Chapter 14
Arnold waited patiently, as his friends excused themselves and left the room. He was now alone with Helga. Helga smiled at the sight of him.
" Hi football head!" Helga exclaimed trying to sound as energetic as possible.
" Hi Helga…how…" Arnold started but paused in the middle of the sentence, knowing that asking how she was, was a very awkward question.
" How am I? I'm feeling fine. In just a matter of days, I'll be back to normal! How was the game? I'm sorry I wasn't able to watch you squish the other team! I bet you won, huh?" Helga exclaimed, trying, as much as possible, to sound normal and healthy.
Arnold nodded in reply. He didn't know how to react, seeing Helga like this. It really wasn't her and the guilt that he tried to wash away was coming back again. Helga could see the look of guilt and worry on his face but she refused to acknowledge it. Helga didn't want to be the type that was pitied upon.
" You did?! That's great! I knew you guys could trample them! You guys went out after the game, didn't you? Aawww man! I missed another one of the gang's gatherings! When I'm out of the hospital, we'll eat out again, ok?! I can't wait, Arnold!" Helga exclaimed trying to sound as optimistic as possible.
Arnold couldn't reply. The more optimism Helga showed, the more he felt guilty about everything. Trying to be oblivious, Helga continued with her optimism refusing to acknowledge Arnold's expression.
" You have to thank me, Arnold! If I haven't taught you, you wouldn't stand a chance in those killer tests!" Helga smiled proudly at her accomplishment. Arnold smiled faintly.
" Thanks Helga…" Arnold managed to say.
" I hate this! I should've seen you guys! But I was so stupid to have forgotten taking those antibiotics! Imagine! There's so many pills on my desk that I can't even remember which ones for what! So you know what I do, I take all them!" Helga said trying to laugh at the whole situation.
" Stop it Helga….just stop it." Arnold said.
" Stop what…Arnold… I don't get you." Helga replied.
" Stop acting like that! Like everything's so happy! And everything's going to be fine! I know you're not the type to show your true feelings or something…but the way you're acting?! It's killing me Helga! I know you know that you're not feeling to good!" Arnold exclaimed. Helga was astonished at the sudden outburst.
" Well, gee Arnold…don't you remember. I did try to show my true feelings and all I got was a slap in the face."
" I got the slap in the face, remember?" Arnold pointed out.
" What I got was much more painful. I got rejection." Helga said trying to hide the hurt in her voice. There was silence in the room as both remembered that night, again.
" I figured that maybe…if I tried to be happy…all of these sufferings will go away…coz that's what I tried to do, when I was hurt by you…and I survived through it…so who knows…the same theory of suppression may apply to this. I'll bet you a dollar, Arnold. If I try to sound happy, I know I'll feel better again." Helga said, returning to her false optimistic state.
" There you go again, Helga! Stop it, okay! I want to know how you really feel!" Arnold exclaimed.
Helga fell silent. " I know, Arnold….I'm going to die….I just know it…" Helga said as tears silently went down her cheeks. Arnold punched the wall that was next to him.
" So…this is what it's all about…you feel guilty…because you think this is all your fault?…" Helga asked.
" No….I don't know…I never wanted to cause you pain, Helga…and seeing you there…I don't know…it's just not right…"
" Arnold…you don't have to blame yourself for all of this. I caused this upon myself. You don't have to worry about anything. I believe that's the reason for you looking so worried and guilty. You don't have too feel guilty Arnold….I don't need it…what I need right now…is someone…what you call a friend. I know you're one of them, Arnold." Helga said. Arnold's worried expression turned into a calm one as he sat on Helga's bed.
" Thanks for understanding, Helga. "
" Arnold, if ever…and I believe I will…you know die….."
" No, Helga that's not gonna happen…." Arnold said trying to stop what she was gonna say.
"Arnold…you and I both know that it will happen…maybe in a while…or after how many years, when I'm old…but still…please take care of my bestfriend for me, okay?…and take care of yourself as well. I hope you know I'll always love you…even if I know….that you don't…" Helga said smiling back at him.
Arnold tried to remove the pang of guilt, as he smiled back.
"Arnold…can you…close the blinds please…the sun's starting to hurt my eyes…." Helga said as her eyes started to close. Arnold got up and started to prevent the light from coming in. Just as he did, he heard a sound…the sound that at this time, he definitely didn't want to hear it.
A long beep came from the machine that was connected to Helga. He turned around and saw Helga's eyes shut.
Arnold waited patiently, as his friends excused themselves and left the room. He was now alone with Helga. Helga smiled at the sight of him.
" Hi football head!" Helga exclaimed trying to sound as energetic as possible.
" Hi Helga…how…" Arnold started but paused in the middle of the sentence, knowing that asking how she was, was a very awkward question.
" How am I? I'm feeling fine. In just a matter of days, I'll be back to normal! How was the game? I'm sorry I wasn't able to watch you squish the other team! I bet you won, huh?" Helga exclaimed, trying, as much as possible, to sound normal and healthy.
Arnold nodded in reply. He didn't know how to react, seeing Helga like this. It really wasn't her and the guilt that he tried to wash away was coming back again. Helga could see the look of guilt and worry on his face but she refused to acknowledge it. Helga didn't want to be the type that was pitied upon.
" You did?! That's great! I knew you guys could trample them! You guys went out after the game, didn't you? Aawww man! I missed another one of the gang's gatherings! When I'm out of the hospital, we'll eat out again, ok?! I can't wait, Arnold!" Helga exclaimed trying to sound as optimistic as possible.
Arnold couldn't reply. The more optimism Helga showed, the more he felt guilty about everything. Trying to be oblivious, Helga continued with her optimism refusing to acknowledge Arnold's expression.
" You have to thank me, Arnold! If I haven't taught you, you wouldn't stand a chance in those killer tests!" Helga smiled proudly at her accomplishment. Arnold smiled faintly.
" Thanks Helga…" Arnold managed to say.
" I hate this! I should've seen you guys! But I was so stupid to have forgotten taking those antibiotics! Imagine! There's so many pills on my desk that I can't even remember which ones for what! So you know what I do, I take all them!" Helga said trying to laugh at the whole situation.
" Stop it Helga….just stop it." Arnold said.
" Stop what…Arnold… I don't get you." Helga replied.
" Stop acting like that! Like everything's so happy! And everything's going to be fine! I know you're not the type to show your true feelings or something…but the way you're acting?! It's killing me Helga! I know you know that you're not feeling to good!" Arnold exclaimed. Helga was astonished at the sudden outburst.
" Well, gee Arnold…don't you remember. I did try to show my true feelings and all I got was a slap in the face."
" I got the slap in the face, remember?" Arnold pointed out.
" What I got was much more painful. I got rejection." Helga said trying to hide the hurt in her voice. There was silence in the room as both remembered that night, again.
" I figured that maybe…if I tried to be happy…all of these sufferings will go away…coz that's what I tried to do, when I was hurt by you…and I survived through it…so who knows…the same theory of suppression may apply to this. I'll bet you a dollar, Arnold. If I try to sound happy, I know I'll feel better again." Helga said, returning to her false optimistic state.
" There you go again, Helga! Stop it, okay! I want to know how you really feel!" Arnold exclaimed.
Helga fell silent. " I know, Arnold….I'm going to die….I just know it…" Helga said as tears silently went down her cheeks. Arnold punched the wall that was next to him.
" So…this is what it's all about…you feel guilty…because you think this is all your fault?…" Helga asked.
" No….I don't know…I never wanted to cause you pain, Helga…and seeing you there…I don't know…it's just not right…"
" Arnold…you don't have to blame yourself for all of this. I caused this upon myself. You don't have to worry about anything. I believe that's the reason for you looking so worried and guilty. You don't have too feel guilty Arnold….I don't need it…what I need right now…is someone…what you call a friend. I know you're one of them, Arnold." Helga said. Arnold's worried expression turned into a calm one as he sat on Helga's bed.
" Thanks for understanding, Helga. "
" Arnold, if ever…and I believe I will…you know die….."
" No, Helga that's not gonna happen…." Arnold said trying to stop what she was gonna say.
"Arnold…you and I both know that it will happen…maybe in a while…or after how many years, when I'm old…but still…please take care of my bestfriend for me, okay?…and take care of yourself as well. I hope you know I'll always love you…even if I know….that you don't…" Helga said smiling back at him.
Arnold tried to remove the pang of guilt, as he smiled back.
"Arnold…can you…close the blinds please…the sun's starting to hurt my eyes…." Helga said as her eyes started to close. Arnold got up and started to prevent the light from coming in. Just as he did, he heard a sound…the sound that at this time, he definitely didn't want to hear it.
A long beep came from the machine that was connected to Helga. He turned around and saw Helga's eyes shut.