Alright, the anxiously awaited Chapter 10! Wow 10 chapters! Okay, well, here is Arnold's POV as Helga came to his doorstep. What happened after Helga broke down, etc. How he felt about the entire situation. Read on…
Chapter 10
It wasn't the best day of my life. There was a dark sky as the storm came in, and it was cold out. I was stuck in the boarding house with a bunch of lunatics. I had planned on playing ball with Gerald, but due to the rain we had to cancel our plans. Thus began my miserable day.
It was boring, despite the insanity. When you grow up around psychos, you get used to it and it becomes normal to you. In a house full of loons, I've always been the most mature, sometimes taking on adult responsibilities that I would find difficult to carry out as a result of my young age.
I was in the kitchen, drinking some hot cocoa, when there was a knock on the door. I was surprised that anyone would be out right now, much less someone knocking on my door. I waited for one of the boarders to get it, later realizing they were all too lazy. So, slightly annoyed, I got up and answered it.
When I opened the door, I was stunned. I mean, speechless. I'm still not quite sure why. I thought I knew that face, this girl that stood before me, thought she looked familiar, but I just couldn't place her.
I could smack myself for being too stupid to realize. Too dense to remember. But it had been five years, and she had changed some.
I hadn't really absorbed what she was saying until after she had said it and begun to turn away. Then, I snapped out of it. What was wrong with me?
She'd called me football head. Not the same way she'd done in fourth grade, but in a calm, sad tone. Man, she had changed.
Of course, some things stayed the same. Her sarcastic, critical and sometimes harsh tone remained.
"H-Helga?" I stuttered, absolutely stunned.
My childhood tormentor and bully had grown up, matured slightly, and ended up on my doorstep. It was now that I realized she was soaked, and held in her hands suitcases. Helga had no jacket, and no umbrella, and I could imagine how could she must be.
Kindly, I chased after her, not wanting her to leave. Somehow I knew that if she left, she would never come back. And for some reason I didn't want her to leave.
When Helga noticed I was right behind her, she turned. At first her face showed shock and annoyance, but then the annoyance took over and turned into anger.
"What IS it with you? Can't you just NOT care for ONE FREAKING SECOND OF YOUR LIFE?! Does your concern have to ALWAYS shine through?! HOW can I get it into that STUPID football head of yours that I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!"
I should have been hurt, should have flinched, should have said something in response, but I just stood there patiently. Helga was panting now, her anger still obvious.
"I didn't want to come back in the first place! In fact, this is the LAST place I wanted to be right now! Is it MY fault they kicked me out of that cruddy school?! Well, yes it is, but is it MY fault I have no where else to go and no one else to turn to?!!"
After the anger passed, a blush emerged. Helga stood, trying to hide behind her anger, not wanting to let me see the vulnerability she'd come to me with. Not wanting me to know she needed help.
I didn't say anything to this, didn't take offense at all. Instead I smiled as I wrapped my jacket around her for warmth and steered her back to the boarding house. She seemed so fragile now, so frail, like she would break apart at any second.
I don't know what I expected, but nothing like what happened. As soon as we entered the house and got settled into a couch, she cried. I was nothing short of shocked. I've never seen Helga cry before, never once has she let her guard down in front of me. And now, right in front of me, she buried her head in her hands and lost herself in the tears.
I put an arm around her for comfort, knowing there was little else I could do for her right now. I wanted to know, wanted to ask the questions, but it would have to wait. I knew something terrible had happened, wanted to know, to help. What could I do?
Why had she come to me, to my doorstep? I mean, she could have gone to Phoebe's at least, and yet she hadn't, at least as far as I could tell. She'd ended up here.
Helga lifted her head and, still crying, wrapped her arms around me. It was such an odd moment, right then. Not something I'd expected. Then again, I hadn't expected her to arrive at my doorstep. Hadn't expected her to break down crying.
So, still unsure of what to do, I hugged her warmly, too, lost in the embrace. I could feel her heart rate slow down, and her breathing calm down. Maybe that's all she needs.
I smiled slightly. I never would have thought I'd end up here. Or that Helga would, as far as that goes. I mean, it's funny how much one decision, one move, will affect a person. How much it will affect everyone around them.
So much had changed since she left. And now, here I was. How had I gotten here? It seemed like just yesterday we were nine years old, playing a baseball game at Gerald's Field, or sitting in the classroom groaning as Mr. Simmons talked to the class. Just yesterday I found out Helga was moving.
Why had she come back? Why was she crying?
I had so many questions, and I doubted they would ever be answered.
Why did she come to ME?
Chapter 10
It wasn't the best day of my life. There was a dark sky as the storm came in, and it was cold out. I was stuck in the boarding house with a bunch of lunatics. I had planned on playing ball with Gerald, but due to the rain we had to cancel our plans. Thus began my miserable day.
It was boring, despite the insanity. When you grow up around psychos, you get used to it and it becomes normal to you. In a house full of loons, I've always been the most mature, sometimes taking on adult responsibilities that I would find difficult to carry out as a result of my young age.
I was in the kitchen, drinking some hot cocoa, when there was a knock on the door. I was surprised that anyone would be out right now, much less someone knocking on my door. I waited for one of the boarders to get it, later realizing they were all too lazy. So, slightly annoyed, I got up and answered it.
When I opened the door, I was stunned. I mean, speechless. I'm still not quite sure why. I thought I knew that face, this girl that stood before me, thought she looked familiar, but I just couldn't place her.
I could smack myself for being too stupid to realize. Too dense to remember. But it had been five years, and she had changed some.
I hadn't really absorbed what she was saying until after she had said it and begun to turn away. Then, I snapped out of it. What was wrong with me?
She'd called me football head. Not the same way she'd done in fourth grade, but in a calm, sad tone. Man, she had changed.
Of course, some things stayed the same. Her sarcastic, critical and sometimes harsh tone remained.
"H-Helga?" I stuttered, absolutely stunned.
My childhood tormentor and bully had grown up, matured slightly, and ended up on my doorstep. It was now that I realized she was soaked, and held in her hands suitcases. Helga had no jacket, and no umbrella, and I could imagine how could she must be.
Kindly, I chased after her, not wanting her to leave. Somehow I knew that if she left, she would never come back. And for some reason I didn't want her to leave.
When Helga noticed I was right behind her, she turned. At first her face showed shock and annoyance, but then the annoyance took over and turned into anger.
"What IS it with you? Can't you just NOT care for ONE FREAKING SECOND OF YOUR LIFE?! Does your concern have to ALWAYS shine through?! HOW can I get it into that STUPID football head of yours that I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU!"
I should have been hurt, should have flinched, should have said something in response, but I just stood there patiently. Helga was panting now, her anger still obvious.
"I didn't want to come back in the first place! In fact, this is the LAST place I wanted to be right now! Is it MY fault they kicked me out of that cruddy school?! Well, yes it is, but is it MY fault I have no where else to go and no one else to turn to?!!"
After the anger passed, a blush emerged. Helga stood, trying to hide behind her anger, not wanting to let me see the vulnerability she'd come to me with. Not wanting me to know she needed help.
I didn't say anything to this, didn't take offense at all. Instead I smiled as I wrapped my jacket around her for warmth and steered her back to the boarding house. She seemed so fragile now, so frail, like she would break apart at any second.
I don't know what I expected, but nothing like what happened. As soon as we entered the house and got settled into a couch, she cried. I was nothing short of shocked. I've never seen Helga cry before, never once has she let her guard down in front of me. And now, right in front of me, she buried her head in her hands and lost herself in the tears.
I put an arm around her for comfort, knowing there was little else I could do for her right now. I wanted to know, wanted to ask the questions, but it would have to wait. I knew something terrible had happened, wanted to know, to help. What could I do?
Why had she come to me, to my doorstep? I mean, she could have gone to Phoebe's at least, and yet she hadn't, at least as far as I could tell. She'd ended up here.
Helga lifted her head and, still crying, wrapped her arms around me. It was such an odd moment, right then. Not something I'd expected. Then again, I hadn't expected her to arrive at my doorstep. Hadn't expected her to break down crying.
So, still unsure of what to do, I hugged her warmly, too, lost in the embrace. I could feel her heart rate slow down, and her breathing calm down. Maybe that's all she needs.
I smiled slightly. I never would have thought I'd end up here. Or that Helga would, as far as that goes. I mean, it's funny how much one decision, one move, will affect a person. How much it will affect everyone around them.
So much had changed since she left. And now, here I was. How had I gotten here? It seemed like just yesterday we were nine years old, playing a baseball game at Gerald's Field, or sitting in the classroom groaning as Mr. Simmons talked to the class. Just yesterday I found out Helga was moving.
Why had she come back? Why was she crying?
I had so many questions, and I doubted they would ever be answered.
Why did she come to ME?