Chapter 4
Helga
Helga got up for school the next day with a smile on her face. He went downstairs to get a bowl of cereal when she heard Bob whine, "Helga, get me some bacon and pancakes, NOW!"
"You know what?" She asked him as she stalked over to his chair, and pointed her finger in his face. "Just because mom is out for the next couple of days doesn't mean I'm your personal slave. So, I'm not taking any of your crap. So, guess what? If you want bacon and are too lazy to get it, deal with it."
Big Bob would have said something to Helga, but he was taken aback by her. He thought she would give in like she always did.
Helga finished her cereal, and got ready for school. When she got to the bus stop, she read a sign over it that said, "closed for repairs. Should be back up and running by the end of this month." Oh goody, she thought, now I get to walk everyday. She decided to take the shorter way, so she could get to school on time. Helga walked from alleyway to alleyway, cursing the great sites of her town. Franny's Fish Market. Pete's Plush Toys. Dan's Dog Park. John's J--.
She stopped walking. Helga felt like she was about to feint. There was Arnold, and standing next to him was Lila. It was obvious to her that Lila was going to, in the next minute or two, ask Arnold to the dance. Arnold didn't understand, though. He is too dense, she thought, he wouldn't know. She felt rage bubbling up inside of her. She had to do something! Helga did the only thing she could think of, she started to run toward them.
"Hey, Arnold, how's it going," she asked, nonchalant. She looked at Lila. "What is totally, ever so up?"
To Helga's surprise, and Lila's misfortune, Arnold started to laugh. Then, he quickly stopped.
"It's going great. So, do you want to walk with us to school, Helga?" Helga felt her knees about to buckle. He was asking her to go walking to school with him! So, it wasn't to anyplace special, and it was with Lila, but-. "Helga? I just asked if you-."
"Yeah, I heard you, sure, I'd just lo-o-o-ove to go walking with you and Lila," she sneered, drawing out the word. Arnold, just as she anticipated, didn't get it. But, Lila did. There was a look of pure hatred shown on her face.
SUB CHAPTER: HELGA'S POV
"Arnold," Lila asked. "Would you mind if I talked to Helga for a second, privately? It's about her project."
"Sure," said Arnold. He was too dense to figure anything was wrong. He walked ahead of us, out of ear shot. We walked into an alleyway
"You might have fooled Arnold, but you haven't got me fooled," she said angrily. I put a smug smile on my face. She continued," everyone, including you knows that Arnold likes me, so why bother? You can't keep on cutting in like this, and by the way," she put a sick smirk on her pretty little don't-touch-me-I'm-so-cute face. "Your stupid letter thing won't work, he might be fooled of who is behind it now, but soon he will realize the person is even worse than he imagined."
In a flash I picked her up by the collar of her preppy jumper and pushed her agenst a wall of the alleyway. "Oh, so that's it? You don't want Arnold to see you push me agenst the wall and hurt me. Oh, no, he wouldn't want that. Your poor litt-"
"Shut. Up." I said to her. "I don't know who you are ever so trying to kid, but I am not taking any of your crap."
"Well, looks like Helga has turned back into her normal self, again."
"Don't provoke me, Lila," I told her quietly. "I am still nice. I just don't want you going around messing with me. Now, since when is it that you are Miss. Smarty pants?"
"You are still nice? Pushing me up to an alleyway wall is NICE!? You may think you are nice, but really you have a temper." She looked at me hard. Like she was about to cry. I stayed strong. "Helga, you are right! I am ever so as bad as you! What have I become? What did I ever do? I didn't mean to toy with anyone's emotions."
"To late for that," I muttered. She ignored it.
"Helga, help me. I have become a monster!"
I don't know why, but I felt that I was wrong that I caused this. I loosened my grip on her. I felt that I, Helga, was responsible for this poor, sweet girl, Lila. This girl that-- Hey, wait a second. Poor, sweet? Lila was playing mind games. Showing how she could cause people to believe whatever she said. Only by her being so, helpless. I was about to open my mouth and apologize, but instead I said, "oh, that's too bad. DEAL." And, then I let her go.
"It might not work on you, but it will work on Arnold." She said to my retreating back.
"Leave. Arnold. Alone." I said, without turning around. "Let him make his own choices."
I caught up to Arnold, loosing Lila in the process. She might have the ability to manipulate, but I have the better endurance and speed.
"Hey, Arnold," I said between breaths. "Wait. . . up!"
He stopped walking. "Hey, Helga. Where is Lila?"
"Oh, she. . . um. . . decided to take a more. . . err. . . scenic. . . route to school." I lied.
"That's cool. Hey, if you don't mind me asking. . ."
"Yes? I mean, no, I don't mind." I answered, confused.
"I don't mean to offend, but why is it. . . what I mean to say is. . . why are you acting so. . . differently?" He asked, obviously afraid I may punch him in the face. Instead, I let out a laugh.
"So, what you are saying is that you want me to go back into all gung- ho-I'm-going-to-beat-your-butt-up-bad Helga again?"
He laughed again. "I guess not. I was just wondering why," he said, still pressing the subject. I searched for an answer.
"I guess," I began. "I guess that I haven't realized how. . . rude I was." Then, as an after thought I added, "I guess I didn't realize my own incompetence until just recently." We both laughed. Incompetence was the word we had for vocab, and the word all the teachers had called us, as well as chaotic, cantankerous. . .
"Well, I just wanted to say that I like the new Helga better than the old, no offense," he added.
"None taken. And I would just like to say that I like the new me, too." We stared at the school building.
"Oh, goody. Another day of school," I mumbled.
"Yes, goody!" Mr. Simmons said from behind me. He didn't catch my sarcasm. "And, it is exceptionally special today! We are having a doctor come in to talk about work as a phyceatric doctor, you know to help people who have 'problems.'" He created quote signs in the air as he said "problems."
"Oh, great," I said after Mr. Simmons had left. "We get to hear a guy talk about wackos."
"Helga," Arnold said. "I don't think it is politically correct to call them wackos."
"Your right. Who would want to be called wackos? People who are nuts, duh. Anyways, we don't need some guy talking about "problemed" people," I said, putting "problemed" in quotation marks in the air. "We have our own wacko person to listen to, everyday of the week, for the last two years, ever since 4th grade," I pointed to Mr. Simmons, who now had exactly 5 kick- me signs on his back. I am proud to say that I only put one of those on.
I spotted Phoebe out of a crowd. "Hey, Pheebes!" I called out to her.
"Hi, Helga. Hey, Arnold, how's your third of the project going?" She asked him.
"Already got the script typed up and everything. Grandma agreed to make the costumes, but we might get a little differently looking ones then you ordered."
"Um, and why is that?" I asked, eager to get in on the conversation.
"Oh, it's just that she is back in her "African Safari" stage. Watch out for spotted tarzan-type outfits." I got a laugh out of that. "Shakespeare meats George of the Jungle. A new box office hit. Five stars and two paws up."
"Well," Arnold said. "We better be getting back inside, unless we want to miss the presentation on wackos."
"Arnold, I don't think it is very nice to call them wackos." Phoebe said harshly. I looked at Arnold, he looked at me.
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
We both said it at the same instant, and then started laughing. Phoebe just stood there, confused. "I'll fill you in later," I mouthed to her. She winked to show me she understood. You would never guess how bad this girl started out at lip-reading. Let's just say that it ended up having to do with holiday jello, spinach, and a whole lot of yams. Long story.
So, we walked into that prison they call school. I went my separate way with Phoebe and Arnold went with Gerald. I filled Phoebe in about our conversation.
"Wow! Arnold sure has changed, and for the good. He actually understands jokes. On Lila I mean," she said as an afterthought.
"Yeah," I said, while unpacking my backpack. "But, what does it mean. You know, li-"
I found the gray trapper keeper in my bag. I completely forgot about it.
"You know, Pheebes," I said to her. "I think that Arnold should see a person before he goes to the dance with her."
"What?" Phoebe asked, confused. Then she got it," oh! Yeah, that is a good idea."
I quickly scribbled on a piece of paper my note:
Arnold,
I am afraid that I feel it is wrong to ask you to go with me without giving you my name. Unfortunately, I cannot give you this, but I will, in person, ask you to go with me to the dance. I think. Just please do me one favor. DON'T ask Lila to the dance, or say yes if she asks you. She isn't all she is cracked up to be. I am saying this for your own good. She. . .manipulates people. And, I don't want one of those people to be you. Thank you.
Love,
Ifmhb
I put it in the trapper. Then, I thought of something.
P.S.
Please destroy this note after you are done reading it. NOT in Mr. Simmons classroom. In the dumpster behind the school. Someone has been reading our notes.
"Lila must have read all of my notes with Arnold to know about everything," I told Phoebe. That must be it.
"She. . . knows?" Phoebe whispered.
"Yeah, but she isn't telling Arnold, and let me just tell you, she can manipulate people, so DON'T EVER feel sorry for her. Just think about how she ever so called me, well she was about to call me a really bad name, but then I sort of pinned her down."
I was expecting her to go off on me for doing that to someone, but instead she nodded.
"Well, we better go in, or we will miss the presentation on wackos."
"I don't think it is politically correct to call them wackos," a voice from behind us said. Sid.
I looked at Phoebe, she looked at me.
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
We said it at the same time, and then burst out laughing. Then, Phoebe, Sid and I walked to Mr. Simmons classroom.
Helga
Helga got up for school the next day with a smile on her face. He went downstairs to get a bowl of cereal when she heard Bob whine, "Helga, get me some bacon and pancakes, NOW!"
"You know what?" She asked him as she stalked over to his chair, and pointed her finger in his face. "Just because mom is out for the next couple of days doesn't mean I'm your personal slave. So, I'm not taking any of your crap. So, guess what? If you want bacon and are too lazy to get it, deal with it."
Big Bob would have said something to Helga, but he was taken aback by her. He thought she would give in like she always did.
Helga finished her cereal, and got ready for school. When she got to the bus stop, she read a sign over it that said, "closed for repairs. Should be back up and running by the end of this month." Oh goody, she thought, now I get to walk everyday. She decided to take the shorter way, so she could get to school on time. Helga walked from alleyway to alleyway, cursing the great sites of her town. Franny's Fish Market. Pete's Plush Toys. Dan's Dog Park. John's J--.
She stopped walking. Helga felt like she was about to feint. There was Arnold, and standing next to him was Lila. It was obvious to her that Lila was going to, in the next minute or two, ask Arnold to the dance. Arnold didn't understand, though. He is too dense, she thought, he wouldn't know. She felt rage bubbling up inside of her. She had to do something! Helga did the only thing she could think of, she started to run toward them.
"Hey, Arnold, how's it going," she asked, nonchalant. She looked at Lila. "What is totally, ever so up?"
To Helga's surprise, and Lila's misfortune, Arnold started to laugh. Then, he quickly stopped.
"It's going great. So, do you want to walk with us to school, Helga?" Helga felt her knees about to buckle. He was asking her to go walking to school with him! So, it wasn't to anyplace special, and it was with Lila, but-. "Helga? I just asked if you-."
"Yeah, I heard you, sure, I'd just lo-o-o-ove to go walking with you and Lila," she sneered, drawing out the word. Arnold, just as she anticipated, didn't get it. But, Lila did. There was a look of pure hatred shown on her face.
SUB CHAPTER: HELGA'S POV
"Arnold," Lila asked. "Would you mind if I talked to Helga for a second, privately? It's about her project."
"Sure," said Arnold. He was too dense to figure anything was wrong. He walked ahead of us, out of ear shot. We walked into an alleyway
"You might have fooled Arnold, but you haven't got me fooled," she said angrily. I put a smug smile on my face. She continued," everyone, including you knows that Arnold likes me, so why bother? You can't keep on cutting in like this, and by the way," she put a sick smirk on her pretty little don't-touch-me-I'm-so-cute face. "Your stupid letter thing won't work, he might be fooled of who is behind it now, but soon he will realize the person is even worse than he imagined."
In a flash I picked her up by the collar of her preppy jumper and pushed her agenst a wall of the alleyway. "Oh, so that's it? You don't want Arnold to see you push me agenst the wall and hurt me. Oh, no, he wouldn't want that. Your poor litt-"
"Shut. Up." I said to her. "I don't know who you are ever so trying to kid, but I am not taking any of your crap."
"Well, looks like Helga has turned back into her normal self, again."
"Don't provoke me, Lila," I told her quietly. "I am still nice. I just don't want you going around messing with me. Now, since when is it that you are Miss. Smarty pants?"
"You are still nice? Pushing me up to an alleyway wall is NICE!? You may think you are nice, but really you have a temper." She looked at me hard. Like she was about to cry. I stayed strong. "Helga, you are right! I am ever so as bad as you! What have I become? What did I ever do? I didn't mean to toy with anyone's emotions."
"To late for that," I muttered. She ignored it.
"Helga, help me. I have become a monster!"
I don't know why, but I felt that I was wrong that I caused this. I loosened my grip on her. I felt that I, Helga, was responsible for this poor, sweet girl, Lila. This girl that-- Hey, wait a second. Poor, sweet? Lila was playing mind games. Showing how she could cause people to believe whatever she said. Only by her being so, helpless. I was about to open my mouth and apologize, but instead I said, "oh, that's too bad. DEAL." And, then I let her go.
"It might not work on you, but it will work on Arnold." She said to my retreating back.
"Leave. Arnold. Alone." I said, without turning around. "Let him make his own choices."
I caught up to Arnold, loosing Lila in the process. She might have the ability to manipulate, but I have the better endurance and speed.
"Hey, Arnold," I said between breaths. "Wait. . . up!"
He stopped walking. "Hey, Helga. Where is Lila?"
"Oh, she. . . um. . . decided to take a more. . . err. . . scenic. . . route to school." I lied.
"That's cool. Hey, if you don't mind me asking. . ."
"Yes? I mean, no, I don't mind." I answered, confused.
"I don't mean to offend, but why is it. . . what I mean to say is. . . why are you acting so. . . differently?" He asked, obviously afraid I may punch him in the face. Instead, I let out a laugh.
"So, what you are saying is that you want me to go back into all gung- ho-I'm-going-to-beat-your-butt-up-bad Helga again?"
He laughed again. "I guess not. I was just wondering why," he said, still pressing the subject. I searched for an answer.
"I guess," I began. "I guess that I haven't realized how. . . rude I was." Then, as an after thought I added, "I guess I didn't realize my own incompetence until just recently." We both laughed. Incompetence was the word we had for vocab, and the word all the teachers had called us, as well as chaotic, cantankerous. . .
"Well, I just wanted to say that I like the new Helga better than the old, no offense," he added.
"None taken. And I would just like to say that I like the new me, too." We stared at the school building.
"Oh, goody. Another day of school," I mumbled.
"Yes, goody!" Mr. Simmons said from behind me. He didn't catch my sarcasm. "And, it is exceptionally special today! We are having a doctor come in to talk about work as a phyceatric doctor, you know to help people who have 'problems.'" He created quote signs in the air as he said "problems."
"Oh, great," I said after Mr. Simmons had left. "We get to hear a guy talk about wackos."
"Helga," Arnold said. "I don't think it is politically correct to call them wackos."
"Your right. Who would want to be called wackos? People who are nuts, duh. Anyways, we don't need some guy talking about "problemed" people," I said, putting "problemed" in quotation marks in the air. "We have our own wacko person to listen to, everyday of the week, for the last two years, ever since 4th grade," I pointed to Mr. Simmons, who now had exactly 5 kick- me signs on his back. I am proud to say that I only put one of those on.
I spotted Phoebe out of a crowd. "Hey, Pheebes!" I called out to her.
"Hi, Helga. Hey, Arnold, how's your third of the project going?" She asked him.
"Already got the script typed up and everything. Grandma agreed to make the costumes, but we might get a little differently looking ones then you ordered."
"Um, and why is that?" I asked, eager to get in on the conversation.
"Oh, it's just that she is back in her "African Safari" stage. Watch out for spotted tarzan-type outfits." I got a laugh out of that. "Shakespeare meats George of the Jungle. A new box office hit. Five stars and two paws up."
"Well," Arnold said. "We better be getting back inside, unless we want to miss the presentation on wackos."
"Arnold, I don't think it is very nice to call them wackos." Phoebe said harshly. I looked at Arnold, he looked at me.
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
We both said it at the same instant, and then started laughing. Phoebe just stood there, confused. "I'll fill you in later," I mouthed to her. She winked to show me she understood. You would never guess how bad this girl started out at lip-reading. Let's just say that it ended up having to do with holiday jello, spinach, and a whole lot of yams. Long story.
So, we walked into that prison they call school. I went my separate way with Phoebe and Arnold went with Gerald. I filled Phoebe in about our conversation.
"Wow! Arnold sure has changed, and for the good. He actually understands jokes. On Lila I mean," she said as an afterthought.
"Yeah," I said, while unpacking my backpack. "But, what does it mean. You know, li-"
I found the gray trapper keeper in my bag. I completely forgot about it.
"You know, Pheebes," I said to her. "I think that Arnold should see a person before he goes to the dance with her."
"What?" Phoebe asked, confused. Then she got it," oh! Yeah, that is a good idea."
I quickly scribbled on a piece of paper my note:
Arnold,
I am afraid that I feel it is wrong to ask you to go with me without giving you my name. Unfortunately, I cannot give you this, but I will, in person, ask you to go with me to the dance. I think. Just please do me one favor. DON'T ask Lila to the dance, or say yes if she asks you. She isn't all she is cracked up to be. I am saying this for your own good. She. . .manipulates people. And, I don't want one of those people to be you. Thank you.
Love,
Ifmhb
I put it in the trapper. Then, I thought of something.
P.S.
Please destroy this note after you are done reading it. NOT in Mr. Simmons classroom. In the dumpster behind the school. Someone has been reading our notes.
"Lila must have read all of my notes with Arnold to know about everything," I told Phoebe. That must be it.
"She. . . knows?" Phoebe whispered.
"Yeah, but she isn't telling Arnold, and let me just tell you, she can manipulate people, so DON'T EVER feel sorry for her. Just think about how she ever so called me, well she was about to call me a really bad name, but then I sort of pinned her down."
I was expecting her to go off on me for doing that to someone, but instead she nodded.
"Well, we better go in, or we will miss the presentation on wackos."
"I don't think it is politically correct to call them wackos," a voice from behind us said. Sid.
I looked at Phoebe, she looked at me.
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
"You would have to be nuts to want to be called wacko."
We said it at the same time, and then burst out laughing. Then, Phoebe, Sid and I walked to Mr. Simmons classroom.