Helga took a deep breath clutching the straps on her book bag. This sucked. How was she supposed to face Arnold? Was she supposed to smile in his face and pretend everything was okay? Could she still be his friend? After overhearing his true feelings, she went numb. It wasn't like she was hiding behind being an angry little girl anymore, no. She was herself with him, her true self and he still didn't want her. She sighed trying to put on a brave face. Standing outside wasn't going to make it any better. At that moment she felt someone's arms loop around hers and she smiled. Thankfully she wasn't in this alone.

"If you don't want to go in, we could ditch, just for today."

Helga looked over at her dearest friend knowing that Phoebe didn't mean a single word she said.

"Nah. I got to face the music sometimes."

Phoebe looked at her friend's heartbroken expression wishing she could fix it somehow. She always saw a lot of pain in Helga and tried to fix things quietly. When her home life became overwhelming, she would secretly hint to Bob a big business function out of town. When Helga encouraged her mom to go back to school, Phoebe quietly left financial aid information around the Pataki home hoping she could find it. They were little things that she couldn't tell Helga about. She knew about the things Helga tried to hide but she couldn't fix them, only make them better temporarily. But this, this was something she wasn't sure she could help Helga through. There were not enough ice cream binges and sleepovers in the world to heal Helga's heartache.

The blonde girl took one step forward and shook her head. "Don't worry, Phoebs. At least I got my answer." She tried to smile for her friend but it looked more like a grimace. "But enough about me. How was your weekend with Lorenzo?" She wiggled her eyebrows and watched Phoebe's face tint an adorable shade of crimson. Those two danced around each other for years until Phoebe got up the courage to ask him out. He said yes immediately and the two had been dating since last year. Helga was glad her friend got who she wanted. She deserved it.

Phoebe cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses. "It was nice." She felt guilty leaving her friend but Helga insisted she keep her plans with her boyfriend. She knew Helga needed to be alone so she honored her wish.

Helga was happy for the subject change. "Nice? You play house with your boyfriend for a weekend and all I get is nice?"

Phoebe's blush deepened as she tried to hide her face in her hands. "Okay it was…perfect." Helga laughed at her friend and playfully poked her side.

"That's more like it." They spoke quietly until Helga squealed in surprise. Someone had their arms wrapped around her waist and spun her around, lifting her off the ground. As soon as she was set down she balled up her fist and hit one Gerald Johansson square in the shoulders. He grabbed the spot, rubbing it dramatically. "Geez Pataki. I was only making sure you were prepared for anything." She turned toward him and flicked the cap off his not-so-tall hair. "Well it looks like I am." She smiled at him. Gerald and Helga had a complicated relationship. The once childhood enemies turned acquaintances grew closer a few summers ago when they were both stuck in Hillwood for the summer while everyone else went away. They found they had more in common than both realized and actually enjoyed hanging out together. Even when school and their friends returned, they found time to hang out.

He looked over at Phoebe then, finally realizing he and Helga weren't alone. "Hey Phoebe."

She smiled at him fidgeting with the books in her hand a while. "Hey"

Phoebe and Gerald looked at each other awkwardly. They When Gerald finally gathered the courage to ask phoebe on a date, he found Phoebe was on her first with Lorenzo. He knew it was his fault, 'he who hesitates is lost' and all that. This is why he was constantly on Arnold about admitting his feelings for Helga before it was too late. Like Arnold, Gerald thought he had all the time in the world which was a dangerous assumption. Still, he backed off when he saw how happy she was with Lorenzo.

Noting the always-present tension between the two, Helga grabbed her books from her locker, feeling a subject change was in order. "How was your weekend Gerald?"

Gerald rubbed his temples. "Honestly, it was torture. Arnold spent the weekend at my place."

Phoebe looked at her friend to gauge her reaction. She was eerily calm, which worried Phoebe even more. "Well that was pretty rude considering his parents came back and had family visiting." She slammed her locker with more force than was necessary. "I met his cousin in the park Friday." She shrugged and made her way to class, falling in step with Phoebe and Gerald.

Gerald looked slightly surprised. "You've met Ethan?"

She nodded. "Yeah he seemed kind of...Sad."

"That's Arnold's brother."

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I didn't know that."

Gerald put his arm around her. "That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. Arnold's having a rough time adjusting to his parents being back and throwing a long lost brother to the mix didn't help matters. Since you give pretty good advice, I was wondering if you could talk to him."

Helga didn't know what to do. She was hurt he didn't want her, but she still wanted to be his friend. He still meant so much to her. "Yeah."

Speak of the devil. An angry Arnold walked up and stood next to Gerald. "I can't believe this. Now he's going to school here too." Helga studied his features. He looked so hurt, so angry, so unlike himself. She just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be alright. She doubted he would take it, if he even noticed she was there. This beautiful boy would never be hers.

Maybe in time they could be friends but right now she had to get away from him. She could feel her chest constricting as if she could barely breathe. Mumbling an apology she brushed past him trying to walk down the hall. She should have known it wouldn't work because Arnold jogged up beside her and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm sorry about my blow up back there. I really wanted to see how you were. Are you okay?"

She nodded slowly. He was so selfless. Even though he was hurting he checked on her.

He kept talking. "So listen I was thinking we could meet up for our next session tonight."

She looked at the lockers, the doors, anything to avoid his eyes. "I'm sorry I can't." Whipping her head forward she kept walking and called out to him. "I have to go." Before he could protest she scurried off into the hall blending in to the sea of students that rushed to get to class on time.

Ethan took the small piece of paper in his hand mouthing the combination again. He pounded the locker in frustration when it still wouldn't open. He groaned. It was going to be a long day. Figuring he could focus on his studies for a break from the family drama, he was excited to go to school. He had never been to one before and according to his parents he would be a senior.

Unfortunately, it didn't pan out that way. According to the counselor his lack of formal education left him a few credits shy of being considered a senior. This meant he would have to enroll as a junior. He only hoped he didn't have any classes with Arnold. His kid brother had been giving him the cold shoulder since he came home from his friend's house last night. He suspected things wouldn't get better if he found out Ethan would be in his classes too. He hated this town, he always felt like he was in the way. And everything seemed to be more complicated here—families, schools, damn lockers.

Ethan was just about to give up when a slender graceful hand slid the paper with the combination from his hand.

"Maybe I can help," the sultry voice offered which caused Ethan to give it his full attention.

In front of him stood Rhonda Wellington Lloyd and she looked like a lion on the prowl. Her fire engine red nails grazed his bicep as she leaned in. "These things can be tricky."

Flipping her hair she bit her lip slowly turning the lock left, right and left again. Ethan thought she was trying too hard.

With a wide smile she turned to him once she opened it. Standing unbearably close to him she stepped on the tips of her toes to whisper in his ear. "See, you just have to be patient."

He cleared his throat looking away awkwardly. "Thanks."

"You know, everyone's talking about the new hot guy in the school. I just had to come here and meet him for myself."

"Oh." Wow, this girl was forward, and Ethan could already tell she was used to getting what she wanted. "Where is he?"

She giggled and hit his chest in a matter he was sure was supposed to be flirtatious. To him it came across a little fake. Batting her lashes she smiled at him again. "I hope I made a good impression, Ethan."

He looked confused. He was wondering how she knew his name but she backed away then. "My name's Rhonda. I look forward to seeing you around. Let me know if you need a personal tour."

He forced a smile on his face and waved to her. He could tell this was going to be a long day.

Up next: More of Ethan's first day...Thanks for reading!