1999

Discovery
Part Six: Strike a Blow for Love


(This fic is written entirely from Arnold's viewpoint. I really tried to get into his head, even as HE tries to understand Helga.)



Arnold ate the rest of his lunch in silence, contemplating his Puzzle. It's like Helga is two different people. he thought, glancing over at Helga's table where she sat laughing and joking with Phoebe. She noticed him looking and scowled at him.

Arnold turned his gaze back to his lunch. I don't get it. She's friendly one minute and hostile the next. Will I ever understand her?






As the final bell rang, Arnold waited for most of the other kids to rush out of the classroom before getting up. He was trying to think of a way to talk to Helga about her unfair treatment of him. This would be his last opportunity to have a quiet talk alone with her, to get things straightened out. Unfortunately, hadn't figured out the main challenge: why him? Unless it was because she knew he wouldn't fight back. No, there were plenty of other kids too nice or too timid who would be easy targets. Oh, well, he would think on the way.

As Arnold started down the school steps he noticed the sky was clouding over, even though the dj on his favorite jazz station had promised "bright, sunny skies" that morning.

As Arnold approached the alley that was a shortcut to Helga's house, he heard voices arguing. "But I DIDN'T, Helga! I'm certain I would never do anything like that." It was Lila's voice!

Helga's sarcastic voice carried clearly. "Yeah, right. You just HAPPENED to come along and find this "mysterious message" on the wall."

Arnold turned the corner to see Helga at the far end of the alley, with her back to him, advancing angrily on a worried looking Lila. On one of the brick walls was a large heart with 'Helga loves Arnold' written in chalk.

"That's right, Helga." Lila answered nervously.

"Don't give me that! Do I have 'gullible' stamped on my forehead?" Helga snarled as she used her hands to rub out the words.

That's the same prank somebody pulled on me and Lila a few months ago. Arnold thought. But why's Helga getting so mad about it? It's just a dumb joke, and anyway Lila would never do something like this. Especially after ... Arnold smiled, thinking about how much he 'liked' Lila, even though she didn't 'like' him the same way.

But he stopped smiling as Helga wiped her hands on her dress and started toward Lila menacingly. Lila backed away.

"Honestly, Helga. I was just heading over to Sheena's when I decided to take the shortcut through this alley. I don't KNOW who wrote it. Really and truly I don't!"

Suddenly Helga grabbed the front of Lila's vest. "Now listen, you and I both know you're the only--"

"Stop it, Helga!" Arnold ordered as he hurried down the alley.

Helga released Lila with a guilty, almost alarmed look on her face. She threw a quick glance at the wall, where the faint chalk lines could still be seen.

Arnold moved to stand in front of Lila.

"Stay out of this, Football Head!" Helga snarled.

"Helga, what are you getting so upset about? It's just somebody's idea of a joke." Arnold said reasonably, trying to calm her down.

"Yeah, I know. Hers!" Helga retorted.

"Look, I'm sure Lila had nothing to do with this. After all--"

"That's right. Take HER side!" Helga said bitterly.

"I'm not taking anybody's side, Helga. I just think--"

Again Helga interrupted him. "Look, I KNOW she did it, Football Head, because she's the only one who--" Suddenly she broke off. For a split second her face showed -surprise? alarm? and then she finished "--was in the alley when I got here. She was just standing there right in front of it!"

"That doesn't prove anything, Helga, and you know it." Arnold said quietly.

"Oh, what do YOU know, anyway?" Helga grumbled, turning her back on him and crossing her arms.

There was an awkward silence. Then Arnold said, "Lila, show me your hands."

"Sure, Arnold." Lila answered agreeably.

Arnold looked at her hands. There was no chalk dust on them, even under the nails. He told this to Helga. Then he began again to explain that Lila would be the last person to play such a prank, considering what had happened when someone had played it on her. He took a couple of steps toward her, trying to get her to believe him. Lila repeated her plea of innocence.

When they were finished, Helga still stood stubbornly with her back to them. Arnold considered telling Lila to leave, but he knew he had to convince Helga of the truth or she would just end up tormenting poor Lila as badly as she did him.

Suddenly he was sick of her games. No matter what kind of home life she had, it didn't give Helga the right to make other people's lives miserable!

Arnold took another step toward her. "Come on, Helga, Lila didn't have anything to DO with this. Admit it!" he demanded.

"Look, Arnoldo, I--" Helga suddenly spun around, her fist clenched as if to shake it in Arnold's face, as she had so many times in the past.

But he was too close. Her fist caught him right in the jaw. THWACK! Suddenly he was flat on his back on the asphalt, staring up at her.

"Arnold, are you all right?" he heard Lila cry out.

Dizzily, Arnold looked up at Helga. She was always threatening to beat him up, so he expected her to look triumphant, or at least satisfied. Instead, she was staring down at him with a frozen, horrified expression. Then she reached toward him, beginning to speak in a stricken tone of voice. "Arnold, I'm --"

He couldn't help flinching away from her hand, and she jerked it back. On her face was the same terribly hurt look she'd gotten the time he'd thrown the paint on her. Suddenly she turned and bolted out of the alley.

Lila helped Arnold up. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess so." he answered, rubbing his sore jaw. "I wonder what made her run off like that?" I mean, for once it was just an accident. he thought.

"Oh, honestly, Arnold!" For the first time, Lila actually seemed irritated--and at HIM! "For someone so smart, there are times when you can be so ... exasperating!"

Arnold blinked. "What are you talking about?"

Lila looked flustered. "Oh, well...well...I really can't say..."

She glanced at the faint chalk marks on the wall and then looked away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Arnold looked at the wall curiously, and then...everything clicked. "What?! No way."

Lila smiled at him.

"This CAN"T be true. You're telling me that Helga G. Pataki actually LIKES me-likes me?!"