Chapter 4: Is This Yours?

Arnold was standing beside his locker with Gerald. As they were grabbing their things for class, Arnold was wondering to himself what would happen if Mr. Simmons chose to read his poem out loud in front of everyone. Helga said it wouldn't bother her. She said a lot of things she didn't mean however.

"So Arnold, how'd study time with Pataki go last night?" Gerald asked, leaning against the locker.

Arnold blushed heavily, as he grabbed the last of his books. "Oh pretty good. I should get a decent grade on my poem."

"Man if decent was all you were shooting for, why not just do it yourself?" Gerald said wittily.

Arnold rolled his eyes at the remark, knowing Gerald was missing the point.

When they made it to class, Arnold saw Helga already sitting in her seat with her face hiding behind her math book. As he was getting ready to take a seat in his desk, he saw a little blue book sitting on it.

As he picked it up, he looked up at Helga and asked "Is this yours?"

"Pttss...No! What a dumb question?!" she scowled, planting her face back in her book.

Arnold then sat down in his seat with the book. As he opened it, he read page after page of poems which had been read in the class…

Cowlicks, like fields of yellow corn

All the days of my week

I write the name I dare not speak

The boy with the corn flowered hair

My beloved and my despair

Fountain of Love

Each morn I see you bend to drink from love's own crystal pool.

I tremble near you; try to think

Will I forever say you stink?

Am I bound by this tragic rule?

Your eyes like two green jelly beans

Are pools I want to bathe in.

My head dothe swoon,

And yet, I want to beat your face.

Arnold you idiot

I've always sworn it

I've always loved you

My darling, my darling

Kiss me my darling

Orzo shaped prometheus

Wondering the dismal deserts of my tormented soul

Arnold what a boob, what a smarty pants know it all, how I hate him. And yet…

I love him

His noble curiosity

His keen powers of observation

His unfaltering sense of right and wrong.

Oh, if only I could find the strength to tell him how much I adore him!

If only there was some way I could let him know!

Some way I could whisper my secret adoring thoughts so this fever'd brow

Dare I even think? Kiss the lips that haunt my girlish dreams

Oh if only? If only?...

All my days have come to this

My secret heart spent in one kiss

And though it comes from a pretender

Not me, but Juliet the sender

May Arnold take my kiss for tender

Arnold sat wide eyed in his chair reading poem after poem while Helga sunk lower and lower in her chair as she saw him turning each page.

Holding her math book tight, hoping no one would wonder what he was reading, she suddenly heard… "Okay class! You can pass up your poems to me. After lunch you can come back, and I'll choose the one I think will be best to read out loud to the class."

Helga felt both petrified and relieved at these words. She had to escape from the classroom. Although no one other than Arnold was reading her work, just having them out of her hands was enough to feel as though all judgemental eyes in the classroom were beating down upon her.

Hallway

As she quickly got up to exit the room, she ignored the call of her boyfriend "Helga wait up!"

As she moved quickly down the hallway, Arnold eventually caught up with her to see her leaning against the row of lockers she usually did when she needed a moment to relinquish her personal thoughts.

"Helga! What's wrong? Aren't you coming to lunch?" he asked, not being concerned about the book.

"What's wrong? Are you kidding? Did you not read that book?!" she scowled.

"Yeah. There was nothing wrong with it. I thought everything in there was really sweet." he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh don't flatter yourself. I can't believe I showed it to you." she scoffed, turning away with her arms crossed.

Helga then felt a set of arms wrapped around her waist as she heard "I'm really glad you did. Whenever something like that happens, I love how much closer it brings us. I'm sorry you're still having a hard time opening up to me, but I want you to know you can always tell me anything."

Helga turned to face Arnold, doing her best not to let out a swoon. "I'm sorry Arnold. I know how much this means to you."

"I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to turn our study time into uhh..." Arnold stuttered, rubbing his neck.

"Pttss..if you suddenly feel like you were in control, think again bucko!" Helga said, as she pointed a finger at her beloved.

"Whatever you say Helga." he sighed, taking her hand to walk her to lunch.

Cafeteria

The happy couple entered the cafeteria holding hands, not caring at the moment what the school's opinion of them maybe.

Arnold walked Helga over to sit with Phoebe and Gerald. "I'm going to get us something to eat." he said to his girlfriend.

Helga smiled weakly at the thought of him wanting to take such good care of her yet again. It was as though she could say or do anything without having to worry about being judged by him.

"How did things go between the two of you last night Helga?" Phoebe asked, snapping Helga out of her fantasy land.

"Huh? Oh fine. Football head seems to have a knack for writing." Helga replied as Gerald lifted an eyebrow.

"Knack huh? You sure it's not for something else?" Gerald insisted on knowing while seeing Helga glare at him.

Before anything else could be said, Arnold returned with the food. "Sorry that took so long. Eugene tripped at the front of the line, so it took a minute to get everyone moving again."

"Pttss...figures." Helga scoffed, grabbing his pudding.

"Helga tells me you picked up on your poetry lesson quite easily Arnold." Phoebe pointed out.

Arnold glanced at Helga, although she wouldn't make eye contact with him. "Uhh yeah. It wasn't too hard."

"Mm, mm, mmm! Man, I still don't see what the big deal is about this sensitive form of expressing your emotions. I'm no writer though." Gerald shook his head, taking another bite of his sandwich.

The bell finally rang and the kids knew they would be returning to class to hear who was going to have the privilege of hearing their poem being read aloud.

Gerald and Phoebe quickly left the table while Arnold sat beside Helga a moment. "Umm last night you told me not to change anything about my poem, so I didn't. Which means if he picks mine to read, well you know…" Arnold pointed out, while Helga barely nodded her head.

"I know football head. It'll be okay." she sighed, while standing from the table with her beloved.