Love in Hiding
The Angel144

Chapter 3- Ignorance is bliss.....or a curse?

On Sunday morning, Arnold and Helga exchanged the project. Arnold wanted to talk to Helga about this whole ³Artemis/Helen² thing going on. But just as he was about to say something, the music started up, and they went to their seats. Way on the other side of each other. Which is why they never knew they went to the same church until only a few weeks ago. He never say Helga¹s family there, just her. Which was an intresting topic to think about.
The next day at lunch, Helga and Phoebe were sitting at a table alone. Arnold saw them, took a deep breath and walked on over. The cafeteria was old, and smelled of old meat and another unidentifiable smell. But the floors, and tables, and chairs were always kept pretty much clean. The food wasnt the worst in the county, it was ediable after all. But one thing you never ate in the cafeteria was the meatloaf. The best thing was the Tapioca puddng. Thats why it was always fought over.
³And another thing, Phoebes, I¹m gonna need some doughnuts. You know, the kind thats cream filled, and the white frosting on top. Oh yeah, and those little heart sprinkles on top. You writing it down, Phoebes?²
³Writing!² Phoebe wrote in her little notebook. Helga with her feet up on the table, and arms behind her head. She was watching her best friend write as she spoke. Helga, with a satisfying smile.
Without looking up Phoebe greeted Arnold. Helga nearly fell out of her chair.
³Arnold!? Uh..what do ya want football head!?² Helga stammered, then regain control. Before talking, Arnold sat himself, along with his tray next to Helga. Helga stopped breathing, and his friends looked at Arnold funny from across the cafeteria. But soon ignored it, and went on to their usual 9 year old boy chatter.
³Hey! Who said you could sit here?!² Helga demanded. Phoebe looked a little shocked, and started writing new notes.
³Listen, Helga. About the English project...²
³Oh yeah! I got it here. Phoebe.²
³Here you go, Arnold.² Phoebe handed Arnold the 20 page story.
³I did some adjustments. It didn¹t exactly add up to the 20 pages Mr. Simmons required, so I added some new twists and descriptions.² It was true. Phoebe did none of the work.
Arnold flipped through the pages, amazed. ³Helga, about the names...²
³I already told you, football head, that these names are a hit! Theres no problem, and were not changing them!²
³It¹s not that....²
³Then what!?²
Phoebe wrote faster.
³Well, don¹t they seem familiar.....?² Arnold stammered, uncomfortable about the situation.
³What do ya mean?²
Not wanting to get any farther into the discussion, and prayed that Helga would get what he was talking about, ³Well, I mean, Lilith, Artemis....Helen? Dont they seem like we...² He paused. Helga¹s expression hadnt changed from her cold self. But inside, her heart raced like a new race horse, ready for action. ³...like we know them?²
³Arnold, I have no idea what the heck your talking about. If this is another one of your hair brained ideas then-²
³Helen!²
³What!?²
³Helen, Helga, dont they connect!?²
Phoebe was stunned, but she still managed to write.
³Well, I guess they do sound familiar...²
³And what about Lilith....and Lila!? You seem to have a hate for her, just as much as the character in the story hates Lilith...²
Now you¹ve done it, Pataki! She thought. you¹ve come too close. You¹re such an idiot. Well, at least he hasnt connected the Helen and Artemis matter....
³And what about the whole Helen and Artemis matter?²
Well, crap!
A crowd was starting to form and watch the two. Phoebe wrote.
³I mean, Lilith getting killed, and Artemis marries Helen....²
³Arnold I have something to tell you...²
Ignoring Helga, ³If the connections are correct then that means that Helen is you...²
³Arnold, I know you wont understand this but I...²
³And that means that Artemis is.....²
³Arnold I...²
³Then you love...²
³I love...²
³my cousin Arnie.²
³Yo- WHAT!?² Helga was stunned, as well as Phoebe. Neither expected this twisted turn of events.
³Yeah, Arnie. Lila likes Arnie, and that means you want to kill her and marry Arnie.²
Helga jumped up and yelled, ³ARNIE!? Why the heck would I ever want to even be near your idiotic country cousin! For cryin¹ out loud, Arnold! The moron collects LINT! LINT! And he reads the back of packages! Now I know you know I¹m way way smarter then that!² Arnold stood up to protect himself from the aproching cobra. The crowd now grew larger and larger. And everyone was silent. Some hushed to watch what was to happen next, others in respect for the soon to be dead Arnold. Helga pointed a finger on Arnold¹s nose. ³And if you dont think I¹m smarter then that,² the cobra hissed, ³Then your stupider then I thought!² To others this wouldn¹t be as harsh as it was to Arnold. Everyone considered him smart, and respected him. Sometimes, he even thought Helga respected him. Even though she always called him stupid, the way she put it made it seem even harsher then usual.
Helga summoned Phoebe to her side, and they left the cafeteria. Arnold looked after her with stunned silence, and a look of total confusion. He didn¹t expect Helga to react like that. Maybe a little ³HAHA! Yeah right, football head!² and that would be it. But this was Hiroshima, with a little Texas Pete. And thats just putting it mildly! Cold eyes, cold heart, cold blow. He slowly turned towards the crowd. They all watched him, and what his next move would be. He simply picked up his tray, walked over toward his usual table, and sat with his friends as if nothing ever happened. The crowd dispersed. His Best Friend spoke up:
³That was a close one.²
³Yeah.²
³What were you two talking about that got you fighting about her liking Arnie? Or, lack there of.²
³The English project.²
³Geeze, man! That seems totally irrevelant.²
³It does, at first. I missed something.² He pulled out his footnotes and reread the names. Still not being able to connect anything.

Meanwhile, outside in the playground. Phoebe tryed to calm her friend down. The sky threatened the city with rain. No one but the two were outside. Even though the previous day was warm and welcoming, today was cold and shunning.
³Helga, please, tell me whats going on!²
³You saw it all, Phoebe! No explination! End-of-story!²
³No Helga, theres something your not telling me.²
³You saw it! Whats there to tell!?² Helga yelled.
³Come on, Helga. I¹m your best friend. You can tell me anything. You know I keep very good secrets, and that if I dont you¹ll kill me.²
Helga¹s eyes went from stone cold, to a little warm. She knew she could trust Phoebe. But then again, she was raised not to trust anyone. Her upbringing cursed her. She sat on the swings, her back to Helga.
³Phoebe,² she said softly, ³No.²
³Please, Helga? I might be able to help you.² Phoebe sat next to her friend.
Helga gave in. Slowly she stammered her way into what happened in preschool. By the end of the conversation, Helga felt stripped of her dignity. She felt as if Phoebe was going to laugh at her, and tell everyone. She as cold and as mocked and as embarrased at as someone who forgot to put on clothes in the middle of January. She waited for what happened next. Phoebe looked at her notes, and then smiled.
³Helga, it¹s alright,² Phoebe said touching the poor girls arm, and trying to look into the girls eyes. Helga never felt this way. She always felt powerful, and in control. Now she felt helpless, and dragged against her own will. But yet, she felt something comforting in her friends voice. If she felt this way about telling her trusted best friend, what if she told the world? Worst yet, Arnold.
³It¹s nothing to be ashamed of, Helga,² she continued, ³Loving another human being isnt bad. You can¹t help who you are attracted to. Having feelings doesnt mean your weak, or helpless. It doesnt mean you are suddenly a slave. It actually means you are stronger. That you can think of someone else, other then yourself. It¹s not a curse, Helga. It¹s a blessing.²
Helga looked up into her friends eyes. She smiled, and hugged Phoebe.
³Thank you, Phoebe.²
Now for the worst part, Helga wants to tell Arnold her love. But shes scared. So scared, that shes not sure if she can do it. She has a choice; live a life of secretcy, or live a life of freedom. But living the life of freedom has a price. And that is acceptance. Acceptance from her love. And shes scarred that he wont pay.

Continued....