrible actor," Gerald told him, laughing.
Arnold smiled remembering the conversation.
But it still didn't take away the hurt.
What was wrong with him? He wondered. How was it that everyone had moved on, but he was still hung up on her?
…...
Something had happened while Arnold was gone at home, too. Alix and Steven were avoiding each other, riley was quiet, and Reagan wasn't talking to Steven.
"What's going on?" Arnold finally got time to ask Riley. Riley shook his head.
"Steven and Alix," he whispered, looking towards Steven. "He kissed Alix!"
Arnold's jaw dropped.
"He what!" Arnold asked.
"On a dare," Riley added.
"Oh, no. poor Alix," Arnold said, looking her way
"Reagan's loyalties lie with Alix, of course, being as they used to be family. So it's been a bit awkward," Riley told him.
"A bit?"
"Okay, a lot awkward."
Steven stayed away for a couple of days. He spoke to Arnold and Riley, but neither Alix or Reagan spoke to him. Finally Arnold asked him what happened.
"I don't know, man," Steven admitted, running hands through his hair. "Some dude was hanging around her, and getting touchy, and I went over, pulled her away, we had a little argument and then I kissed her."
"But why?" Arnold asked. "You know how she feels about you, right?"
Steven nodded.
"I don't know," Steven said, sighing. "I just couldn't stand that guy being near her."
The next thing that Arnold wanted to look at was Riley, who had gone more quiet than usual. With all the drama going down between Alix, Steven and Reagan, no one else had noticed anything strange until Arnold had pointed it out to Alix.
"Riley's home life is complicated, Arnold, you know that," Reagan had told him.
So Arnold invited Riley over after school one day. They hung out, talking about homework, people and all the other things boys talk about. When it was all relaxed and good Arnold asked him if something was up. Riley was quiet for a moment, before finally sighing and spilling.
"My parent's are divorcing," he admitted.
"Oh," Arnold said, not quite sure what else to say.
"Yeah, it's been a long time coming, and points to them for trying to work it out, but . . ." he stopped.
"But, what?" Arnold asked.
"If it hadn't been for my sister before me, they never would have married," he told him.
Arnold was shocked. He didn't even know Riley had an older sister. And he said so.
"I don't. She passed away a couple years after I was born. Leukaemia. Everything went downhill from there for my family. I'm surprised they pulled it off this long," Riley said.
Arnold felt bad for him. He couldn't believe he was just learning about these things now.
"Don't tell the others," Riley begged.
"I wont, but how are you going to keep your parents divorcing a secret from them?" Arnold asked. Riley shook his head.
"Not about my parents. About my sister. I've never told them about her. My parents hid away all sign of her existence. Or my dad did," Riley told him.
Arnold shook his head. How tragic.
"So tell me about your parents," Riley said. "Your mother especially is very . . . um . . . how do I put it?"
Arnold sighed. He had told Alix, and to her credit she obviously hadn't told anyone else.
"My father is a anthropologist, my mom a botanist. they met in San Lorenzo. That's where I was born," Arnold told him. Riley's eyes went wide.
"You weren't born in America?" he asked.
Arnold shook his head, smiling.
"Nope. Anyway, my dad was injured, my mom nursed him, they fell in love, married and had me," he continued. "A little before my birthday they had to go back to help out a tribe that had some illness going around. They didn't come back."
Both boys were quiet.
"Then what happened?" Riley finally asked.
"My grandparents raised me, I grew up in Hillwood, Helga tormented me all through kindy and elementary," he stopped wondering if he should mention the whole FTI incident. "Turns out it was because she loved me. Which she admitted, but then took back. She's complicated. Anyway, I won an essay contest which meant I could choose to go anywhere with my class, so I chose San Lorenzo."
"Why?" Riley asked, completely drawn in.
"Because I had my dad's journal, which had a map in it showing where they were going."
Riley shook his head.
"No way. You have to be lying," he said. Arnold smiled.
"True story, ask my parents," he said. "Helga helped me find them, I told her I loved her, we kissed, dated in middle school. Then I broke up with her before I moved here. In a nutshell."
Riley whistled.
"So now I know Reagan's story and your story and the Steven Alix story, what's Steven's alone?" Arnold asked.
Riley thought a moment.
"Not much to say. You know he's well off, loves girls, parents are happily married, no family tragedies, though his grandmother died last year, not that they were close," Riley said thoughtfully. "He's lucky."
"Can I ask you something, Arnold?" he finally asked.
"Sure," he said. Riley nodded.
"You've been . . . unsettled? Since you came back from your visit to Hillwood," Riley noted. "Why?"
"What do you mean, unsettled?" Arnold asked defensively. Riley shrugged.
"You just seem . . . down, and angst or something," he told him.
Arnold looked sown at the floor. What should he say? Was he that obvious?
"That's the thing about being the quiet one in a group," Riley said. "Everyone gets so caught up in their own drama's that they don't sit back to watch everyone else's. I've always bee the one people come to with problems, and it seems you were back where you came from."
Arnold nodded.
"Well, you did me the favour of listening to me. Let me repay the favour by listening to you," Riley said softly.
"She's completely cut me out of her life," Arnold finally said. "She changed her mobile number. She didn't even tell me. She told her friends not to give it to me, though I managed to get it from one girl. But when I called she didn't answer. When she saw me she turned the other way. No "hey, football head, how's it going?" or even a "hi". Just nothing!" he shouted angrily. Riley jumped a bit as Arnold raised his voice.
"The worst part is she waited until I was out of town before she did it!" he continued to rant. "Everything I hear about her is second hand from other people. I've emailed her, text her, called her, even wrote a freaking letter, and nothing!"
Arnold sat down. "Absolutely. Nothing." He covered his face with his hands and took a deep breath.
"So, basically, you've stalked her," Riley stated.
Arnold looked up at him.
"Well, I wouldn't say I was stalking her . . ."
"Arnold, you just admitted to knowing everything she has been getting up to, from other people, so your dragging others into this, you've been calling her, emailing her, writing to her, texting her, and you showed up at her house un announced when you were visiting. If it were an old friend it would be strange. But an ex-girlfriend?" Riley pointed out.
"Well, I guess when you put it that way . . ."
"There's another way to put it?" Riley asked.
Arnold shook his head.
"I don't know what's wrong with me!" he wailed, falling back on his bed. "I even brought her a Christmas present."
"Really?" Riley asked. "What did you get her?"
Arnold went pink.
"Arnold? What did you get her?" Riley demanded this time.
"A set," Arnold said, clearing his throat.
"A set? Of what? Books, golf clubs? What?" Riley asked laughing.
"A necklace, bracelet and ring set," he admitted.
Riley stared at him.
"Jewellery?" Riley asked, shocked.
Arnold nodded his head.
"With . . . a . . . ring?" he asked, to be sure he had heard right.
"Uh huh," Arnold replied, dropping his face in his hands again.
Both boys were quiet for a moment.
"Well, um . . . that's nice," Riley finally said, awkwardly.
…...
"Well, maybe it's a little creepy stalker," Alix said.
Arnold needed a girl's perspective on the whole situation. Was he really coming across as a stalker?
"Ugh! I knew it! She's gonna have the restraining order ready when I get there, isn't she?"
Alix laughed.
"Maybe. But don't worry about it til it happens," she said, patting his shoulder. She was thoughtful for a moment.
"I know! Why don't you start trying to date someone new?" she asked. "Clarissa is keen on you, and so is Lacey. And I hear a rumour that Aurora has been rushing on you quietly."
"Who's Aurora?" Arnold asked, looking at her confused. Alix laughed.
"She sits beside you in Science, Arnold!"
"Her names Aurora? I've been calling her Lucy!" he cried. Alix laughed hysterically at this, while Arnold moaned.
"Why didn't she say anything?" he asked.
"Who?" Reagan asked coming over. Alix told him. He started laughing.
"Oh, Arnold!" he said. "What are we going to do with you?"
Both he and Alix continued to laugh at his expense, when Riley came over. He was told the story and had a small laugh as well.
"Well, you'll make her day now, when you greet her using her actual name," Riley pointed out.
