Chapter Four: After School
After School, that's what was on their minds.
Arnold gets out of bed to get ready for school. He tells his Grandpa and Grandma goodbye with wonder if today at school will be any different.
"She might be nice. You never know." Says out loud to comfort himself.
Helga gets out of bed knowing that today at school will be no different.
"I wish I could show him how I really feel."
Arnold walks outside to find Gerald and immediately greets him with their thumb wiggling handshake.
Helga sees Phoebe waiting for her who is little surprised to see Helga little more on edge than usual.
Gerald asks Arnold if he ready for Helga after school.
"I'm thrilled." He says sarcastilly.
Phoebe wonders how Helga feels about working with Arnold so closely.
"Nausea." She said with a frown.
When Arnold gets home to prepare his research notes he recalls his day.
I got this crazy story for you, there is this boy gets picked on by this girl. She calls him dweeb, creep, Arnoldo and my personal favorite. Football head. Yeah, really nice. This guy might to lunch and come out with lunch on him, literally! During class it will begin with one spit ball, then when he goes home he has to brush them out of his hair. And that's barely the. beginning! For reference this guy is me, and here is the best part, I'm going to go work with her on an essay. I must have idiot written on my forehead.
When Arnold is done ranting he begins to feel guilty.
"Why can't I stay mad at her?"
It didn't matter, he was becoming more and more tolerant of her bullying. Arnold then went over to see her.
When Helga got home she felt another day of guilt overcoming her once again.
"What if Arnold changes his mind because of school today."
She should know that by now Arnold is pretty used to Helga's bullying but she can't help but worry.
When Arnold finally makes it to Helga's house he is frozen at the door.
"That essay will never get done if I don't knock on this door."
The first knock is quiet, but he forces himself to make a better effort. And in no time at all, there is Helga's Sister.
"Oh, Arnold! What are you doing here?"
"Hello Ms. Pataki, is Helga here?" Arnold asks politely.
"Of course, please come in."
An hour later-
"No Arnold, that's not how it's done!" Helga tells Arnold with a slap to the head.
"Hey I'm sticking to the facts aren't I ? The contest says to write an essay an essay about the history of San Lorenzo."
Helga shrugs knowing that Arnold is never been this stupid.
"Look, no one reads fact sheets! Show some passion when you write the paragraph."
Noticing that Arnold is still clueless she goes for a history book.
"Listen carefully to me Arnold, this is how you sound. " Helga looked back at him. "You sound like a textbook football head."
"Then what do you suggest I do Helga, Lie to make to make it sound interesting?"
Helga shrugs AGAIN as she push's Arnold out of the way and begins to edit Arnold's paper. "You just need to put a little heart into your work. Your human, not a computer."
To keep himself from fighting Arnold shuts himself up. Arnold carefully watches Helga who seems entranced in her work.
Is this how she is all the time when working on a paper. She seems like a different person, so at peace. In class all she's ever doing is shooting spitballs at me or calling me names behind Mr. Simmons back. I don't get it.
"What are you looking at Football head!"
"I-I-I'm sorry Helga, I j-just didn't know you cared about w-writing so much." Arnold stammered.
Helga looks down sadly. "I know, people can only see what's on the surface."
Was Arnold right about her all along, was she just insecure about herself. Was that why she acted the way she does, to hide what's she really like. Arnold felt a surge of confidence.
"But this proves it! Your not just a bully, and your helping me! That must mean you care!"
"Yeah, don't let that go to your head."
Arnold notices she does not want to go into the subject so he decides to respect her. Helga goes back to work for a while and then Arnold notices the stacks of papers.
"Well, how long have you been writing?"
"What's it you Football head?" Helga asks defensively.
"Oh I was just curios."
Helga takes a deep breath. "For as long as I can remember. It was always a way to get away from the craziness in this house."
"That bad huh?"
"That depends on how you look at two parents who never have time for there kid."
Arnold becomes sympathetic and tries to change the subject."You should write a book one day."
"Why? It's not like anyone would buy it. Besides I'm more into poetry."
"Poetry, really? Let me read some!
"Some… other time Arnold." Helga whispers while mentally slapping herself.
"Okay, whatever Helga."
"What's with all the questions anyway!" Helga shouts.
"It's just nice to get know you better, refreshing. Arnold says with a smile. "Your much more nice than what people think. But I got to ask, why do you act that way?"
Helga tries make a straight face. "People expect that from me."
"I never did."
Helga turns away from him Arnold so she won't show herself blushing. "Your acting really weird today."
"Yeah, I just don't know what I was so worried about." Arnold said with a smile.
"Trust me, it gets alot worse." Helga teases.
They both laughs.
"I have to admit, working with you was not so bad." Arnold gets ready to leave. "But I need to get going because my Grandparents will be worried."
"Yeah whatever, just don't be late again Football."
After Arnold left Helga began laughing and shouting in victory.
"He actually enjoyed being here with me! I may have a chance!"
Five days later...
Arnold sat there with his head down in his class.
He did not understand what was wrong with him. He and Helga had finished their essay two days ago. I record time. But for some reason after all this he felt out of it
"What's wrong with me." Arnold whispered to himself.
Helga has been really nice to me ever since we started working together. Though she is still the same at school, I mean Helga is still... Helga. But it's just been kind of fun. I would often try to to get her to read me her poetry and she would to tell me to buzz off. What was THAT about. She was certianlly different, especially when she was working. The first day we fought alot. But it got better in the end. We would talk alot the next two days. It was always hard to get her to open but It worked out. But the best part was when she was working, it was completlly memorable. She became softer, her tough exterior melted away. She really loved what she was doing.
"She's never like that in class."
Arnold begins to drift into a memory.
"What about this Helga?" Arnold asks while pointing at his paragraph.
"Crimney! Arnold, how do I get you to understand that you can exeagerate some things without everything losing it's integrity! Helga exclaimed, frustrated.
She began to rant on like always about passion for your work while Arnold chuckles quietlly to himself.
Arnold chuckles to himself again. And then he frowns.
Helga felt the same, she had never been this close before, but she knew it was bound to end. It was nice while it lasted.
Helga and Arnold was both quiet while the rest of the class was getting really rowdy. Just then Mr Simmons burst in excitedlly!
"Class! I have wonderful news! As many of you haveheard about the San Lorenzo Contest."
The class becomes quiet, mostlly Arnold and Helga.
"It turns out that two students from our own P.S. 1.18 have won, Arnold and Helga! And because of them our entire class gets a free trip the exotic San Lorenzo!
The class cheers while Arnold glares at Helga with a smile. She smiles back untill she makes her angry facade.
"What are you looking at?"
Arnold shakes his head and laughs.
Lunch-
Arnold had a good idea. Something that would fix everything.
Arnold walked over to Helga once more when once more, Gerald steps in.
"Arnold... what are you doing."
"Oh, I was just going to talk to Helga."
Gerald steps out of the way with a smile on his face. "Go on Lover boy!"
Arnold groans. "Whatever Gerald! Me and Helga are just friends, like brother and sister."
"Sure Arnold, Sure."
When Arnold goes off to find Helga, she had walked off. A moment later Phoebe meets up with Gerald.
"Gerald, I heard what you Arnold were talking about. Do you really think that..." She can't finish.
"Do I think that Arnold and Helga have a thing going? Not yet. But I think it's going to happen."
Phoebe watch's Arnold walk up to Helga and wonders's, is it possible that what her best friend has always wanted might be coming true.
Arnold is nervous, trying to clear his mind of what Gerald had said.
"Hey Helga, can I speak with you."
Helga turns around in surprise. She quicklly prepares to scowl at him. "Arnold! What are you doing here! You can't just keep popping up and expect to talk to me! We got what you wanted. GO AND GET A LIFE!"
Helga has more to say but stops short noticing that she has hurt him this time. He quietlly walks away.
It's for the best she reasons. But notices Phoebe watching her, dissapointed. Helga hangs her head in shame. She decides to correct herself.
"Arnold I'm sorry!"
Arnold looks behind himself and there's Helga, with hurt in her eyes.
"Look Fooba- Arnold, I'm not saying that I actully care about you or how you feel, but that was really not called for. I wanted to say sorry."
Arnold makes a weak smile. "Yeah, it's alright."
"But it's just we can't act like friends at school, I have a reputation to uphold."
"Okay, sure Helga."
Helga scratch's her head unsure of what to say next. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"Um, I just thought we should begin planning the trip."
"You mean, you still want my help?"
"Of course, we made a deal."
Helga can't help but smile at his abillity to keep his promise's.
"Okay Arnold, but not here. To many people might hear."
Arnold has trouble not showing his happiness.
"Alright, I guess I'll see you after school."
"Yeah, After school."
Next Chapter: The Shadow
Note: Please tell me if i'm developing Arnold and Helga's relationship well. It would be appreciated.