Chapter Two: Rhonda's Grad Bash Weekend (Continued)

Saturday, June 4th, 2012


Everyone worked on their own schedule. After drinking some students were accustomed to waking up early to sneak out of houses or get breakfast before it was too late. Others were used to sleeping in until two in the afternoon, eating a greasy meal and napping again before more partying. And some kids fell in between.

Arnold groaned and rolled over, suddenly happy to see a blonde lump beside him in bed. He was definitely hungover, but was sure he hadn't had that much to drink last night. Arnold quickly checked himself - he was still dressed.

So nothing too scandalous happened last night, which was a relief.

"Helga?"

She rolled over, keeping the duvet tight over her head. She released a few unhappy grumbles so Arnold pulled her close to him, kissing the top of her head. He was shocked to feel his hands against her warm skin.

"Are you dressed?" he whispered.

The pile of fluff moved around under the covers, and he heard her voice muffled, "No shirt."

"Nothing?" Arnold smirked.

"Nu-uh."

Arnold and Helga had had their fair share of sleepovers since they started dating. Nine times out of ten they were up late watching a movie or crashing from the party on opposite couches. Sometimes they'd even be studying on a school night so late that it was pointless to even try and sleep. Only once had they hooked up and slept in the same bed, but were discovered by his grandpa and Gerald. Both men had been worried since Arnold had slept in until noon on a Saturday and wasn't waking up to Phil's knocks or Gerald's calls. Lesson learned.

Arnold's hands slid up Helga's hips, tickling her lightly as he poked her ribs. She giggled and kicked her legs out, still keeping herself hidden under the comforter. He really wanted to give her a good morning kiss, even if it was on the cheek, so he decided to crawl under the sheets.

And that's when he screamed.

His body jerked him forwards, up to the sunshine and view of the empty beach.

The sudden movement made the plastic lounge chair collapse underneath him, the legs bending in opposite directions. Helga groaned after she smacked her head against the armrest. "Jesus Christ, Football Head." She squinted her eyes against the sunlight and sat up, "Did you have a nightmare?"

He nodded before covering his face with his hands, "It didn't start out that way."

Helga pulled his hands off his face and put her hand on his cheek, "Tell me."

Usually he had nightmares about his parents, taking part in the plane crash, or flying his own plane and crashing. Sometimes he'd be lost in a forest and fall off a cliff. Helga had always told him to call when he had a nightmare, no matter what time of night. She loved dissecting dreams, but also wanted to make sure Arnold was okay.

"It started out as you and I waking up in bed, but you were hiding your face under the covers. And when I finally looked at you, you were. . .Carly."

Helga's supportive smile vanished. "That bitch made it into your dream?"

"Nightmare," Arnold corrected. "I don't know why. . .did I see her last night or something?"

"Yeah, she was on your arm with Rhonda."

Arnold thought back for a moment until he remembered. "She tried spilling her drink on me."

Helga started to stand up, but Arnold forced her back down. She fell against him, elbows digging into his chest as the chair crashed even further into the sand. "Ow," Arnold cried.

"That's what you get for stopping me! I need to find her and end her!"

"Helga," Arnold lifted the two up, his grip tight against her abdomen. "Shouting and kicking won't get you anywhere. If she is really here, we need to talk to Gerald and Brainy. They'll know what to do."

Helga sighed and leaned into Arnold. "I guess you're right."

He nipped her neck, whispering, "Of course I am," before biting down with the slightest bit of pressure. Helga gasped and tensed before he kissed and pulled away, "I'm in love with you, Helga Pataki, and nothing's going to change that."

~HA~

"Good morning, honey."

Brian Sherwood opened his eyes at the sound of the voice and was overwhelmed with an intense burning in his thighs. He felt a cold hand slowly inching its way up his leg into dangerous territory and jerked away. Brainy fumbled around the floor until he found his glasses and slipped them on. He had been backing away from the blurry figure, but now the room instantly became clear, as did his partner.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" he screamed and scrambled to his feet, unaware that he was clad only in boxer briefs. He tripped over the ends of the sheets and two football players. Neither felt him as he got off them and continued running, dragging the blanket behind him. No one in the room woke up. He made it outside and began scanning the area for someone he knew. Thankfully he saw his favorite couple walking away from Condo 6 with coffee.

"Helga! Arnold! Oh, my god!"

Helga dug her head into Arnold's shoulder. Arnold snickered, "Brainy, why aren't you wearing clothes?"

Brainy looked down to see that he was wearing his boxers, so he wasn't completely naked. He wrapped the sheet around him like a toga, draping some off his shoulder and letting it all pool around the rest of him. "You'll never believe what just happened."

Helga laughed, "Someone stole your clothes?"

He shook his head. "I woke up next to Carly. And she called me 'honey.'"

Helga dropped her coffee out of shock. She immediately bent down to pick it up, cursing herself. "You were not that drunk last night. At least, I don't think you were."

Brainy waved his free arm around, "I know I wasn't!"

"Did you have sex with her?"

Helga shot a pointed look at Arnold. He shrugged. His question was perfeclty innocent, right? "What?"

"Not important," Helga threw her arm supportively around her friend, "The important thing is that you got away from her."

"I just. . .I have a bad feeling that things got out of hand last night."

Helga sighed and waved her palm at Brainy, "Give me your phone."

"Do you think I carry it around in my underwear?"

Helga's eyes went wide with realization. "Oh, my God!" She immediately burst into laughter. She turned around and began walking away, cackling.

Arnold looked Brainy in the eyes before glancing down for a brief second.

Brainy mimicked Arnold's movements, suddenly realizing just what that burning - caused by none other than Carly - actually was. "Oh mother fucker!"

Arnold couldn't help but half-smile at his poor, distraught friend. "We'll see you later." Helga was now doubled over, laying in the sand and holding her stomach, "Arnold, oh my god, I can't stop."

"Come on, Helga," Arnold picked her up off the ground.

"Don't say that!" Helga couldn't control her laughter.

"I swear, sometimes you're as mature as a twelve-year-old boy."

Brainy quietly returned to the house, only to get jumped by Carly. She was shirtless and pressed her half-exposed chest into his back. Be strong, Brainy, hesaid to himself. Her fingers ran down his arms, nails scratching lightly against his skin. The hairs against the back of his neck rose, "You okay?"

"You kind of left me in a difficult. . . uh, position, this morning," he tensed as her hands flushed against the curve of his back.

"I'm sorry," she kissed his forearm. "Want me to take care of that?"

Sunday, June 5th, 2012

Rhonda, Lila, Carly and Nadie were laying out on the beach when Helga "accidentally" stumbled upon them. It was just after dusk and the girls were spending the last few minutes in the sun that they could.

Helga had spent the day with Arnold on the beach with the other senior students. They had also been hanging out with Phoebe and Gerald. Brainy had yet to be heard from. The Saturday Night party had been a tame one (no serious stripping happened), and everyone was still alive.

For now.

"Carly, I have a bone to pick with you."

Carly pulled her sunglasses up into her hair, "Yeah?"

Helga made sure her glare was piercing, "Did you or did you not have sex with Brainy on Friday night?"

"EW! What?" Rhonda gasped. Everyone turned to face their friend.

She smiled, "Yeah. And Saturday morning. And this morning too."

"You whore! Good for you," Rhonda giggled.

Helga gagged. "If you're just doing this to string him along and break his heart, I will actually break your face." She bent down to Carly's height, "Believe me, you've had it coming."

"I actually really like him."

"What?" Rhonda repeated herself.

"Shut up, Princess!" Helga cast her old childhood friend another glare before facing Carly. "You're a pretty bad actress, Carly. I know when you're lying."

She smiled, "I'm not lying."

Helga grit her teeth. Either she had actually improved her lying since winter break or she really liked Brainy. She really hoped it was the former. "Aren't you like fourteen?"

"I'll be seventeen in September. I'm the oldest in our class."

"Don't think this is over, Carly." Helga stood up and shoved Carly's chair back a little bit, "Not even close."

Helga then took off on a search for Brainy, heart gripped with fear that he actually liked Carly too. Maybe she'd get lucky and he only liked the bitch for the sex.

GROUP MESSAGE: Has anyone seen Brainy?

PHOEBE: Not since lunch.

ARNOLD: He's not at Condo 5 or 6.

GERALD: He's with me, upstairs Condo 2.

Helga bolted up the stairs, only to become overwhelmed with the stench of pot. It was nauseating. She was about to open the door, but noticed the towel taped around the doorframe. Whoever was in there smoking would be pissed if she opened the door.

She knocked twice, "Brian Andrew Sherwood, you better be in there."

"Helga!" the call was followed by roaring laughter. "I'll open the door, quick, come in!"

The door opened a crack and Helga wedged her way in quickly.

The room was completely full of smoke, every window, crack and air vent sealed tight. The fire alarm was in five pieces on the nightstand. Helga crossed her arms over her chest, "You guys are such assholes. This condo is going to reek forever."

"Not our problem," Iggy replied as he exhaled around his joint.

A few seniors were resting against the patio door in a semi-circle passing around a hookah. Iggy was the only one walking around the room. Helga knew he had supplied whoever was in here with the "good time." There had to be at least ten guys in here. Helga carefully maneuvered around the two boys laying on the floor staring at the fan, pointing to imaginary things in the air. It had to be acid. Finally, Helga saw a small group of four cramped around the doorway to the bathroom.

"Brainy," Helga watched him take a hit off a rainbow painted glass bowl. She cringed as he exhaled towards the ceiling fan. "Isn't that bad for your lungs?"

"Yes," Gerald answered as Brainy coughed violently.

Sid flicked his Zippo lighter on and off as he tried to re-ignite the weed. He sucked in, but could barely capture any smoke. "I think we're about done here."

Iggy rolled across the bed and plucked his bowl from Sid's hands. Sid blinked slowly a few times at his empty hands, "Damn it, I can feel my eyelids again."

Gerald burst into laughter, sputtering around his bottle of Gatorade. "He says that every time."

"Helga, I'm so happy to see you," Brainy pulled her down into his lap. She smiled and smacked him upside the head. He couldn't feel it.

"Do you like Carly?"

He nodded. "I was just telling Geraldo over there," he waved his hand at Gerald, who met his with a lazy high five, "how great she is."

"In bed," Sid added laughing.

Helga cringed again, but stopped when her phone dinged. She was grateful for whoever texted her to distract her from the conversation. Brainy pressed his chin to Helga's shoulder, giggling and trying to read her phone.

ARNOLD: Did you ever find B-man?

HELGA: He's higher than a kite right now.

ARNOLD: LOL

HELGA: I'll try to get him a little more sober before dinner. Also, this is Gerald and Iggy's fault.

ARNOLD: Gerald never smokes during basketball season.

HELGA: Both of your seasons are over, right? I think he's secretly in mourning.

ARNOLD: Growing up is hard to do.

Helga laughed and clicked her phone off. Brainy had move and was busy retelling the events of the morning to Sid and Gerald, who were in complete hysterics over the fact that he was woken up by Carly about to "perform sexual things," only to scramble away in fear and still not realize his dilemma until it was pointed out. "I was so embarrassed. I wanted to die right there."

Gerald continued laughing, "Worse things have happened. Besides no one saw."

Brainy nodded, "But Helga and Arnold."

Sid's face curled in disgust, "Helga, you saw Brainy's dick?"

She shoved his shoulder, "No, you asswipe! He was wearing a sheet!"

"Oh," Sid nodded with understanding.

Brainy started giggling, "She thought it was my cell phone."

Helga waved her hands in the air to stop the conversation. "Alright, story time is over. Come on, dinner is going to be served soon."

Everyone in the room went silent at the mention of food. Iggy grinned, "Ohmygod, let's eat!"

Helga inhaled deeply at the scent of salty ocean breeze. She had been suffocating in that room. Phoebe smiled broadly and waved Helga over to an empty log. "Hey, how's the Brainy hunt going?"

"I found him smoking weed with Gerald and Sid." Helga pressed her nose against her shoulder. Her shirt stunk. She'd need a shower, or at least a dip in the ocean.

"I figured that's where Gerald went. He's been acting odd."

Helga's body snapped to attention, "What do you mean?"

"I don't think he's accepted the fact that we're going to college, you know, that we won't be together. All of us." Phoebe looked around to make sure no one was listening, "I was discussing it with Arnold yesterday. He noticed Gerald has been acting differently as well."

"I'll deny this if you ever say anything, but Tall Hair Boy is the coolest kid around. Just cause we're not there doesn't mean he won't make friends."

"I think there's mor-"

"Attention, everyone!" Rhonda's voice carried through the six-house speaker system as she stood on the second story patio beside the DJ. Everyone went quiet. "I have just been informed that somebody wants to perform a song. I figured 'why the hell not?' and decided to OK his performance. So, here we go. . ."

The sound of a drum stick counting out a beat echoed through the houses, "I met her a backyard block party by the bar, she kept looking at me like she knew who I was, she was buzzin' out over me. . ."

Everyone rushed to gather around the first condo, looking up and watching none other than Gerald, rapping the old summer hit 'Buzzin' by Shwayze.

. . .I gotta whole lot of love
but none like you.
You make me wanna stay
here in heaven with you.
I'll write your name in the sand,
put your hand with mine.
Come on baby,
shoot your gun in the sky!

The students watched in awe as Gerald climbed over the edge of the balcony and held on with one hand.

Bang bang baby hit me one time,
two days on the road
and you're still on my mind.
You'd think that I would learn
'cause I'm young and fine

A few girls in the crowd cheered at that line. Gerald winked. Helga rolled her eyes.

. . . I'm just tryin' to play it cool
I got a rep to protect,
down at the high school. . .

The music continued to play but Gerald had stopped rapping. He tossed the mike down into the crowd and everyone waited in suspense for what he was going to do.

"Oh, shit," Helga's voice trailed off as she pushed through the crowd. Phoebe was on her heels.

Gerald then saluted and kids continued to cheer for him as he carelessly jumped into the sea of students. Phoebe shut her eyes as Helga watched in fear. Was he actually trusting his classmates to catch him, or was he hoping they'd break his fall? The balcony was only thirty, maybe forty, feet above the ground. If it had been directly on the beach, Phoebe would not have have been so worried. But there was a concrete patio that stretched out to a low fence, which connected to a sidewalk which was borded with sand.

He was finally lowered to the ground on the beach. The crowed was still cheering him on. Helga ran over to him screaming, "How high are you?"

Gerald started laughing, "Very. Oh, man, that was awesome!"

Arnold ran over to the group, "Are you nuts?"

"Everyone's a critic."

Phoebe offered him a hand up, "Why would you do that?"

Gerald shrugged and finally got to his feet, brushing the dirt off his basketball jersey. "For fun?"

Arnold wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders, "Let's go get you some food and maybe some water." The two boys walked off towards the fourth condo. Arnold nudged him gently in the ribs, "Dude, I'm worried about you."

"Why? I'm fine."

"I know you're avoiding something when you smoke." Gerald visibly tensed. "And you know better. YMMA does drug tests."

"I'm not going to show up to a game high, Arnold. Besides, our season's over."

"I thought Wittenburg asked you to come back for a summer job?"

"He did," Gerald collapsed on the living room couch and stretched. His back felt tight after he was caught by possibly drunk classmates. "I turned it down." Arnold tossed Gerald an orange and pulled out two water bottles. He simply quirked his eyebrow at his friend, waiting for a more detailed explanation. "My parents wanted me home for the summer."

"You expect me to believe that your father told you to not take a paying job? We volunteer during the year, but summer kids get paid, you know."

"I just. . ." Gerald sat up and covered his head in his hands. He rubbed his eyes, knowing how blood shot they would be tomorrow. "I have to leave."

Arnold nodded, "It's summer, Gerald. We all have vacations and stuff."

"No. I have to go to UPenn and take three classes. I leave at the end of this month."

"That's awesome! Tons of kids take summer classes. Who knows, it could get rid of credits down the line."

"Yeah, and with my APs I could earn enough to graduate a semester early. But that's not important yet, that's four year into the future."

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm not ready to go yet, Arnold."