You Never Know...
Chapter 5
by Serena
~ Thanks to everyone who reviewed again, I really appreciate the comments! Let me know if you spot anything wrong with this chapter or if you have any suggestions for the rest of the story. Oh and by the way, if the title strikes you as a little odd, it'll make more sense later in the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, and thats probably a good thing.
After going for a
stroll through the park, Arnold decided he might as well head home. He wasn't any
less confused. Olga telling him about transferring Helga to another school had really
shook him, and he had no idea why. When he got home he told Gerald how he felt, but his
best friend wasn't helping much.
"Arnold,
you're a sick boy. Helga has tortured you all your life, man! And you mean to tell me
you wouldn't want her to leave P.S. 118?"
"Gerald"
"Look, I'm
not saying I wish she had gotten run over or anything, what happened is pretty bad.
But she's a bully! And she always picks on you in particular. Maybe she got what she
deserved."
"Gerald, maybe she
was mean before, but she did save my lifethat's not something mean people do.
Sure, Helga calls people names and pushes people around. But she has done nice stuff
too."
"Maybe she
hasbut don't go crazy over Helga G. Pataki just cause she did you
a favorBesides, I don't think Helga will really leave P.S. 118." He then
muttered, "We're not that lucky."
Arnold sighed. "I
gotta go, Gerald. I'll see you in school tomorrow." He hung up the phone and
then lied down on his bed, staring up at the stars through the glass roof.
The next afternoon,
which was a Saturday, Arnold headed over to the hospital. He headed down the familiar
halls to Helga's room, but his heart stopped when he saw the bed.
It was empty.
Panicking, Arnold ran
to get a nurse passing by. "Excuse me, what happened to the patient in this
room?"
"Oh, the little
blond girl?" The nurse looked at him solemnly. "She went...upstairs. I'm
sorry."
Arnold gasped. The
nurse walked away, leaving Arnold alone with his thoughts. He staggered to a bench and sat
down. Could she really begone? Just days ago, the doctor had told him she was
showing signs of revival. Arnold buried his face in his hands. His heart felt like it had
a hole in it. One that Helga used to fillBut she couldn't now, or ever. Helga
would never graduate from P.S. 118, never go to college, never accomplish her dreams. He
would never hear the words "football head" ever again
"Football head?
What are you doing here?"
That voice! That name!
Could it be?
Arnold looked up to see
Helga, peering curiously at him. She sat down next to him on the bench. Without a second
thought, Arnold hugged her.
Be it out of her secret
love for him, the fact that she had just had some ice cream and was in high spirits, or
just plain shock that Arnold was here and was hugging her, Helga for once chose not to
push him away.
After she gently and
reluctantly withdrew, Helga said, "I repeat – What are you doing here, Football
head?"
"HowI
meanYou're supposed to beWell, I thought you were dead."
"No....I'm
here, aren't I?"
"But the nurse
said you went upstairs."
"Yeahupstairs
for my checkup! Doi!" Helga added with a smile, "You can't get rid
of me that easily, Arnoldo."
"I'm glad
you're okay, Helga" He looked at her. She was wearing a white hospital gown and
her hair was down. She wasn't uglyin fact, now that she had her hair down, she
almost looked like--
"Take a picture,
Football Head. It'll last longer. And you still haven't answered my
question."
"I'm here
visiting you. You saved my life, Helga."
Helga shrugged.
"Yeah, so?"
"I wanted to thank
you—who knows what would have happened if you hadn't pushed me out of the
way?"
"Yeah yeah,
it's no big deal, Arnoldo. What are you getting all emotional for?"
"You risked your
own life to save mine. Give yourself a little more credit!" Arnold exclaimed.
Helga yawned.
"I'm tired. Those doctors can really wear you out. See ya in the funny
papers!" She got up and turned to head into her room.
Then a memory hit
Arnold.
Phoebe looked at
his pleading eyes. "WellI cannot tell you much about Helga, because even I
don't know much about her," she lied, "But perhapsHelga had a reason
for saving your life?"
"Helga wait!
There's something I have to ask you."
Helga turned around and
looked at him, with a scowl on her face and one hand on her hip. "Criminey! What is
it now?"
"Why did you do
it?" Arnold asked softly. "I mean, I thought you hated me. I never thought
you'd do something so nice for me."
To Arnold's
surprise, Helga's eyes widened, almost in fear. Her scowl disappeared as she
struggled to find the right words. "Um, uhthe truth
isthat everyone expects me to do mean stuff! Yeah! Sooevery now and
then I do something nice to throw people off track. Yup, yup. Well then! See ya later,
football head!" Helga quickly darted into her hospital room and closed the door. She
leaned against the back of the door and let out a relieved sigh. It was so stupid of her
to push him out of the way. It wasn't that she regretted her action, she'd risk
her life for Arnold any day, it was simply that maybe there had been a more low-key way to
do it. Now, Arnold was closer to finding out her secret than ever. All he needed to do was
put 2 and 2 together and he'd realize it. Stupid, stupid, stupid
Arnold looked at the
door of Helga's room. He'd been surprised at her reason, but part of him
didn't believe it. The pieces of the puzzle weren't fitting together. The blond
boy shook his head as he proceeded to leave the hospital. Would he ever understand Helga
G. Pataki? In any case, it made no difference now. Things are back to normal, he thought
with a sigh.