Oh gosh I love the reviews. You all gave me a huge smile. :) Obviously what is italics is Helga's old confession she wrote in her journal.
Oh to my dearest Arnold,
As the years pass from your confession back to me, I was yanked away suddenly by a father who took that opportunity to be over protective of me. From that time on I did end up in a relationship with a kind boy. A boy who is more of a friend than a boyfriend in actuality. It isn't his fault and it isn't mines. We love the company. A company that is built more of friendship.
I must confess that I have got on the computer and looked up your name in Hillbook. There you were as handsome as can be. More handsome than before. Those eyes. Those lips. That hair. How many times I've dreamt of them. Still do to this day. I wanted to contact you, but due to you not asking about me again I sadly chalked it up to you just returning my feelings due to you were grateful to my help finding your parents.
Perhaps I should of, but what good could it of done? I'm in England and you are in Hillwood. We are separated by a vast ocean, but you will never be separated from my heart. I wish to be reunited with you. I wish for so many firsts with you. I hope that one day I'll be in your arms and you'll never want to let me go.
But alas you have gone out with others. Others in which I'm sure your heart has filled with the ever expanse of love for them. I wouldn't blame them for loving you. You are special. I should know when I've been in love with you since I was 3.
Now my love I must let you be for now before my mind wakes again. I will be inspired in the morning to write about you. I'm not ashamed of my feelings. I'm ashamed if I was made fun of for them.
Yours forever,
Helga G. Pataki.
Helga stood there reading what was posted in so many places in school. Phoebe, Gerald, Curly, and Brainy stood there reading it all while students passed them by. Many had comments. Others held them in.
"We have to report Rhonda." Phoebe said as she re-read the confession.
"Not yet." Helga's tone was calm. Collected. "I know she is planning on something much larger possibly today." Hearing one of the fashion people pass by saying something completely derogatory about her. About her first boyfriend, Helga reached up to the confession and ripped it down. "The rumors are starting up in a full fledged way. Rhonda will soon see that I'm not to be messed with."
Curly touched her shoulder. "What are you planning?"
Turning around to face her friends, Helga smiled. "No one is to say anything to Rhonda just yet. Wait for me to say it and say it all." Turning her head to Curly she kissed him lightly. "I know it will be hard since she is in your first class, but do try. Do you trust me?"
"Always."
"Is everyone else in agreement?" Helga had to know.
"We are, Hell Girl." Gerald winked at her. "Rhonda needs to be knocked down from her pedestal."
Helga couldn't wait.
OOO
In Chemistry, Arnold was reading over the confession in his hands while reviewing her heated and very passionate confession on the FTi balcony a very long time ago. He heard people talking all around him and he wanted to hit them all. It was how Helga enjoyed sleeping around. He knew the information was false, but to ruin her name angered him. Smelling vanilla suddenly he looked over to her.
"Morning Helga."
She saw what he was holding in his hands. "Hi. Place that away Football Head. That confession is 2 years old."
"Rhonda obviously stole a book and managed to hide it on her. I will not imagine how she did that in the first place. I'll talk to her."
"Don't. Leave her be for now. I'll handle her in my own way." Spotting some alarm in his face, Helga sighed. "I won't get violent. I'm just gonna let her have an audience before I use it for myself. I even told the others not to say a word."
Seeing her hair up in a ponytail, Arnold briefly looked at her neck. "Are we good?"
Helga turned her head to him. "Yes. So have your parents arrived home yet?"
Arnold smiled. "Not yet. There was a slight delay seeing that they had to look at something once more. I'll let you know. Also my grandma wanted me to give you something since you seemed to enjoy the flavor of the tea."
Her smile grew. "You can give it to me later. We have practice today. How will you be able to fit your practice in with detention?"
"Actually I'm pretty lucky there seeing that our coach has a late day doctor appointment so practice will be tomorrow instead. Tomorrow is when I serve a lunch time detention."
"Fun!" Helga laughed sarcastically at that. "Next time don't do things like that. It isn't worth it."
His eyes met hers point blank. "You are worth it."
She felt pulled into that gaze. She hated feeling weak from something so intense. "Still, don't." She pleaded softly.
"All right class today is that day where we get to learn more about combustibles." The teacher announce just as she stepped in.
"What a fitting name for today." Helga said in a hushed tone.
OOOOOOOO
Rhonda wasn't going to be deterred from yesterday with, Brainy. She already made those copies of that confession to pass around and also hang around school. No faculty member seemed to care that they were there in plain sight. Watching Curly come in to sit down, Rhonda scanned him as he removed his coat to place it on the back of his chair. As he did that she spotted how his shirt raised some to give her a taste of what was underneath. Perhaps she will ask Helga what is it like to do him as well. He also looked adventurous. She rolled her eyes at that. This was Curly, he was always adventurous.
Curly felt her eyes on him as soon as he entered. His thoughts were clouded wishing he could confront her about doing what she did. Thoughts of him wanting to smack Arnold across the face for being so stupidly blind to his own girlfriend. Thinking of yesterday with Helga had him relaxing a little. She had such a calm presence when she wanted to be calm. She also had a way of making you feel happy. He knew she had a way of invoking so many feelings in others, but these pleasant feelings he continued to have had him loving her more.
"Morning Curly."
"Hey Park." His mind snapped back to normal. "Did the notes help?"
Handing his notebook back to Curly, Park nodded his head. "Yeah it did help shed some light." Lowering his voice, he added. "I know what is being said is a lie. Have you said anything to Rhonda about it?"
"No and don't you either. Helga will handle it." Curly informed him. "I forgot to add your name into my text, sorry."
"It's cool. I wish you both luck." With that he left to his desk. Somehow he couldn't wait for the confrontation.
OOOOOOOOOO
Lunch time.
Lila was busy wringing her hands from what Rhonda was saying about Helga. She felt her stomach flip. Her heart pump. She already tried to stop her from saying such things, but Rhonda ignored her. She watched as the crowd gathered around while Rhonda sat there proudly spouting off the obvious lies. Lila knew in her heart that Helga wasn't anything she was spreading.
"Rhonda please." Lila tried again, but she was ignored. Even Nadine tried, but still they were ignored.
Lila and her exchanged unamused expressions on their faces before the sound of the cafeteria being loudly opened and closed. Standing up she found it was Helga with Phoebe, Curly, Brainy, and Gerald at her side. Lila squeezed her hands as Helga approached.
"Oh and there she is everyone." Rhonda boasted out. "The Harlot of Hillwood has finally arrived."
Ignoring that, Helga stopped where she was. "Now Rhonda be clear of what you are saying so I may hear. I would greatly love to hear the recap."
Crossing her arms, Rhonda stood up. "Well of course! I was telling everyone for years when you were young that you were nothing but a bully. An abused bully at that. What happens when you are abused darling? You seek comfort from many others. You seeked it from Stinky when you were 9 when Arnold wouldn't pay any attention to you, but only paid attention to Ruth, Lila... Me." She paused at that as some murmured. "Even at such a tender age she and Stinky had an affair. Experimenting. Playing doctor."
"That's not true!" Stinky piped up. "I never even received a kiss from her."
Helga had to appreciate him for speaking up.
Rhonda ignored him. "Never you mind, Stinky. After you she chased after Arnold even through a jungle. Their love never came to be so when she came home she was sent to England. From there her boyfriend there, Darren, well they experimented under the covers. She has even been with teachers. Now here she is not only trying to get with my boyfriend." She paused to wipe away a tear. "A boy that I love so so much."
Helga rolled her eyes wondering where Football Head was in the middle of this crazy factory.
Arnold was off in the corner away from prying eyes just listening to it all. He snuck in through the side door grateful that Rhonda at least was doing something useful by keeping their attention on the scene at hand.
"This girl was a horrible bully that she beat my boyfriend up and claimed that she loved him. Hit me too." Rhonda spoke with a shaky tone. "She comes back with us believing that she has this squeaky clean image when really she is not only doing her own boyfriend, but mines behind my back. How am I supposed to be right now?"
Helga nearly laughed hard, but needed to keep herself aligned. "Are we done here?"
"Save it Helga, everyone knows the truth. They know everything."
Walking forward, Helga secretly delighted in how Rhonda was startled by her. She screeched not to hit her, but all Helga did was climb up on the table just to see everyone's faces. She was so happy she took today to wear pants. "Rhonda is correct." Everyone murmured while guys tried to move forward towards her. "She's right that I was once a bully. Not the horrible bully she is describing, but a person that did torment."
Phoebe felt proud of Helga at what she was about to do. Knew how brave this was.
"The reason why I did this originally was due to the fact that I couldn't take it no more. I met a kind boy in pre-school when I was only 3. Who that boy met was the real me. The person who isn't afraid NOW of showing that soft side anymore. The reason why I did it before was due to the severe neglect I had from my own family to how Harold, Rhonda, Sid, Stinky laughed at me for showing affection towards Arnold. I couldn't take it so I went on the defense. True I could of stopped myself after, but I didn't." Helga looked around to see if she was reaching anyone.
"I really wanted to stop, but each day of me being neglected by my family just dug into my soul more. I really did try on a few more occasions to show my true self but once more, I was laughed at. Mocked by the very same ones who did it originally." Her eyes went on to Rhonda. "I did torment Arnold the most just to hide my true feelings for him. I'm a kid after all. Doesn't anyone remember when they were a kid and they had a crush on someone that they would endlessly tease?" That question had plenty nodding their heads agreeing to her. "I'm not saying I was right in my actions. Just insecure in myself when I was never taught to be any better. But I never ever did hit him or even her."
Helga paused just to see so many eyes on her. "While my family neglected me they never EVER laid a harmful hand on my body. My family could be called plenty of things, and I know they have, but that is the last thing that they'll ever do. Now I have a good relationship with them. They support me. It took a long time to do so, but it was worth the wait." Helga looked down to see Lila's encouraging smile. "I do regret a lot of things in my past and I'm making up for it now. Even if I'm not saying the words I hope that my actions speak for themselves."
Lila felt the need to ask something. "What of Arnold? The past that is."
She knew what Lila was doing. "One Christmas when he was working hard with Gerald to get a gift for a boarder. A gift to reunite him with his lost daughter. He had most of the presents for the person, but they were missing that one gift. A hard to get item that winter. A pair of Nancy Spumoni snow boots. Even I tried to locate them without them knowing. I almost gave up myself, but I came home and my mom gave me an early gift. It was the gift that was needed. I told the man to hop to it to find this missing daughter. He did in time. I didn't want Arnold to not believe that miracles didn't exist."
Arnold's mouth opened up at that.
"When we were pranking you Lila when we first met you, we felt bad for you and your dad. Rhonda and I helped get him a job." Helga looked up briefly to Rhonda to show she wasn't so cruel. "I'm not perfect. I never will be perfect. Those poems were taken from my own home by someone without my permission. Then a confession that was also 2 years old. I'm not who Rhonda says I am. I am a virgin. Something I wouldn't even mind going to my Gynecologist to attest to. I will never cheat on my boyfriend, Curly. Arnold is my friend. A good friend. I have plenty of good friends."
Jumping down from the table, Helga approached Rhonda who actually remained quiet. "You use to be my friend in spite of this past bully reputation I had. I liked you in spite of your flaws. Yes we butted heads, but we are both head strong people. That is what we do. I know you are better than this. So tell me if you will persist in this childish display knowing that we all will be adults soon?" Walking backwards, Helga put her hands up in the air to signal she was done before leaving the cafeteria.
"Oh Helga I'm so proud of you." Phoebe told her happily.
"Yeah Pataki. That was pretty boss." Gerald added in.
Brainy grinned. "You didn't lower yourself to her level. You showed strength."
Wrapping his arm around her waist, Curly kissed her cheek. "I'm proud of my extra special girl."
Blushing, Helga wished they would stop saying anymore to her. "Yeah well I'm very hungry right now so I need sustenance."
"I have it in the car. Don't worry it is all cool." Curly rushed off to the parking lot to go to his car.
Helga felt weak all of a sudden. "Crap I haven't been that bold in a long time. Took everything out of me."
"Ah you'll be fine." Gerald said.
"Well if you guys don't mind I need to do things on the paper." Kissing her cheek, Brainy waved bye to them. "You were amazing in there."
OOOOOO
Rhonda was still reeling with the display that Helga just did. Everyone looked at her as if she was the pariah. She would have to think of something soon to make others love her again. Watching Nadine and Lila approach, Rhonda put her head up in determination.
"So what do you have to say to yourself this time?" Nadine wondered seriously. "You took it way too far this time."
"I certainly agree with Nadine here. What happened to you?" Lila asked while she stood there demurely.
Rhonda didn't need them to talk down at her for this. "As if I care. I'm Rhonda Wellington-Lloyd and she is still a beast. They may believe her over me right now, but that will soon change." Flipping her hair, she added. "Well at least Arnold wasn't here to hear all of that. Though he is as dull as his brain is at times. Also and another thing..." She focused on her two friends looking past her. "What? What are you gaping at?"
"I always knew why Helga acted the way she did. I also knew that she really was a good person deep down inside. You know she could of hit you if she was as much of a beast as you claim her to be, but she didn't."
Turning around to face Arnold, Rhonda smiled at him with all the charm she could muster. "Arnold, darling! You do know that I was only playing. I really don't mean any of those things that I said, do you? You know how much I love you."
Raising his eyebrow up, Arnold shook his head. "You never loved me. You used me for popularity. Used me to bring you to one shopping place to the next. You just used me."
She had to keep him. If she lost him no one will love her as much anymore. Arnold was still the golden child in Hillwood. "I didn't. I swear I didn't." Mustering up some tears, she gripped him. "I'm pregnant. It's yours."
In the past he would of believed her, but not now. "From the last time we've had sex, which was incredibly recent, to now I sincerely doubt it. Stop playing these games, Rhonda. I'm tired of them. I'm tired of you quite honestly."
Her mouth opened up. "What are you saying?"
"We are through. I am no longer your boyfriend."
"So what are you going to do? Rush off to Helga? She's with Curly you know." Her heart seemed to stop. Why was it feeling that way at her mention of Curly?
Nodding his head, Arnold smiled. "I know and even Curly deserves happiness." He loves Helga, but he couldn't do anything right now to go between the couple. He already upset her once. "I deserve happiness."
Watching him walk away, Rhonda started calling out his name. "Come back Arnold! You love me. You love me!"
"How can he love an ever so selfish person, Rhonda?" That was perhaps the most brashest thing she will ever say to another human being. "You can drag a person for so long till that tie comes unraveled and falls apart." Smiling at Joey who nodded in her direction, Lila smiled at Nadine before walking off to see her boyfriend.
Rhonda heard the laughter. Felt the humiliation. "Why have you been my friend Nadine?"
"Because you still needed the voice of reason. It was a pity you just never wanted to listen to me. The only time you have is when you are at the end of your rope. Why is that?" Nadine wondered thoughtfully.
Rhonda couldn't answer her at the present moment. All she felt was her life in this school being resorted to spending her lunch time eating in a bathroom stall.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
After practice, Arnold found Helga on the stands looking directly at him. He examined at how the sun hit her hair bringing off this halo effect prompting him to run over in her direction. She didn't get up since she obviously knew he had to shower up. He did love how her now down hair was flowing in the breeze.
"Hey Helga. Waiting for me or Curly?"
Helga made a show of looking around the field. "Curly is helping out his dad for a few hours so I thought I drive you home. You did tell me about some tea that your grandma gifted me."
He loved how she raised that eyebrow up. Loved how snarky it actually appeared. "Yep. Let me shower up and we'll go grab it."
Nodding her head, Helga leaned back in a show of being willing to wait him out. With that he rushed off to quickly take his stuff off the moment he ran into the locker room. It wasn't the best, but he wanted to spend as much possible time with her. As he rushed into the showers, Gerald was already there in the next stall.
"Mmm mmm mmm... You are like a brand new man after getting rid of that skinny ass package of yours." Gerald commented as he finished rinsing off. Grabbing a towel he looked at his friend's face. "Now don't try anything funny like the last time with, Helga. I know you love her and all, but she is involved."
He rolled his eyes before thinking of something. "Shoot! They lock the hallways at this time don't they?"
"Normally. Why?"
"Well grandma wanted me to give her some tea that she bought and it is still in there." He started rushing his routine even faster than before.
Finished off from drying himself, Gerald shook his head. "Don't kill yourself. Let me see and if it is still open I'll grab it and give it to her. No problem."
"Oh thanks, Gerald. I owe you."
"That you do, buddy. That you do." Leaving the showers, Gerald went to change up his clothes while taking his uniform to stuff it in his bag so he can clean it at home.
Finally after changing up and putting his uniform in a bag to bring home, Arnold left the locker room to see Helga standing under the light against the wall. There in her possession was the gift from his grandma. He'll thank Gerald later for getting it for him.
"Let us walk slowly to the car." Helga told him as she pushed away from the wall to start walking beside him.
He smiled in her presence. Smiled at her scent. "I got a text during detention from my dad. They will be home in a couple of days."
"Cool. I know you guys can't wait."
"No. I hate when they leave for jobs. I fear that they won't ever return again. I don't want that." He was telling her. "When they came back home the first time I swear I saw the years wiped away from grandpa and grandma. Those two's couldn't help but jump around more than usual. They were singing and dancing." Pausing to scan her smiling face, Arnold added in there. "I wish you could of saw that."
"Same here, Football Head." The sun was really setting sooner and sooner lately. She could see her car was the only one in the lot. "Guess it is a good thing I'm heading to my car alone with you."
Seeing that the lot was mostly empty he had to agree. "True. Sometimes I borrow the Packard, but most of the time I take the bus or her majesty makes us go in the limo. I wasn't too fond of that vehicle."
It was strange to hear him call her that. "So you really broke up with her. How does it feel?"
"Amazing, but I could of felt this way weeks ago. My stupid thing of not wanting to hurt others just hurt me."
"Yep. So what now?" Getting closer to her vehicle, Helga couldn't exactly breath right now. She knew it was from his nearness.
He wanted to pursue her. Wanted to steal her away from Curly. He wanted to tell her that she belonged to him and him alone. Instead he said, "I think it will be good to stay single for now. After Rhonda I need a little wiggle room."
"True." Looking at him she didn't mean to look at those lips. Those very sensual lips. Her breath caught before she took her keys out to unlock the door from where she was.
Finally making it to the car they got into it and drove off. Two teenagers with both very strong thoughts in their head. Helga gripped her steering wheel at the memory of him touching her and later kissing her neck. Arnold was thinking of the same thing while remembering his very vivid dreams with her. Every morning turned into a ritual for him as he got ready. Each time he saw her at school he found himself hiding behind his books or another object to hide his growing problem. As for Helga she wondered if he was thinking these thoughts. Thoughts that involved making out for hours on end before flinging your clothes off.
"Do you want to come inside and have dinner?"
"No thanks. My parents are expecting me home so we can have dinner together. Another time maybe." Helga tried to give him a convincing smile.
He imagined himself placing her against the wall. He imagined tracing his lips down that body of hers. He wanted to make her feel so good. "Well that's nice actually to hear."
"Yeah. They talk to me a little bit more than before." Helga welcomed the change of subject. "Did you know that they donated money to the school. ALSO! I told them to donate to Sheena's cause. She was thrilled by it."
"Hey that's great. I bet you had a lot to do with that."
"Well it is better than athletics. We get enough money as it is. I just wanted what was best for everyone." Pulling on to his street, Helga felt a chill run up her body.
"That was still a nice thing to do." Feeling the vehicle stop had him wishing he lived further away. "Well I hope you enjoy your tea. Also thanks for the ride."
"Thank your grandma for me. Tell her I'll come in next time." This felt awkward right now.
He didn't want to let her go. "What you did in the cafeteria was a very brave thing. I heard every word." He saw how her eyes went large. "You truly are amazing, Helga."
Turning her head to him, Helga felt funny in her continued awkwardness. "Awe shucks." Releasing her seat belt she slid over just a bit to hug him. It was perhaps something she shouldn't of done as their hug lengthened a bit more longer than intended. "I really need to go off." She whispered.
Releasing her made him unhappy, but the tiny kiss on her cheek helped lessen the pain. "I'll see you tomorrow then. Good night."
"Night." Waiting for him to get his stuff and close the door, Helga left the curb to drive down the street.
I hope you all are happy that Arnold finally dumped Rhonda. :)