(A/N: I apologize, as I usually do, about how long the wait was. I got caught up in a side project commissioned for a friend (Its called The Two Day Ordeal) which took up the usual time it would have taken me to create a chapter for this story... with it having the content of 2+ chapters... but either way, I implore you all to take a look, as I'm quite fond of it (which I'd hope so, since I made it.)...
Anyway! I have a few things to update you readers on!
1. I got some pictures being commissioned for this story that I'm super excited to share with you all when they're done! I recently saw the sketches and am elated!
2. I'll be having major surgery next week so expect the next chapter to take a while (as I'll be very tired from the pre-op requirements, as well as sleeping a lot during my recovery), not that's out of the usual for me, anyway. It seems the moment I try and set a time limit for myself, I immediately ignore it.
3. This is the longest author's note I've ever done! This matters very little but I feel uncomfortable if three things aren't listed, so here we are!
I hope I haven't been annoying all of you with how long it takes me to create chapters... It really bugs me to know that I can't seem to dish out content in a timely fashion like other Authors :/ but unfortunately, this is what happens when you got kids and medical issues. Not trying to throw out excuses, as much as just feeling sorry for myself ^^; anyway, pity party aside, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Byebye~)
The street lights flickered on as the sun went down around Hillwood, causing all children who were still playing outside to run back into their homes. Many were already inside and awaiting dinner, and this included Arnold.
The dinner table was mostly full and all were awaiting their chef's presence along with the promised food. Once the food was assembled on the table, it only took the sound of the last dish hitting the surface for the boarders to start digging in.
Helga watched awkwardly while the adults filled their plates, then looked across the table at Arnold who seemed to be doing the same. She wondered what exactly the meal was, since all she could really see was it was some type of stew. Next to it, were some grainy looking dinner rolls as well as a plate of seasoned rice.
"Alright already!" Phil shouted at his tenants, while shewing their hands away from the food. "You scavengers act like you haven't eaten in days!" He could hear them grumble but paid no mind, and instead looked at the two young kids and shook his head. "You can't grow unless you eat, so you better grab some food while you can." Then finally looked to his own. "And if you have any intention on eating your own food, you better start serving yourselves first."
The elder's words granted the rest of the table sometime to plate their own food, leaving Helga as the last. She stood up and looked over at the pot, with an arched eyebrow.
"It won't bite." Arnold noted with a smile, as he spooned some of the stew onto his rice. "Just try it."
Skeptical, she looked the contents over again. She could see Stella and Miles eyeing her out of the corner of her eye, so she prepared her plate in the same manner as her peer and sat down.
Eating at Arnold's house always seemed to be an adventure. No dinner was ever the same and more times than not, it had ingredients she had no idea even existed. It was much different from the basic meat and potatoes, basic pasta dish or take out her family usually had… and those were on the good days. Typically, her dinner was cereal or a sandwich unless Olga came over. In fact, Olga usually showcased her extensive culinary prowess and caused her parents to just fawn over her more, causing Helga to hate her food on pure principle. It didn't matter if the food tasted good because it would always taste sour with a mouth full of animosity.
After everyone was done eating, the boarders slowly made their ways out of the dining room, leaving the family to clean up, per usual.
"You go on ahead and take care of your homework, Shortman." Said Phil as he pushed young Arnold out of the dining room, leaving him a bit baffled.
Helga looked between the two and figured it was only best for her to follow suit as it honestly made her uncomfortable to do anything in this house without Arnold nearby.
"Not so fast, little lady." Gertie called to Helga before grabbing onto her arm lightly. "I was hoping we could have a talk before you saddled up back to the ranch."
"Huh?" Helga was startled but had no idea how to handle her situation. Was she in trouble? She looked at Arnold who seemed just as confused as she was.
Gertie let the girl go and only gave a warm smile, while Phil led Arnold away.
"Have a seat…" The old woman said as she gestured to the chair Helga had gotten used to sitting in.
This made Helga want to run away even more, but did as she was told and sat down. A million thoughts flew through her head as she waited patiently for the old woman to get on with whatever it was. She could feel her stomach nervously twitch with every passing second.
Phil managed to make his way back to the dining room, and sat down next to his wife. Moments later, Arnold's parents emerged from the kitchen and did the same.
"What is this about?" Helga finally said, doing her best to push away all of the anxieties that were raging around inside her.
"I'm sure you're aware that its young Arnold's birthday next week." Phil started as he looked around the room at his family with a smile. "And we were hoping you could get him out of the house that day so we could set it all up. Obviously, don't go and spill the beans to him, but just, you know, drag him around town for a while so it gives us some time."
"We want to be able to set up the dining room with a banner, streamers and really go all out!" explained Miles as he pointed to the open door ways and edges of the ceiling.
"Since it will be our first birthday with him that he can remember, we really want to make it special." Stella chimed in, reaching over the table, and placing her hand on Helga's arm. "Could you do this for us?"
Astonished at this request, Helga looked between all the adults again and breathed in deeply. "So… let me get this straight. You want me to drag Arnold out of the house for an undisclosed amount of time so you guys can dizzy up the place?"
"Sure!" laughed Phil, "You can even get your little friends involved. Have a baseball game, go throw rocks in the river, take a trip to Elk Island! Whatever you want just don't come home until, oh- I don't know… late afternoon-ish."
"We'll even give you a little money, that way, it will be like a date." Stella encouraged as she reached in her pocket and pulled out a couple of dollar bills.
Everything was happening so fast, that Helga felt like her head was spinning. Not only did this give her a perfect chance to take him out for his birthday, but they were even throwing cash her way? And they were encouraging her to make it a date? Images started to flood her brain with the possibilities and she could feel herself being whisked away into her fantasies. Quickly, she forced her focus to the conversation at hand.
"Eh…" She shrugged casually. "Okay, I'll see what I can do."
The two younger parents looked at each other with excitement and held each others hands.
"Thank you, Helga." Said Miles, warmly. "This really means a lot to us."
"Do you want me to get everyone from our class to come too?" She asked as she pushed herself back up to her feet, assuming the talk had been over.
Phil hummed to himself and forced a laugh. "No… No." He remembered the mess everyone had made on the roof top when they had invited everyone to the showing of their winning contest entry to San Lorenzo, then cringed. "We'll be making this one family only. Less of a mess, that way…"
"Oh…" The term he used caused her heart to sink a little. She had been forcing the creeping suspicion away that she may not be invited, and it seemed like maybe she was right. "Okay."
"Hurd the cattle, round up the horses and take em to pasture to graze!" Gertie shouted before laughing hysterically, causing the others to jump. When she settled down, she patted Helga on the head. "Do be sure to take good care of Tex for us, Calamity Sue."
Slowly backing away, Helga nodded compliantly. "Right… Well, I got homework to do so… I'll be going now…" She said with some uneasy hesitation. The moment she noticed that no one was stopping her, she turned around and raced out in route to her room of solitude.
The adults watched her queer behavior but didn't question it. It was something Phil and Gertie had become accustomed to, since they had known her and all her quirks for years now, however, it still left Arnold's parents scratching their heads.
"Everything settled then…?" Phil asked them, his voice drawing out the last word as he looked in to each of their faces. "No more doubts?"
Gertie jumped out of her seat and placed her foot on the chair that the girl once sat in. "It's gonna be a hooten and tooten jamboree!" She yelled out, before laughing once again.
"I hope so…" replied Miles, still looking a little unsure of himself.
The days had been flying by a lot sooner than he would have liked, which gave him little time to plan such a big event. It was one thing to plan a party for a one-year-old. Not much to really do except put a party hat on his head, give him a small cake to mash his face into, a few presents to play with and fill the house with love. A preteen though? Miles could hardly remember himself at Arnold's age since it had been so long, but there was one thing he could remember, and that was his birthdays were either embarrassing or nearly forgotten about, if something was going on in the world. He didn't want this for Arnold. He wanted to plan something completely age appropriate with just the right amount of pizazz.
Stella placed her hand on her husband's shoulder, patted it a few times then smiled. "You're such a worry wart…" She stated before returning to the kitchen.
"That's part of why you love me though… right?" When Miles turned to look at his wife, he noticed she had already left and panicked a little. "Right? Stella!"
Smoothing his bald head, Phil sighed and watched his son chase after the pretty brunette woman who he could hear chuckling from inside the kitchen. "What are we gonna do with him…" He mumbled to himself. Looking over at his own wife, who had finished her play of hysterics and seemed to come back to the real world, he gave her solemn eyes. "We went from raising one boy, to a different boy and now to two boys! I tell ya… I'd be pulling out all of my hair, if I had any left! If things go on this way, I dunno if I'll make it to 91!"
The woman cackled and began to finish clearing up the dinner table.
"And you're the worst one of them all!" He motioned to her, with a grin. He knew it wasn't true; at least not the extent he was making it. Her wiles kept him on his feet, as well as helped him forget the age they truly were. You'll always stay young, if you're young at heart… Phil reminded himself before helping his cherished spouse.
It was time to finally take a load off and let Miles take the reins of Arnold's rearing, and Phil had every intention of enjoying every second of it. He could vividly remember all of the trouble that came with raising a teenage boy. The joys and sorrows. The punishments and rewards. All the confusing feelings about growing up and frustrations of how to handle it… these were the things that Phil fondly remembered. Miles wasn't a very difficult boy; if anything, he was a blessing. A bit more rambunctious than Arnold, but a pleasure nonetheless. He had his own strengths and weaknesses and it was going to be very amusing to watch him raise a teen boy.
This realization also put feelings of sadness into Phil, and he frowned. Young Arnold always came to him with his boyhood struggles, adventure stories and celebrations and now he would have someone else to share them with. His real father. Phil was no longer the primary male figure for him and thus, he would have to get used to Arnold sharing things with Miles that even he didn't know about.
"Chin up." Gertie demanded as she watched her husband sulk silently. "That's where Miles, gets it from, you know." She mentioned with a wink.
"Ohhhh…" Phil whined as he furrowed his brows. He knew his wife could read him like a book and hated it. "Give me those spoons!" He demanded as he snatched the shiny silver utensils out of her hand, hoping he could change the subject. The last thing he wanted to do, was confront these feelings. "Don't you have someone else to harass?"
"My, my…" Gertie sang playfully as she watched the old man scowl and finish picking up the last of the cups. "But you're my favorite target!"
Phil rolled his eyes, but smiled on the inside. After all, it didn't matter what sort of attention she was giving him because underneath, he knew it was laced with love.
Arnold wandered up to his room and laid out his homework. He had done his best to set aside his worries that afternoon for the sake of just enjoying himself. Now that he was home, in the quiet of his room, it was a lot harder to keep his thoughts at bay.
So much had gone on, and only recently. His relationship with Helga had gotten a lot better from inside these walls, however at school, everything remained the same… just how she liked it. Just how long would they have to keep this up? How long until the walls of their façade would come crashing down around them? Knowing full well that Stinky and Sid knew about their relationship, and had opened their mouths carelessly in the halls of P.S 118, it was only a matter of days before everyone knew… if they didn't already. Arnold wondered just how many people actually knew now, but were being kind enough to keep it to themselves.
That aside, there was also the subject of Brainy and whatever he was doing. He had promised Helga that he wouldn't confront him, and he didn't… but deep inside, boiled something callous and hideous that not even he wanted to admit. It wasn't so much as jealousy, as it was the need to protect. Monsters lurked behind corners in dark alleys but they could also hide behind computer screens. If one boy had the ability to do something so massive without much effort… Its scared Arnold to think of what Brainy could accomplish if he really set his mind to it. This led into the fact that Arnold really didn't know much about the boy in the first place, which bothered him even more.
With all of these things going on, how was it possible for Arnold to even consider his birthday? This was something he knew Gerald, or any other normal kid, couldn't understand. He always carried the mighty weight of the world on his shoulder, even if it had nothing to do with him.
Taking out a freshly sharpened pencil from his desk, Arnold tapped it a few times against his paper, lost in thought, before mindlessly popping it into his mouth and chewing on the metal part for a minute. He looked down at his worksheet but the words seemed foreign to him.
He considered the good things around him. His parents were warm and loving, just like he always thought they would be. He was finally spending time with them, although admittedly, less now that school started. The stories they would tell him, and how happy and interested they were to hear his stories as well, were all dreams that were coming true! He felt whole, for the first time in his life. He would have the wise teachings of his grandparents, the loving support of his real parents, as well as random life lessons learned by the boarders. He had so many friends, and now even a girlfriend!
Arnold then realized that he had completely worn out the pencil eraser and set it down. He could taste the metallic residue, as well as tiny bits of the pink eraser that had imbedded themselves into the crevasses of his teeth. Spitting to the side, he set down the utensil and stared at his worksheet again. Things just didn't feel right. How was he supposed to enjoy all of these new things with so much bad looming in the distance, just waiting for the perfect moment to jump out and ruin everything? Could he take care of these things before they really did any damage?
The boy rested his back against his computer chair and sighed. "Gerald is right…" He spoke softly to himself. He remembered a conversation that he and Helga had before the Emporium burned down. She had told him that if she was strong enough to endure what she had already, then surely, she could endure people finding out about their relationship. He knew she could; She had proved time and time again how capable she was.
Closing his eyes, Arnold began to fantasize what life might be like if their relationship were out in the open. He thought of them holding hands and smiling at each other as they walked down the street and through the halls of their school. Of people smiling and whispering in awe of how perfectly they complimented each other, just like how he thought of Gerald and Phoebe. He imagined them going out on dates to movies, to a nice restaurant, or even to the beach. The wind blowing carelessly through her thick blonde hair, a perfect smile on her lips, and her slightly tanned skin shining under the sun's rays. He thought of how wonderful things really could be, if they were allowed to be. He knew that reality could be harsh, but just how different would things really be if she allowed them to be more open? Would people really ridicule her like she feared? Would knowing that one of the biggest, baddest and meanest bullies of P.S 118 had a softhearted and kind side really tear open the fabric of her school life?
He then considered Big Patty. She was a very large and very standoffish girl, however when you got to know her, she was similar to Torvald in a way. Just because she looked big and mean, and sometimes held kids accountable for their actions, didn't actually make her mean. Patty had a bad reputation but she also didn't hide that she was a kind individual and no one dared bully her for it… so why wouldn't it be the same for Helga? Surely, size wasn't the biggest contributing factor as everyone knew that Helga could be just as brutal as the next person and if anything, her small stature actually made her faster and harder to control. She was muscular and fast, not large, and slow. Her mind was also quick and, even if sometimes she made mistakes, she was mostly quick witted not only in a fight but with her words as well.
Feeling himself unintentionally smiling at the thought of her, Arnold shook his head and remembered that there was something he was supposed to be doing, and thinking about girls was not it. Again, he stared down at his worksheet. It was only a few open-ended questions regarding something they covered in history. They weren't even hard questions! So, why was it so hard for him to focus?
Looking over at his shut door, he wondered if Helga had finished her homework and, if she had, what she was doing right now?
You're a hopeless romantic… He remembered Gerald had told him once when he was still after the affections of Ruth. He thought his friend was just being funny but now? Arnold smiled again, but this time intentionally. He knew it was true.
Thinking back to his father's journal, Arnold remembered how stupid he looked in front of his mom as he tried to woo her and wondered if he looked the same.
Walking back and forth with an angry expression cemented on her face, Helga had no intentions on doing that worksheet, not while she was feeling this way. She went over the conversation in her head once more. They wanted her to take Arnold out for his birthday, they would even pay for it so long as she brought him home on time and didn't join them. It was sort of cruel. She would get what she wanted but at the cost of being alienated from the main event.
"Who even cares?" She spat. "Who would even want to join some dorky birthday party anyway? With streamers and balloons? Are they gonna bring in a clown too? I wouldn't be caught dead at a party like that." She growled.
Feeling her heart sink lower and lower, she remembered how friendly his family had been to her. They welcomed her into their house, at no cost to her, given her all the food she wanted, even if she didn't accept most of it. Because of them, she was allowed to have precious moments with Arnold that she never even considered possible. I owe them… She thought sadly. So what if they don't want me there? I can't blame them. I wouldn't want some outsider lurking while I cherished and celebrated the birthday of my long-lost son who I hadn't seen in 10 plus years!
Suddenly, it felt like all the joy she had managed to acquire after getting those tickets; all her fantasies, just seemed to blow away. Helga walked over to the small desk in her room and opened the drawer. There in front of her, lie the tickets she had worked so hard to get. "It's not like my plans have really changed…" She told herself. "I can still give him my gift after the party's over…" she smiled in spite of herself, trying to pick up her own spirits. "In fact, this works out for me. This means I'll have two dates with him. Yeah! One before the party, then one after. I'll give him my gift after his lame surprise party and he'll be super excited, no doubt! We can plan for when we'll go and use his parent's money to have the time of our lives!"
Her words did not convince her though. When would after the party be? She wasn't given a time to be back at the boarding house. Did they expect her to sleep somewhere else? It's not as if she was paying rent anyway. She wasn't owed this room for free. She would take him out, relinquish him to his beloved family while she went… where? Helga hadn't thought of that. She would probably head over to Phoebe's for dinner but that thought made her feel even worse. The realization of her situation, how homeless and alone she really was, really set in.
Helga sat down on her bed softly, feeling its little bounce rise up and down beneath her. "This is pathetic…" She realized. "I'm pathetic. This whole thing is just one big fat joke! Just when I think the universe is giving me a break, it's really just poison disguised as candy! I'm able to have the date of my dreams, with the love of my life, but then I'm cast out to who-knows-where-ville for the rest of the night while they party it up?" Her heart had finally sunk to the lowest pit it could find inside, and nestled there comfortably.
To make things worse, how would she galivant around town with him, on his birthday, without people noticing? Sure, it was something she was willing to deal with if it meant making Arnold happy, but it was just icing on the cake. His birthday fell on a weekend, which made things a bit easier, but at the same time, who knows who could show up and rear their ugly head while she was trying to have the time of her life? Then rumors would spread and she would be the butt of yet another joke. In school and out of school, that's all her life really was. A sick and twisted joke.
Helga fell backwards and let her springy bed catch her. It squeaked loudly and normally she would cuss back at it, but not this time. This time, she could feel small bits of water surround her eyes and she closed them immediately to keep them from spilling. Even though she was alone, this still wasn't something she enjoyed doing. Hold it in… keep it inside and sweep it under the rug. That's the Pataki way. Helga snorted at her father's voice inside her head. Yeah, that's exactly why we're all messed up!
She then let a few tears escape and rolled over to her side, clutching her knees up against her chest. What was worse? Being ignored and insignificant to her own family? Or being used as a pawn by a family she was just starting to accept?
The morning sun was a lot warmer than it had been the last few days, and the wind a lot mellower. The day was being met very gladly by most of the people around Hillwood, but Helga couldn't manage to appreciate it. She tried. The moment she walked out of the Sunset Arms with Arnold by her side, smiling as usual, the only thing she could do was scowl at it, cling to her bag and walk on forward. She could hear Arnold trying to make small talk with her, but most of his words just seemed like whisps of dirt from the wind that flew right by. She would reply shortly and trek on.
Completely confused and concerned, Arnold eventually gave up on the small talk and walked silently with her until they got to school. It was clear that she either woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something had happened last night with his family. He hadn't forgotten their strange request to speak to her without him, however he didn't question it much as he assumed it probably concerned something personal. Maybe her parents had called and they were making good progress in finding a new house? Helga would have definitely taken news like that in a bad way. He couldn't imagine her wanting to go back to living the way she had been, even if her current situation wasn't great. Maybe they wanted some sort of rent since they had no idea how long she would be staying there? Arnold shook his head. He couldn't imagine his family confronting her about something like that. If anything, they would contact her parents directly.
Once they made it inside, Arnold headed over to his locker.
"I'll just be a second." He told her as he began to fiddle with the lock. "I just need to grab a few things."
Without answering, Helga gave a wave of her hand as if she couldn't careless, and continued on towards the classroom.
Frowning, Arnold turned back to his locker and continued on his business, wishing he could figure out just what was on her mind today.
Helga opened the door to her classroom to see that it was already mostly full, with the absence of Arnold, Lila, Brainy and Curly. With a shrug, she threw her bag on the side of her desk and sat down. Without even a second to lose, Gerald approached her with his arms crossed and a raised eyebrow.
"That's strange…" He commented with skepticism. "You're here… before Arnold?"
"It's a free country, Geraldo." She hissed back with a side glance. "He can be as late as he wants. And besides, I'm not his keeper."
Gerald looked back and forth before peeking out the classroom door for a quick second, then went back to his conversation. "So… my man's birthday is coming up…" He started in a suave manner, as if he had nothing up his sleeve. "Got anything planned?"
Helga could feel heat rise to her cheeks at the question and immediately sent a glare towards Phoebe, who looked unaware and surprised. "What gives you the idea that I have ANYTHING planned?" She asked, although still looking into the frightened eyes of her best friend.
"I mean… it only makes sense…" Gerald shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Given your… living situation… in all." He replied quietly, as he looked around to make sure he brought no attention to them.
His words caused anger to bubble up deep inside her chest. It was obvious that Phoebe has spilled the beans to him, one way or another, but she wasn't too sure how much she had said. Taking a deep breath, she calmly turned her body back to the cool kid in front of her. "My… living situation has nothing to do with it." She corrected him, sternly. The moment she locked eyes with him though, she had a feeling that there was more to this conversation than him just being nosey. After all, since when did Gerald ever care about what she had planned? "However…" She began, as she straightened her back and placed her hands on her desk in a polite manner. "If you're looking to ask something specific, now would be the time."
Gerald could see that she was catching the hints he was throwing, and nodded his head. "I was just wondering, out of usual curiosity… that if there was something going down… let's just say, a party of some sort... when and where it would be?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her, causing her to scowl. "If you catch my drift."
Sighing and leaning back in her seat, she turned her eyes away from him and smiled. "And… let's say, for some strange, ungodly reason… I did have this information you were looking for… given my living situation, what makes you think that I would tell you?" She watched as Gerald jumped at her question, but continued on. "If there was…" She looked up at the ceiling and placed her finger on her chin, pretending to be in thought, "I don't know, some sort of surprise party… don't you think that you would have been notified by someone else about it? If you were invited, that is." With her final words, her eyes pierced his in a challenging glare.
Feeling as though he came onto this situation in the worst way possible, Gerald straightened his posture before looking out the door again. "Okay. Okay." He waved his hands in surrender. "You make your point, but I'm just looking to be on top of my game." He gave her a reassuring smile and decided that maybe it would be best if he just came clean about why he was asking. "I know his family is probably planning something big. You know how parties at his house are…" He stopped and then looked at her deadpanned, obvious face, and cleared his voice before continuing, "We'll maybe not, but they're usually pretty crazy. I can't even imagine what it's gonna be like with both his grandparents and his actual parents! He doesn't think anything's gonna happen, but he's gotta be wrong, right?"
The classroom door opened, and Lila graced everyone with her award-winning smile, before saying her hello's and walking to her assigned seat.
Helga watched as the room's attention shifted to the pretty country girl, before returning back to her unwanted conversation. "So?" She asked dully. "What's your point?"
"I'm just saying that if there is some crazy party going on, I want in and I know you probably got the scoop." Gerald finished, giving her an obvious stare.
Thinking back to her conversation with his parents, she knew very well what they had planned, and none of it was as exciting as he seemed to think. "Unfortunately for us, Tall Hair Boy, it's a family exclusive party." She breathed out, trying to let her frustrations go with the exhale, and watching Gerald's face become surprised. "Yeah, I feel the same way but it's not up to us. If you do something with him, that means you gotta plan it in advance and not for the day of."
"They're planning it to be all day?" Gerald's face gleamed in awe, as all he could imagine was it was going to take the boy the entire day to open the mountain of presents.
"No, you moron!" She corrected, as she pounded one of her fists into her desk, hoping to snap him out of his fantasy. "Whatever they have planned isn't until late afternoon, but…" before she could finish her sentence, a realization dawned on her. They wanted me to take him around town, show him a good time and distract him before the inevitable surprise party. The two of us together, out in the open, all day long would definitely draw attention… But not if Gerald was with us… Helga considered how awkward it would be, if it was just the three of them and decided that she would use his interest to her advantage. "Actually…" Her voice heightened in pitched and a charming smile grew across her face. "Let's talk after class…"
"Huh?" Gerald became confused, as he thought he was finally getting somewhere. He opened his mouth to ask for more information, but before he could, the classroom door opened again, and the person in question walked inside.
Helga gave Arnold her usual scowl, causing him to walk past her and to his desk as if everything was normal. "As I said…" She said to Gerald, in a whisper, "We'll talk more about it after class. Now get out of here before he starts asking questions!"
Slumping a little in his steps, the boy did just that, causing Helga to feel even more exhausted than she already did. Turning her head a little, she tried her best to get a glimpse of her beloved and surprisingly, he didn't look like his usual, head in the clouds, optimistic self. In fact, his head was in his hands and he almost looked frustrated.
A few moments later, Curly came dancing into the room, with Brainy not too far behind as well as Mr. Simmons, with his usual uppity morning routine. The day would continue on as any other.
Arnold, meanwhile, grit his teeth and sunk into his chair as he recalled the event that had just unfolded.
While at his locker, Arnold watched sadly as Helga disappeared into the distance. He turned to the combination lock and began twisting and turning the little nob, in the way he knew he could get it open. "25…15…21." With a loud click, he jerked the handle up and the door opened with ease.
Inside, he moved around various old school papers that he probably didn't need anymore, but kept just in case, in order to find another notebook, as his current one was almost full, as well as a new pencil since he managed to chew off his eraser last night.
Once he grabbed the things he was looking for, Arnold began to shut his locker door, but stopped. He could see Brainy off in the distance, listening to whatever Curly was telling him. He watched as the boy smiled his absent-minded smile, and nod his head enthusiastically as if he was agreeing to whatever the crazed boy was telling him. He could only imagine that it was something along the lines of what he had told Eugene and himself just the other day.
Rolling his eyes, Arnold held his possessions in his hand tightly and continued to watch from behind the thin metal door. There was nothing particular he was waiting to see, and he wasn't even really interested in what they were doing, but he was just unable to peel his eyes away from the plain boy.
Arnold could feel his insides begin to twist and turn. Why was it that he looked so normal? Just a normal, everyday kind of kid with nothing remarkable about him. No one would turn their head or even bat their eye if they saw Brainy walking. In fact, it was rare for anyone to even notice him at all… and yet, he was able to do something so extraordinary like hack into a company and remove its assets. He could create programs and do whatever he wanted with them: turn them into simple games or create spy tools. His unusual talents weren't what really bothered him, though. Arnold knew that everyone had their own strengths and weaknesses, each unique to that individual. What really fascinated Arnold into watching this boy's seemingly meaningless conversation with his peer, was the fact that underneath his ordinary exterior, he had the ability to choose to launch this program. From behind the darkness of his computer screen, he would choose to go so far with the thought of helping the person he cared for most, even if it meant he could possibly go to jail for it.
The feelings inside Arnold churned further and he could feel his hand begin to shake. He promised Helga that he would not approach him, and he wouldn't, but it didn't mean that he had to feel good about all of this. Thinking back to her demeanor earlier, Arnold couldn't help but wonder if maybe her bad mood stemmed from worrying about this? She had told him to stop, but had he? Brainy didn't appear to have a care in the world but, then again, he never did. How would either of them be able to tell if he had reversed his plans or not?
The blond boy took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then breathed out. There was a quick and easy solution to all of this. All he had to do, was ask Helga to check her messages with him there, to see if Brainy had replied. It was simple and nothing to stress about… even if he knew she was irritable today.
Forcing himself to smile, Arnold shut the locker door and headed towards the classroom. Curly smiled and waved at him, before spinning in a circle and running ahead while Brainy turned to see who Curly had greeted. With his own courteous smile, he waved to Arnold as well.
I don't dislike Brainy… Arnold told himself as he gave the boy a curt nod. I just have bad feelings towards him… that will pass. He's doing what he thinks is right, just like I am. He cares about Helga, just like I do… However, it wasn't really until that moment, that his words really sunk into his brain, causing Arnold to stop and look at the kid.
Brainy's raspy breathing became audible as he opened his mouth a little more to speak. "Hey…"
The voice caused Arnold to twitch. Just how long had this boy been in love with Helga? He remembered how Brainy had reached out to him, back in the fourth grade, in order to help him set up a meeting with her. It was clear he was still in love with her then and now, but when did it start? He wanted to ask, but instead gripped his notebook until his knuckles turned white.
"Hey." Arnold replied, shortly. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to ask, that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to just stand there next to him without the permission to do so.
As Arnold turned to continue walking, he felt Brainy reach out and tug on his arm, causing a sudden burst of exasperation. He could feel his muscles immediately tense up, as if they wanted nothing more than to strike but Arnold's discipline wouldn't allow that. He had learned a lot of things from the karate his grandmother had taught him, and to know when and where to pick your battles was one of them. Brainy was not a threat to Arnold, even though his irrational hormones were telling him otherwise. Choosing not to speak, the irate boy turned his head to look at the boy who seemed to want his attention.
Letting go of his sleeve, Brainy took a step back and paused before giving a simple, but encouraging thumbs up, along with another raspy smile.
It was clear in Arnold's mind that Brainy had no idea how he was feeling and simply replied in kind with his own thumbs up, before pushing himself to leave.
Once he entered his classroom, he looked to his left and immediately noticed Gerald standing at Helga's desk. He was only interested for a split second, before she made the clear indication that he was not welcomed in this conversation, and forced his body to move along. Arnold could feel a small tension headache coming on, and cupped his head in his hands. He could hear the sound of his homeroom door opening and closing again, with the newly added voices of his teacher. He let go of his head, straightened his body, and opened up his notebook.
Throughout class, Arnold contemplated: Why was Helga in a bad mood? What had his family talked to her about? Was he doing enough as her boyfriend? Was he right in letting her have her way and letting their relationship remain a secret? Was it even really secret anymore? Was there really a point in trying to hide it when, in reality, it was beginning to put strain on him? He enjoyed their relationship but shouldn't he be allowed to enjoy it outside of the confides of his? Was this feeling selfish, or was Gerald right? Had Brainy reversed what he had done? Did the Pataki's have access to the funds they so desperately needed and if so, did that mean that Helga would be moving out soon?
Arnold paid attention to his class, took his notes, and scribbled in the margins of his paper. Black swirls turned into black masses until they couldn't be anything else and reflected how he was currently feeling.
He had recently had such a nice talk with her, that ended in them mutually feeling relieved that they were able to express how they felt and no longer needed to hide anything. She seemed to really enjoy living with him so what would life for them be like after she would have to inevitably move out? Arnold felt the pit in his stomach twitch at the thought.
A loud ring caused the boy to jump in his seat, and he had noticed everyone around him getting up, ready for their lunch. Letting out a loud sigh, Arnold slouched back in his seat in order to fully bring himself back to the current. His soul felt heavy and he could feel his stomach lurch a few more times, but this time, due to how hungry he was, though the thought of actually eating didn't really seem appealing.
He watched as Helga got up and signaled Phoebe to join her, paying absolutely no mind to him. He watched as the small Asian girl smiled, collected her things, and then joined her best friend at the doorway. Looking over at Gerald, who seemed to be them also, he wondered if they would be eating together today or if he would be forced to sit at yet another table. The thought caused another hunger pain and Arnold finally stood up, causing Gerald to look his way at the sound of his chair screeching backwards.
Gerald tilted his head but then was quick to walk over. "You okay, man?" He asked as he looked his best friend all over. "You don't look so good."
Placing a hand on his forehead, Arnold shook his head. "It's nice to know that I look the way I feel…" He mumbled out before grabbing his backpack and opening it up to place his belongings inside. He had woken up just fine but it seemed that since he had been in his head since getting to school, that it had now taken a physical manifestation that was noticeable by the people around him.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Gerald crossed his arms and glanced over at Helga who seemed to be standing in the doorway still waiting on him. She still had something she needed to tell him and he figured it would be now but, looking back over at Arnold, he realized that it would have to wait so he waved her out. He watched as she rolled her eyes and huffed before leaving, likely diminishing his chances of getting that precious information but his best friend's wellbeing mattered more right now. "You wanna go to the nurse's office?" He asked once he turned his focus back to the blond boy who seemed to have been growing paler. "Or… home?"
Letting a small smile go, Arnold shook his head again. "There's just been a lot on my mind lately." He reassured, throwing his backpack over his shoulder, and heading out of the classroom.
Gerald quickly followed and made sure to stay as close to him as possible, fearing that the boy could fall over at any given minute. "Are you sure? You look like death, man."
"Nothing a little food can't fix…" Arnold replied, although he didn't even believe himself. Why had Helga been waiting for Gerald? He wanted to ask him but somehow couldn't find the effort needed.
"Be sure to grab some extra than because, damn… you don't look good at all!" reinforced Gerald sadly while shaking his head. He could see that his friend was slow in step, as if the wind had been knocked out of him. "I know you like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, but man, that's just an expression and you seem to be taking it literally…"
Shooting his companion a sharp scowl, Arnold could feel his headache beginning to throb but turned to look ahead of him, and quicken his pace.
"You wanna talk about it?" Gerald asked as he jogged a little to catch up to Arnold's sudden speed walking.
The gesture was a nice one but Arnold was beginning to feel hopeless. Were all these worries even something he COULD talk about? He knew the topic of Brainy was off limits, as well as talking about the frustrations within his relationship, as it was obvious what Gerald would say. He looked up at the ceiling for a moment before turning back to his friend with an exhausted smile. "No… I'll be alright."
"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard you say." Blurted out Gerald, shamelessly. "But alright. If that's what you want." Feeling bad for his friend, he placed an arm around Arnold to show him that he was there for him. "But if you change your mind, I'm all ears."
A genuine laugh escaped Arnolds lips at the show of comfort and he could feel the heavy weight begin to lift a little bit.
Gerald on the other hand, truly was beginning to worry. We had such a good time yesterday… so what could have happened in such a small amount of time? He wondered as he steered his best friend towards the cafeteria. He then recalled his conversation with Helga. Did they have some sorta fight? No way, she would have definitely been more touchy than usual, and she seemed pretty normal… so what gives?!
They got to the lunch line and grabbed their food without many words passing between them, then settled themselves at an empty lunch table. Gerald watched Arnold as he poked around his food and could feel his worry turning into frustration. "You know, it won't jump into your mouth by itself, right?" He asked playfully, trying to lighten up the mood with a little banter. "I hope you don't expect me to feed you because that's where I draw the line." He laughed.
The joke caused Arnold to give a small chuckle, but he continued pushing around his food. His stomach grumbled more but the thought of eating didn't feel very pleasant.
"I know it doesn't look all that great, but its not too bad." Gerald encouraged as he took a bite of his meal. "In fact, this sauce actually tastes like they added something other than salt to it. I wonder how that got passed Principal Wartz's budget?" and laughed again.
Arnold appreciated what Gerald was trying to do and took a bite. "Yeah, you're right." He replied with a bit of surprise before echoing his friend with a little laughter.
Feeling as though he accomplished something, Gerald continued on with some light hearted conversation, bringing up topics like his family, shows he had seen and then eventually ending up on the topic of Rhonda's costume party.
"Have you figured out what you're gonna dress up as?" The dark-skinned boy asked, finally finishing his Meat hash surprise, and pushing away his tray. "I wanted to go all out but with how my Dad has been hounding us lately about our bills, I'll be lucky if I'm allowed to cut some holes into old bed sheets and call myself a ghost…"
Much like his upcoming birthday, Arnold hadn't thought much of what he was planning on being for Halloween. "I'm sure your Dad will let you get something cool." Arnold said as he examined his plate that was still mostly full. The only thing he had really managed to eat without issue was the bread roll. "And if not… then we'll both just be really lame ghosts." He finished with a chuckle. "I know we have plenty of really old bed sheets that my grandpa wouldn't mind us getting rid of."
"That'll be our last resort, though." Gerald gave a wink and leaned back in his seat. "I've been looking at those really cool Karate Ranger's suits, but I really don't want to mess up my hair. Hat hair is the worst…" He explained as he brushed his hair smooth with both of his palms, "And keeping my hair in tip top shape is already hard enough as it is." His eyes glimmered as he thought of his favorite suit, but then he frowned at the thought of the helmet not fitting and his hair throwing it across the room in a comedic fashion.
"What about something simple, like a vampire?" Arnold suggested, much liking the idea for himself. "All you'll really need is some of your Dad's old vintage clothes, a cape and some dollar store plastic fangs. You can ask your mom to let you use her make up for some finishing touches and you'll look great!"
It was nice to hear that Arnold was finally beginning to sound like his usual self, and Gerald smiled. "Yeah, that does sound pretty cool. I'll keep it on the list." He said as he checked off an imaginary list on the table. "You got any more ideas?"
Arnold thought for a moment while tapping his fingers on the plywood table, then suddenly laughed. "I bet the school will let us use those fruit old costumes from that dumb play. You looked pretty good as a strawberry!"
Grimacing at the thought, Gerald made a gagging noise and stood up. "Yeah right. I'll definitely pass on that idea. I'm pretty sure that I've grown out of that old thing anyway. I'd be surprised if they even still HAD those costumes."
"Yeah…" Arnold laughed again and grabbed his plate to follow. "You're right."
Looking over at his friends mostly full plate, Gerald cocked his eyebrow and hesitated. "You sure that you're done? You hardly touched your food. I thought you were hungry?"
Looking back down at the food in question, Arnold's body grumbled again at the sight of the slop and he cringed. "The bread was enough. I'll just eat when I get home." He explained as he hustled to throw out the tray.
"Ah… saving room for the good stuff, smart man." Gerald smiled as he followed Arnold to the bins. "Mind if I tag along? My mom's planning on having some of her girlfriends over today for some weird party. Something about kitchen stuff."
As the two exited the lunch room, Arnold glanced backward and noticed that Helga and Phoebe were still at their usual table and engaged in conversation. He could feel his heart longing to be able to sit with her but forced his attention back to his companion. "Yeah. I don't see why not." He shrugged as he left the room.
After having watched Arnold hesitate, Gerald snorted loudly and stared at his friend as he walked past him. "I know you don't wanna talk about what's bugging you but, seeing what you just did, I can only assume she's involved."
Arnold felt his blood run cold at the correct assumption but didn't allow himself to halt, causing Gerald to hurry and catch up.
"And you don't have to talk about it. That's cool." Gerald continued as he waved his hands in surrender. "But I hate to see you torturing yourself, Arnold."
The term torture did seem pretty accurate and Arnold sighed before turning back to his friend. "It's not her that's really the problem, Gerald. So, don't worry." He explained as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "We haven't even been fighting lately." The thought brought a much needed smile to his face, as it was a nice change of pace to think of something pleasant for the moment. "We've been open and honest with each other and she's been really relaxed around the boarding house."
Gerald raised his eyebrows in surprise at the notion. "Helga? Relaxed? You sure we're talking about the same girl?"
"Yes, Gerald. I'm sure…" Arnold smile grew a little at the fond memory of them together. "She really isn't the problem. I really like having her around." He then thought of her usual display around school and shook his head. "It's different when we're together."
"Oh, I don't doubt that," replied Gerald, his eyes widening as he tried to wipe away images of what they might look like alone together. "And that's not something I want to really get into, either. I'm just worried about you." They both rounded the corner and could see Mr. Simmons in the distance, heading on into the classroom.
Once they got to the door, they stopped. Gerald placed both of his hands on his shorter friend's shoulders and sighed. "Look. I know I may not be the easiest person to talk to when it comes to your relationship. I get it. I don't see what you do but its just kinda hard from my point of view." He watched as Arnold opened his mouth to object, but Gerald silenced him as he put his hand up to continue speaking. "That being said, I really, and I mean REALLY hate seeing you like this. So, how about after school, we go hang out in your room, we can grab some ice cream from the Jolly Olly man, and you can just let it all out and I'll listen. I won't object or even give my opinion, unless you ask, of course." He arched his eyebrow in a playful interest and let the boy go.
Frowning again, Arnold looked around them both to make sure none of their classmates were nearby. "I just need to work on some things, Gerald." He said quietly, a little sad at the truth. It was hard to be unable to express all of his concerns, and what he could express were all things that he had mentioned to Gerald in the past. "And I'll probably just be telling you things you already know."
"Hey, if all you need to do is repeat a few things a bunch of times in order to let it out and be free, then by all means." Gerald placed his hand out to do their signature hand shake and gave his friend a warm smile. "That's what friends are for, right?"
Arnold gladly reciprocated by placing his thumb next to his friends to complete the shake. "Right." He said, sounding a little relieved. It was nice to know that Gerald really wanted to be there for him, even when he knew he wouldn't fully understand. He just hoped that maybe after their talk later, that things might be a little easier on him.
Back in the cafeteria, Helga and Phoebe had just managed to finish their food and were in the process of throwing away their garbage.
"I really do sincerely apologize for telling Gerald about the actual whereabouts of our outing, Helga." Phoebe apologized again, for probably the fifth time. "I really saw no harm in it as it didn't exactly give away your position."
"Yeah, yeah. I know." Helga growled as she pushed the cafeteria door open viciously. "You don't have to keep apologizing, Pheebs! I've gotten over it already." She explained, even though her actions were proving otherwise. "It just would have been nice if you hard warned me before Geraldo approached me this morning. I mean, I know he wasn't asking what MY plans were, and more of what Arnold's parents were up to… but for a moment, it really had me worried."
Phoebe adjusted her glasses and followed her friends lead. "I've never betrayed your trust before, Helga, and I had no intentions of beginning." She watched as Helga turned down another hallway, seemingly in route to the nearest bathroom. "Furthermore, I have to say that… well, I'm rather surprised that Arnold's family would just cast you out like that. Surely, you must have misunderstood…"
"I didn't misunderstand." Replied Helga, rather harshly as she forced open the bathroom door and growled at some fourth grade girls, who then immediately left. "It was as clear as day. No friend. Family only. What's there to misunderstand?" She then threw open one of the stall doors and locked it behind her.
Resting the small of her back up against the cool, porcelain sink, Phoebe tipped her head back and looked up at the iridescent lights as they began to flicker with old age. "It just seemed incredibly out of character for humanitarians, such as them, to act in such a manner."
"It wasn't so much as them, as it was his grandpa who specified that it was family only," Helga explained as she went about her business. "But it was obvious that they were all in agreement about it." She pressed the button on the back of her toilet and let it flush loudly before continuing. "Look, It doesn't matter anyway. I don't care. I'm over it!" Helga spoke as she flung open the stall door again. "Since Gerald is so interested, I figured, why not make it a double date. All four of us can go out and do whatever, then we'll drop him off at his house and I'll go to your place, that way he can have time with his friends, his family…" Helga approached the sink and began to wash her hands. "And he'll get my present later on. The day is about him, Phoebe, not me."
Phoebe blinked a few times before turning to her friend. "That's a rather mature way of thinking about it." She mentioned as she wasn't really prepared to hear something like that coming from her best friend's mouth.
The compliment made Helga feel a little full of herself, and she caught herself smiling before promptly splashing some water on her face, grabbing a paper towel, and then drying it off. Turning to Phoebe, she shrugged. "Guess maybe I'm trying to turn over a new leaf. Who knows? Now let's go before we're late to class. The last thing I need is someone running their mouths and making my mood worse." And without another word, Helga charged out the bathroom door, leaving her partner a little bewildered.
"Following!" She yelled out quickly, as she found her feet and began to pursue the tall blond-haired girl, who now had a drastic lead.
Helga clenched her jaw as she stomped her way to their classroom, that was now filling itself up with her classmates. She could feel Phoebe catching up behind her and focused her train of thought in order to complete the school day. She hadn't lied to Phoebe about how she felt. Not exactly. She had managed to resolve herself to only focus on it being Arnold's day, however her feelings of discontentment towards the residents within the walls of the Sunset Arms were still very much real. What's one more disappointment to tack on the list? She had decided, before joining her class once more.
A couple of miles down the road, Big Bob stood next to a payphone. He impatiently tapped his foot against the cement, glaring at any of the people passing by that looked his way.
Swiftly, he glanced at his watch and then back at the payphone. "He better not have lied to me…" He growled angrily, knowing deep in the pit of his stomach that Nick Vermicelli was not trustworthy. "If he did, I'll be snapping that pencil neck of his…"
RING…
The payphone besides the hulking man rang loudly, causing Bob to lunge forward and grab onto it, as if his life depended on it.
"Hello?" He asked the unknown caller, in a hushed voice. He waited patiently while the foreign man on the other line spoke very specifically, before agreeing and hanging up.