A petite Asian girl approached the blue house as the sun set, casting everything around her in a warm glow. It was just before 5 PM on Valentine's day, the time she had agreed to come over and help Helga get ready for the blind date. She was excited, but also nervous for the night as she knew that so many things were about to change. Hopefully, they would all be changes for the better and not permanent damaging ones. Her white Converse sneakers smacked the concrete as she hopped up the steps and opened the front door with the spare key Helga had given her years ago for emergency use. She figured that Helga wouldn't mind if she let herself in. A quick glance around was enough for Phoebe to conclude that Helga's parents had already left for the night.
Phoebe dashed up the stairs and softly knocked at Helga's door. When there was no answer, she slowly opened it and peered in. "Helga? Helga are you here?" Her eyes landed on Helga sitting on the bed, her pigtails hanging limply on her shoulders. Helga's head snapped up as Phoebe entered the room, her deep thoughts having been interrupted by her friend's arrival.
"Hey Pheebs. Ready to get this started?" Phoebe nodded enthusiastically and set her purse on Helga's desk. She quickly set about pulling out various shades of blushes, lipsticks, eye shadows, and all other sorts of make up which caused Helga to pull a face of disgust. "Seriously Phoebe? Do I have to wear this junk?"
"Oh not all of it silly! Besides, I think for you we're going to go for a more natural look. Just some foundation, light blush, mascara, and a clear gloss. Yes, that's what we'll do!" Phoebe grinned and continued setting up her makeshift make up station.
"Uh, okay that sounds all fine and dandy, but why did you bring all this other stuff?"
"I have to get ready too, Helga. Don't forget that I'm going out with Gerald!" Helga smirked at this before turning to leave.
"All right, how about you get ready first while I take a shower. I'll be back in fifteen." With that Helga exited the room, leaving Phoebe alone. Phoebe finished setting the make up out and set about applying it to her face. She applied a light shade of blue eye shadow to her eyelids that matched her periwinkle blue sweater dress. She brushed soft pink blush on to the apples of her cheeks and a small amount of mascara on her eyelashes after she had curled them. Finally, she put a clear gloss on her lips and smiled at her reflection in the mirror, satisfied with her appearance and certain that she would make Gerald wobbly at the knees.
The water was still running when Phoebe finished her make up application, indicating that Helga was in the shower still. Phoebe went over and sat on Helga's bed, looking around her room. It hadn't changed much over the past several years. Her armoire was still present as was the wallpaper decorated with yellow hearts. Abruptly Phoebe's wandering eyes stopped when she noticed that Helga's closet door was slightly ajar. "Do I dare?" Phoebe thought to herself. Yes, yes she did dare. She lightly advanced to the closet and ripped open the door. Immediately she noticed how bare the closet was, which she logically was able to attribute to the absence of a shrine. Helga didn't know it, but Phoebe had known about her shrines to Arnold, having stumbled across one once whilst trying to find her glasses during a sleepover when they were seven. A frown crossed Phoebe's face as she wondered if Helga no longer harbored feelings for Arnold. That's when she spotted the lone box sitting in the back corner of the closet.
Falling to her knees, she crawled to the box and yanked it open, gasping at what she saw. Inside she found the numerous volumes of Helga's poetry, a petite red, heeled sandal, a strip of photos of Helga and Arnold in various silly poses, a locket with Arnold's eighth grade photo in it, and a frayed pink ribbon. Phoebe reached for the poetry book marked volume thirty-eight and opened it up, flipping through it until she found the last poem. It was dated one day before Helga's fourteenth birthday. She had obviously stopped writing poems regarding her beloved a long time ago. Closing the book, Phoebe replaced it back in the box and pulled out the locket and the strip of photos. She smiled as she looked at the photos, recalling the day that they had taken them. It had been when they were thirteen, the summer before their eighth grade. The four of them had all gone together to Dinoland and spent the entire day riding roller coasters and get sick on cotton candy. It was also the day that Gerald had finally kissed Phoebe, as the fireworks lit up the sky during the park's nighttime show.
"What are you doing, Phoebe?" Helga said in a low voice that brought Phoebe back from her trip down memory lane and sent shivers down her spine. Cautiously, she turned and faced Helga, who was glaring down at her with a look of anger and slight embarrassment that she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Um…uh. Oh dear…" Silently she placed the photo strip and locket back in the box. "I'm so sorry, Helga. I never should have snooped around your room. I just…well I saw your closet door open and, well, curiosity got the better of me I guess." Phoebe gave Helga a sheepish smile, but only received a piercing glower back. She shuddered and gulped, realizing that she had definitely hit some nerve since she had elicited this strong reaction of fury from Helga. "Let's just get you ready shall we?"
"Fine, but don't ever go through my stuff again! Clear?"
"Crystal!" piped Phoebe as Helga turned to go sit at her desk. Phoebe went to close the box, but not before she had pulled the ribbon out and tucked it into her sweater dress. She wanted to see if maybe she could convince Helga to wear it tonight. Arnold had always liked her pink bow.
"My man you are looking quite sharp!" exclaimed Gerald as Arnold examined himself in the mirror. Arnold beamed as he held his arms up and looked down at himself, pleased with how he looked. A solid black jacket was buttoned up around a crisp, freshly ironed tuxedo shirt with clear buttons. Gerald had picked out a dark blue tie for him to wear that really made him stand out and his grandfather's pocket watch was safely tucked in the pocket of his jacket. Arnold patted his black pants and looked back up at his friend, who was also sharply dressed in a black jacket and dress pants with a bright red tie and golden wristwatch.
"Couldn't have done it without you, Gerald." They left Arnold's room and walked down the stairs to the living room, where Arnold's grandpa Phil sat leafing through a photo album as usual. "Grandpa, we're leaving now. We'll see you later, okay?"
Phil looked up from the album and stared at his grandson. Mutely, he acknowledged his announcement with a slight nod then returned to the album. Arnold's face fell at the sight of his grandfather's depression. Quietly, he approached him and sat down on the couch beside him. "Grandpa? I miss her too, but she's gone. She's been gone, and looking through these albums isn't going to bring her back." He gently took the album from his grandfather's hands, closed it, then set it on the coffee table. Phil continued to look down as Arnold placed a hand on his back and slowly moved it up and down in a comforting manner. After what seemed like an eternity, Phil looked up and faced Arnold.
"I just miss her so much. She was my life, my everything. You know that Shortman. Without her, I feel like all the energy has left the world and that there's no point in going on. The photos at least make it feel like she's here, even if it is for a short time." Phil said this quietly as a few tears streamed down from his eyes.
"You know, I realized something yesterday. Grandma wouldn't want us to be sad over this. She would want us to continue living and to continue having fun and being spontaneous! Besides, you're not alone. You have me and I have you." Arnold hugged his grandfather, who returned it.
"I know I have you Shortman, and I'm thankful for it. It's just going to take me some time to get used to being without her."
"I'll help you. Don't worry grandpa, we'll keep getting through this together." Arnold smiled at his grandfather, who gave a small one of his own. They hugged again before Arnold got up and walked to the front door where Gerald was waiting with brimming tears of his own.
"Man, you always know what to say don't you?" Arnold just smiled and shook his head before heading out the door. "Hey Arnold, I forgot something in your room. Wait here for me okay?" Gerald dashed back into the boarding house and curved into the living room where Phil was still sitting. "Phil, you know Arnold's going on a blind date right?"
"Yes, you and your little girlfriend set him up. That is definitely nice of you two. I hope it's with that girl with the one eyebrow and the pigtails that he used to always hang around with. She always did have a bit of spunk about her." Phil chuckled at his memories of Helga sneaking into the boarding house as a young girl. That girl had been one basket of pure passion and energy, much like Gertie herself had been back when they were kids.
Gerald's mouth fell open in shock at Phil's statement. "Oh ho ho it is with Helga! Good choice! It's about time those two crazy kids stopped this war of silence they've had going!" Phil leapt up with excitement and patted Gerald on the back before clutching his stomach. "Word of advice: never eat raspberries!" With those last words, Phil dashed off, leaving Gerald in the same shocked state. Finally, he was able to gather his wits and met Arnold back up on the boarding house stoop.
"Gerald, are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something." Gerald shook his head and shot a grin at Arnold.
"Nah I'm fine Arnold! Just a tad bit nervous about my date tonight, but fine otherwise! Now let's get you to your blind date!"
A/N: As always thanks for the continued feedback! It's awesome and really gives me the drive to continue writing! So thank you! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! All feedback, whether it be positive, negative, neutral, random, etc. , is totally welcome and appreciated! :)