( How could this happen to me? I've made my mistakes, got nowhere to run. The night goes on as I'm fading away. I'm sick of this life. I just wanna scream. How could this happen to me?) (Helga's thoughts)

The title of this chapter is named after a song by Simple Plan

Two months passed by; it was the beginning of November. Extracurricular activities were in plentiful supply. Arnold won the election and became the student counsel president. Gerald returned to the basketball team. Phoebe was a National Honor Society member and Lila was a Peer Leadership member. Rhonda was the captain of the school's cheerleading squad. Helga, however, decided not to take on any extracurricular activities this year. Since the fight, she and Rhonda made peace with each other although they stayed out of each other's way for the most part.

One day Helga was walking down the halls when two sophomore boys ran carelessly in her direction, accidentally knocking her books down.

"Watch it, you clumsy shitheads!" Helga yelled." Criminy!"

"Oh sorry," one of the boys said.

As Helga turned around and bent over to pick up her books. The two boys stared at her backside; the strings of her pink thong were revealed at the top of her jeans. Suddenly, Arnold appeared and blocked their view.

"Get lost, you perverts," Arnold said, sternly.

When Helga finished picking her books up, she spun around and said." Were you two little pricks staring at my ass?"

"Don't even pretend to be upset," the first guy muttered.

"Yeah; you practically ask for the attention," the second guy added.

"If you don't leave her alone, there will be a problem," Arnold warned them.

The boys laughed it off and walked away.

"This guy thinks he's hot shit because he's the new prez," one of them commented.

A couple seconds later, they both bumped into Harold. Now 6'2 and weighing over 250lbs, Harold was bigger, meaner and tougher than ever. He had an angry scowl on his face.

"You heard what Arnuld said," Harold growled." Leave Helga alone, you little goddamn wimps."

That was all that needed to be said as the two immature guys practically ran off. Very few people wanted to make Harold angry. Once the guys were out of sight, Harold joined Arnold and Helga to walk to class. They were all in the same US History class anyway.

"Thanks, you guys, but you know I can stand up for myself," Helga insisted.

"I know but I couldn't just stand there and let them disrespect you," Arnold told her.

"If they ever bother you again, I'll pound them!" Harold exclaimed.

"Well, thanks again," Helga said.

"So, Helga, wrestling practice starts next Monday," Harold informed her.

"I know but I'm not going to wrestle," Helga responded.

"Why not?" Harold asked, bewildered." You were last year's MVB!"

"It's called MVP, pink boy," Helga muttered.

"Wow, Helga," Arnold said, impressed." That's great."

"Yeah, Arnuld, she was the first girl in the history of this school to become the wrestling MVP," Harold said.

"Helga, that is amazing," Arnold told her.

You're amazing too, my love, Helga thought.

"Are you sure you don't want to wrestle?" Harold asked." We need you."

"Yes Harold, I'm sure," Helga replied." With my new reputation and all, the last thing I need is any of the guys trying to cop a feel while we're practicing."

"Don't worry," Harold assured." If anybody even tries, I'll beat the shit out of them."

"Thanks but I'm just not up to it this year," Helga told him." Look Harold, you're a great wrestler and as long as you're still around, the team will keep kicking ass."

"Aw, thanks Helga."

Harold gave her a friendly hug.

"You're squishing me, pink boy!"

"Oh sorry, Helga."

Once they all got to class, they took their seats as the teacher took attendance. After that, he assigned an upcoming project that required a two people. So, he told them to pair up.

"Do you want to be my partner, Helga?" Arnold asked.

"I'd love to…..I mean…sure, whatever, Football Head," Helga responded.

Arnold just shook his head." Okay, Helga."

Later on that day, after school, Helga headed straight home. She was glad that it was Friday; however, she wasn't sure what she was going to do that evening. After all, it just began to rain quite heavily and the forecast stated that it can possibly persist through most of the weekend. Helga ate a sandwich and then headed to her bedroom. She grabbed her cell phone and called Phoebe.

"Hello?" Phoebe answered.

"Hey Phoebe, come over," Helga told her." I'm bored as shit. Let's order a pizza tonight or something."

"Sorry Helga but Gerald and I are going out to dinner and then we…" Phoebe said.

"So, come over after dinner," Helga interrupted her.

"Helga, I wasn't finished speaking," Phoebe told her." Anyway, Gerald and I are going out to dinner and then we have other plans."

"What other plans?"

"I don't want to disclose any explicit details but Gerald and I also have plans of a more romantic and intimate nature," Phoebe told her.

"Wow, Pheebs," Helga responded, surprised." Good luck. You're finally gonna get laid."

Phoebe bashfully giggled.

"Just remember to tell Geraldo to be extra gentle and make him wrap his little 'friend' up," Helga advised her." In other words, protect yourself."

"Protecting!" Phoebe said, cheerily.

"Okay Pheebs, talk to you later."

After she hung up with Phoebe, she called Miles; he answered after the fourth ring.

"Hey Miles, you wanna take me out tonight?"

"Sorry babe, but I can't," Miles responded." My wife is sick, so I have to take care of her."

"What's wrong with her?" Helga asked.

"Remember that she's pregnant and pregnant women tend to get sick," Miles responded." So I can't hang with you tonight, unless you're sick and pregnant too."

"Well, that's why I believe in safe sex," Helga insisted." Your sperm will never make it to my uterus, bucko."

"Why do you say it like that?" Miles asked.

"I'm just saying, I'm only seventeen and I don't even like kids anyway," Helga told him." I can't even deal with my sister's kids."

"Okay," Miles said, chuckling." I'll talk to you soon."

After hanging up with Miles, Helga let out a sigh of boredom. Both Phoebe and Miles were tied up that night. So, for the next few hours, Helga alternated between watching TV, surfing the internet and writing poetry but she was still bored for the most part. So, eventually wound up falling asleep at around 10:00PM. She fell asleep due to boredom rather than mere sleepiness. Little did she know that at 11:14PM, her life would change in the most dramatic way imaginable. There was a heavy knock on her bedroom door that woke her up.

"What?" Helga responded, annoyed.

"Open the damn door!" she heard Big Bob yell." It's important!"

Helga got out of the bed, still dressed in her outside clothes. When she opened the door, she noticed that Bob's eyes were slightly red and puffy, as if he had been crying. Bob rarely cried so Helga sensed that something wasn't right.

"What is it, Dad?" Helga asked.

"Come downstairs," Bob replied, softly.

Helga followed her father downstairs into the living room. There was a dark-haired woman sitting on the sofa. An apparently distraught Miriam sat on the other sofa, soothingly rocking Olga's son and daughter in each of her arms. The two small children had obviously cried themselves to sleep. Helga's heart began to race nervously as she took a seat in a chair. Bob took a seat beside Miriam.

"Hi Helga, my name is Katie; I'm a friend of your sister," the dark haired woman spoke.

"What's going on?" Helga asked.

Katie sighed sadly and then replied." Olga is in the hospital. She's in a coma and…..and there's a fifty percent chance that she might not make it."

"What?" Helga gasped in shock.

"Katie drove the children over here," Miriam said, with tears in her eyes." They're going to stay with us while Olga is in the condition she's in."

"What happened to her?" Helga asked.

"She was driving under the influence of alcohol and she got into a terrible crash," Katie explained.

"What the hell?" Helga exclaimed." That doesn't sound like something my perfect sister would do!"

"Helga, you better watch it!" Bob shouted at her.

"Olga's husband has been having an affair for a long time," Katie stated." Olga was severely depressed because of it. So, we all think this was possibly a suicide attempt."

"Suicide," Helga gasped.

"It's terrible news," Katie said, with tears falling down her cheeks.

"I cannot believe this crap," Helga stated, angrily." Olga comes here all the time smiling and walking around like her life is all peachy and perfect yet she's been depressed the whole time! And now, she tried to kill herself?"

"Helga honey, calm down please," Miriam pleaded.

"No!" Helga shrieked." Olga is an idiot!"

"I told you to watch your mouth, you little…" Bob caught himself before he said something extremely vulgar.

"Bob, calm down," Miriam said.

"Miriam, you better talk to your daughter before I kick her narrow, disrespectful ass!" Bob rasped.

"Forget it!" Helga yelled." I'm out of here!"

Helga stood up and prepared to leave.

"Helga, I'm in no mood to argue," Bob told her, calmly." But I will tell you one thing. I have no goddamn clue what your problem is but we are going to the hospital tomorrow to see your sister. I don't care what your plans are tonight but you better be back here at twelve noon tomorrow or else you won't be let back in. Are we clear?"

"Clear, Bob," Helga muttered.

Without another word, Helga grabbed her coat and an umbrella and then left the house. She was so upset that she wanted to cry but she refused to. Helga held her tears in. She didn't mean to seem so insensitive about what happened to Olga but it certainly caught her by surprise. All she could ask was why.

Helga desperately needed someone to talk to. Phoebe would have been her first choice but she was busy losing her virginity to Gerald. Miles was busy tending to his sick, pregnant wife. Helga normally had no problems being selfish but she decided to be a bit more considerate that night. But still, what about her? Who could she talk to about her pain? Finally, an idea came to Helga.

I hope Arnold is home, she thought.