You know the drill. I don't own them, I just borrow them from time to time.
"You have got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed.
He and Gerald walked into their last hour class of the semester change, Senior English and
Composition. It was like they'd stepped back into time. The entire class from PS 118 sat
in the classroom. No more, no less...save one.
He and Gerald took a seat as the bell rang and their teacher walked in.
"Good afternoon class. I'm Mrs. Station and I'm sure we will have a very special time in
here. Hello, are you in here, also?"
The class turned to see Helga standing at the door, looking at the teacher and the class in
disbelief over her tinted glasses.
Today, she was dressed in hippie chick; paisley skirt, sandals, light peasant shirt. Her long
hair was hanging straight down and being held in place by a head band.
She looked back at her schedule, at the classroom number, then back at the teacher.
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Wonderful! I can tell this is going to be a special class."
Helga snorted softly and walked to the back of the class where the only empty desk was located
next to Phoebe.
Arnold watched her as she sat down and took out a notebook and pen and started writing.
She never made eye contact with anyone in the class, nor did she look up until the last bell
rang.
He grabbed his bag and yelled for Phoebe. She stepped to the side, clutching her books
and looking a little uncomfortable.
"This is weird, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes. The chances of this ever happening are quite astronomical. I would calculate that
we should have all been hit by lightning twice before this would have happened."
"Can I ask you something?"
She frowned. "Of course."
"Do you...still talk to her?" He nodded towards the retreating figure of Helga.
Phoebe shrugged. "Maybe once a month or so. We aren't as close as we once were."
She said as they left the classroom.
"What happened?"
"This." She waved her hand around the crowded hallway. "The same thing that happened
to everyone one of us. I found my calling in science and she...she wanted a fresh start. To
not be the Helga Pataki of elementary school. To follow new dreams, and put other ones
away. She has changed dramatically, Arnold. Her friends...the ones she associated with
now, they have become a sort of family for her. To take the place of the family she never
had." She looked towards a young woman waving frantically at her.
"I have to go, Arnold."
"Sure. Thanks Phoebe."
He watched her hurry down the hall, thinking about what she had said. Had Helga really
changed that much?
"Hey, what were you and Phoebe talking about?" Gerald asked as Arnold approached
their locker.
"Huh? Oh, science tutoring."
Gerald nodded. "Oh. Tell me how weird this entire English class thing is. And did you
see what Helga Pataki was wearing?"
Arnold nodded absently, not listening to Gerald, instead his mind wandering back to the
conversation with Phoebe.
" So, this is the class?" Mia asked.
Helga glanced nervously into the class room. He was sitting at his desk, talking to Gerald.
Every once in a while, he'd glance curiously towards them.
"So, which on is he?"
"Blond hair, jeans, blue jersey."
Mia looked him over. "At least you have taste. He's cute." she frowned. "Isn't that the
guy that ran into you last week?"
Helga nodded. She couldn't believe it when she realized it had been him. She hadn't seen
him in six years.
"The bell is about to ring, Miss Pataki." Mrs. Station said as she walked into class.
Mia snorted. "Mrs. Rogers calls."
Helga smirked and followed the teacher into the class. She didn't look at anyone as she
took her seat. She even felt nervous sitting next to Phoebe. They still talked but they
hadn't been close since fifth grade.
She pulled out her note book and began writing. She didn't pay attention to the teacher.
Thanks to a friend who had this class last year, she pretty much had her assignments
finished.
Halfway through class, she couldn't stand it anymore. Someone's eyes were boring into
her. Glancing up, she quickly scanned the classroom. Her eyes settled on Arnold last. He
was looking at her, but his eyes carried a far-away look.
He blinked, and his emerald eyes found hers. He smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
She frowned slightly at him, not quite sure why he was watching her. She broke the look
first, going back to her notebook. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as looked at
her for a moment longer, then turned his attention back to the teacher.
"You have got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed.
He and Gerald walked into their last hour class of the semester change, Senior English and
Composition. It was like they'd stepped back into time. The entire class from PS 118 sat
in the classroom. No more, no less...save one.
He and Gerald took a seat as the bell rang and their teacher walked in.
"Good afternoon class. I'm Mrs. Station and I'm sure we will have a very special time in
here. Hello, are you in here, also?"
The class turned to see Helga standing at the door, looking at the teacher and the class in
disbelief over her tinted glasses.
Today, she was dressed in hippie chick; paisley skirt, sandals, light peasant shirt. Her long
hair was hanging straight down and being held in place by a head band.
She looked back at her schedule, at the classroom number, then back at the teacher.
"Unfortunately, yes."
"Wonderful! I can tell this is going to be a special class."
Helga snorted softly and walked to the back of the class where the only empty desk was located
next to Phoebe.
Arnold watched her as she sat down and took out a notebook and pen and started writing.
She never made eye contact with anyone in the class, nor did she look up until the last bell
rang.
He grabbed his bag and yelled for Phoebe. She stepped to the side, clutching her books
and looking a little uncomfortable.
"This is weird, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes. The chances of this ever happening are quite astronomical. I would calculate that
we should have all been hit by lightning twice before this would have happened."
"Can I ask you something?"
She frowned. "Of course."
"Do you...still talk to her?" He nodded towards the retreating figure of Helga.
Phoebe shrugged. "Maybe once a month or so. We aren't as close as we once were."
She said as they left the classroom.
"What happened?"
"This." She waved her hand around the crowded hallway. "The same thing that happened
to everyone one of us. I found my calling in science and she...she wanted a fresh start. To
not be the Helga Pataki of elementary school. To follow new dreams, and put other ones
away. She has changed dramatically, Arnold. Her friends...the ones she associated with
now, they have become a sort of family for her. To take the place of the family she never
had." She looked towards a young woman waving frantically at her.
"I have to go, Arnold."
"Sure. Thanks Phoebe."
He watched her hurry down the hall, thinking about what she had said. Had Helga really
changed that much?
"Hey, what were you and Phoebe talking about?" Gerald asked as Arnold approached
their locker.
"Huh? Oh, science tutoring."
Gerald nodded. "Oh. Tell me how weird this entire English class thing is. And did you
see what Helga Pataki was wearing?"
Arnold nodded absently, not listening to Gerald, instead his mind wandering back to the
conversation with Phoebe.
" So, this is the class?" Mia asked.
Helga glanced nervously into the class room. He was sitting at his desk, talking to Gerald.
Every once in a while, he'd glance curiously towards them.
"So, which on is he?"
"Blond hair, jeans, blue jersey."
Mia looked him over. "At least you have taste. He's cute." she frowned. "Isn't that the
guy that ran into you last week?"
Helga nodded. She couldn't believe it when she realized it had been him. She hadn't seen
him in six years.
"The bell is about to ring, Miss Pataki." Mrs. Station said as she walked into class.
Mia snorted. "Mrs. Rogers calls."
Helga smirked and followed the teacher into the class. She didn't look at anyone as she
took her seat. She even felt nervous sitting next to Phoebe. They still talked but they
hadn't been close since fifth grade.
She pulled out her note book and began writing. She didn't pay attention to the teacher.
Thanks to a friend who had this class last year, she pretty much had her assignments
finished.
Halfway through class, she couldn't stand it anymore. Someone's eyes were boring into
her. Glancing up, she quickly scanned the classroom. Her eyes settled on Arnold last. He
was looking at her, but his eyes carried a far-away look.
He blinked, and his emerald eyes found hers. He smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
She frowned slightly at him, not quite sure why he was watching her. She broke the look
first, going back to her notebook. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as looked at
her for a moment longer, then turned his attention back to the teacher.