Chapter 2: What To Do?
After hearing the end of the poem, everyone directed their attention towards Helga. The nervous girl began to sweat like crazy with eyes as wide as the bird's beak. It was bad enough Arnold had said her poem was bizarre. Now there she was, standing in front of the class, feeling frozen solid until she heard…
"Oh Helga! That was such a lovely poem! Thank you so much for sharing it with us! You've always been my favorite author in the class." Mr. Simmons said, as he held his hands over his heart.
For a brief moment, Helga's fear turned to annoyance as she rolled her eyes at her over-emotional teacher. They may both enjoy poetry, but she was able to hide her soft side, unlike him.
Phoebe stood speechless, forgetting about the large pet she was holding. It was clear to her now why Helga had said she needed to take care of something. How was she going to wriggle her way out of this one however? Even if she lied, the people in their class were always looking for any excuse to mess with somebody.
As hard as Helga was trying to avoid eye contact with him, some things were starting to make sense…
The school play
The flood
Getting the money for the float
The wedding
Finding his hat
Not wanting him to finish the last page of the pink book he had found.
As he watched the now petrified girl with the heavily beating heart, Arnold jumped in to say "Yeah, what was the name of that actor you and Phoebe were talking about the other day Helga?"
Helga began to blink as she slowly turned towards her beloved and asked "Huh?"
Arnold knew Helga wasn't anymore ready to confess than he was to have the class see them together. "Gerald told me you and Phoebe were talking about an actor the other day who's name is Arnold. I can't remember his last name though?"
Phoebe then butted in to say "I believe it was Schwartzenegar. Not only is he an actor and filmmaker, but he is also known to be a wonderful author, and quite an impressive politician. He has been the inspiration behind much of Helga's written work."
A relieving smile formed on the blonde girl's face as she wiped the sweat from her brow and said "Uhh yeah. I may have gotten a little carried away with the poem there."
Being the uptight person that she was, Rhonda butted in with her opinion to say "A little? You spend years bullying people for any sensitive behavior they may show, only to put on this delicate act?"
Helga began to grit her teeth at her opponent as she heard Sid ask "Yeah, what was Arnold even doing with it, if it's really your parrot?"
Her nerves once again found their way back to her, as she tugged on her collar and said "Uhhh well the thing is…"
Before she could go on, Gerald looked at what was now his nervous friend shaking and said "Pataki gave it to Phoebe to watch. She couldn't keep it with that threatening lizard though. My parents aren't exactly cool when it comes to pets, so I let my man here look after it."
Once again Helga was relieved (as well as surprised) at how well the class was taking as well as believing this.
The only problem was, as long as Phoebe had a good grip on that lizard, that parrot wasn't going to keep its mouth shut.
The small girl then raised her hand and asked "Umm Mr. Simmons?"
Still taken back by the heart warming poem, the teacher responded "Yes Phoebe?"
"I believe this is an inappropriate environment for a pet quite this size. Not to mention the fact he is not cooperating. May I take him home please?"
The teacher looked back and forth from Phoebe to the clock and said "Well, if you can make it back before the end of show and tell, I guess that would be alright."
Helga then eagerly followed her friend out the door as she said "I better take the parrot home for too. We don't want him bothering the class all day with that stupid poem."
Nadine lifted an eyebrow at Helga's excuse and asked "Aren't YOU the one who wrote it?"
As she watched her friend walk out the door, Helga glared and said "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just keep your little show going. Pheebs and I will be back before you know it."
"I reckon that means your turn is over Arnold. Seeing as how she took your bird and all." Stinky pointed out.
Walk
"You really helped me out back there Pheebs; thanks."
The small girl smiled and replied "No problem Helga. I am curious to know what made Arnold so anxious to defend your feelings like that however? Does he feel something for you, or is he just that good of a person?"
Helga shrugged her shoulders and smirked "Pttss...ya got me?"
Pet Love
As the girls were a few feet away from the pet shop, Helga stopped to think a moment. Phoebe saw her friend had stopped walking with a blank stare and asked "What is it Helga?"
"I was just thinking, even if I do take this thing back to the pet store, that won't stop him from reciting my poem to someone else."
While Phoebe began to see her friend's point, Helga stood there, wondering how to solve this problem, until they heard...CHOMP!
They both looked to see the lizard had wriggled loose from it's leash and eaten the bird. Finally, Helga's nightmare was over!
Carfeteria
Arnold was standing in the lunch as he listened to Gerald say "Pataki that crazy about YOU. Either she was sick when she wrote that, or she must be an even better actor than this Schwartzenegar character."
"Hey Awwnold! Don't Expect me to show up at your wedding!" The blonde boy heard as he turned to see Harold pointing and laughing at him.
Arnold rolled his eyes and listened to Gerald say "Then again, unless you plan on changing your name.
While the boys were pointing and laughing at him, Arnold replied "I don't know what to do? I've developed feelings for Lila, but she's made it clear she doesn't like me like me. She just likes me."
Gerald lifted an eyebrow while moving through the line and said "Who cares if she doesn't like you! What does that have to do with Pataki? No one said you had to pick between the two of them."
Helga's Table
After returning the lizard (and no longer having to worry about it blabbing Arnold's secret), Helga and Phoebe made their way back to school.
Phoebe watched Helga sit quietly, not caring to bring her lunch box or go through the lunch line. After some time sulking to herself she was ready to get up when she heard "I must say, that was quite an interesting way to reveal your feelings Helga."
The girls looked over to see Lila standing at their table. Before the play a few months back, not only had Helga told Lila her secret, but she had threatened to strangle her with her bare hands if she told anyone.
While the actor excuse may have delayed an enormous scene, no one really believed it.
"Uhhh feelings? I don't know what you're talking about?" Helga gulped.
Although Lila knew what she was risking, she placed her hand on Helga's shoulder and said "I found it to be just ever so sweet."
After watching her walk away, Helga set her face in her hand as she shook her head and muttered "Criminy."
Another Table
Not far from them was another table. "Can you believe it girls? Helga in love with Arnold!" Rhonda said excitedly.
Nadine gave a questioning look as she replied "We don't know that for sure. They could have been telling the truth about her obsession with this actor. After all, she was in the school play." Nadine reminded them.
"Nadine please. Sine when has Helga ever cared about being the star of a film or had her nose burried in politics?"
"It is quite a strange way to reveal her feelings for him." Sheena had to admit.
"Thank you Sheena! Finally, someone who gets it!" Rhonda exclaimed just as Lila was heading towards their table.
"Gets what?"
Without hesitating, Rhonda turned to answer Lila "How lame it is for Helga to allow that tacky pet of hers to reveal her supposedly true feelings for Arnold in front of everyone, without ever telling him about them. I mean seriously, the poem was bad enough."
Before Lila could speak her opinion, the bell to end lunch rang. Helga sighed from across the room, not knowing how many people fell for Arnold's sad excuse.
Classroom
"I reckon it makes sense now why you're always wantin' to sit behind Arnold." Stinky said to Helga. Phoebe listened to her friend gulp and say "Well doi! How else am I supposed to aim spit wads at him?"
Arnold rolled his eyes at the excuse. While thinking back to all the stories Phil had told him about being picked on in grade school, he heard "I reckon that makes sense. I don't know why you'd wanna do that to someone you liked though?"
"Yeah, he'll never go out with you at this rate!" Sid exclaimed.
Gerald watched his friend blush at the accusations made between him and Helga, and finally said "Well you two don't exactly have girls writing poetry about you."
Although he was trying to help, Helga glared at Gerald's comment. He was just confirming it was her who wrote everything.
The girl was tempted to march out with her bag then and there, until Mr. Simmons came in. The class then listened to him say "I have wonderful news! Principal Wartz is going to let us read Helga's poem at the assembly this weekend."
The class began to chuckle until Arnold heard a loud thump behind him. He turned around to see Helga had fainted and hit the floor.
"Oh my! Is she alright?!" Mr. Simmons asked anxiously.
Arnold began to give her CPR, while the class took that as a reason to mock them. "Ooohh they're kissing!" Harold pointed.
A few of the boys began to laugh as Mr. Simmons said "That was unnecessary Harold!"
After a few more breaths, Helga awoke to see Arnold hovering over her. She then glanced to see the entire class watching them and said "Giving me a little breathing room, would ya football head?"
"I think you should go home and lay down Helga. I don't want you having a concussion here." Helga began to rub her head until she heard Mr. Simmons say "Why don't you call your parents to pick you up?"
Immediately, she put her hand down and said "That would mean DEPENDING on them to come and get me. Why not just trust Pink boy here never to eat Mr. Fudgeys again?"
Helga crossed her arms in annoyance until she heard the blonde boy in front of her say "I'll walk her home."
Helga's eyes once again widened. This time, not at the class' reaction, but at the blonde boy's decision.
