Helga's Letters
Part Four: Arnold Tags Along
Friday…Helga Pataki decided to risk it all, as she had done so many times before. She wrote her poem and handed it into Mr. Simmons. After skimming through the poems (or to be more specific, the names on the poems) he read Helga's out loud to the class. Helga crossed her fingers and hoped beyond hope that no one would pin this literary work on her.
"Passion of My Soul
He is the golden haired boy I've watched each day,
Going over his notes and studying away.
When he raises his hand he holds my heart in his palm,
Each time he speaks it's like hearing a psalm.
He won't notice me,
Won't see that I exist.
If only he knew,
What I'd do for one kiss.
In a world I'm not meant for,
In a world where I'm not whole.
I thrive because he inspires me,
Passion of my soul."
The entire class cheered for the unspoken poet. Helga sat back in her desk and took in the odd sight with confused amazement. They're all cheering…for me? Am I THAT good?
Arnie turned around in his desk, "That was a beautiful poem Helga." he said in a low, boring tone.
Helga's eyes widened, "Y-you knew it was mine?"
"Yes," Arnie nodded, "and I'm flattered."
Something in Helga's heart exploded and her stomach threatened to expel her breakfast right then and there. "Y-you thought it was about you??"
Arnie nodded again, "No one's ever noticed my golden hair before."
Helga's inner voice started shrieking. That poem wasn't about you, you big monotone moron! It's about your cousin! ARNOLD! ARNOLD!!
Helga sank back in her seat. Why do I have all the luck?
Phoebe turned in her seat and smiled at her friend, letting her know how much she enjoyed the poem. Helga turned away and glared at the blackboard. "I can't believe this."
"Me neither," she noticed that Arnie was still staring at her.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
"Tomorrow, it's only one more day until we get to go on our date." he stated all too plainly.
Helga hated this. First Rex, now Arnie! And why the heck wasn't Arnold blowing his top over the whole thing? Didn't he care?! No…he didn't care. Or else he would've done something already. But he hadn't done anything. Not even spoken a jealous word.
Helga would just have to get herself out of this one. She glanced frantically around the room for an idea. Eureka! She spotted Lila staring at Arnie with big puppy dog eyes. She was making someone jealous, too bad it wasn't Arnold.
Helga made a mental note to talk with Lila after school.
******
The bell rang and all the students rushed out the double doors of P.S. 118. Lila was strolling out towards the bus stop when someone snagged her by her arm.
"Pst! Lila!"
"Helga?"
"Yeah, now pipe down." Helga pulled Lila behind a dumpster.
"Why whatever is the matter Helga?"
"I need to talk to you. It's about Arnie." Helga whispered.
"Arnie? Whatever about him?"
"I can't STAND him that's what!" Helga snapped, "You've got to get him to leave me the heck alone! Take him out on a date or something."
"But Helga," Lila sighed, "I'm just ever so certain that Arnie likes you…not me."
"Well then you've got to MAKE him like you!"
"How?"
"Criminey!" Helga slapped her forehead, "Follow us to the zoo Saturday."
"But Helga-"
"But nothin' sister! You want Arnie to like you like you right?" Lila nodded, "Then you've got to FIGHT for him!"
Lila was speechless. It just wasn't like her to FIGHT for anyone. But she did like Arnie a lot. "Well---maybe."
"Great! See you Saturday. Just make sure it looks like a coincidence that you showed up." Helga said hastily before running back around the dumpster and off towards her house.
Once she was out of earshot she chuckled to herself, "Perfect! One down, one to go."
"One what?" a curious voice asked from behind her.
Helga spun around and came nose to nose with…
"ARNOLD?!"
He stared at her shocked expression for a moment before asking again, "One what? What were you talking about Helga?"
"None of your business geek bait!" she huffed and tried to turn away.
Arnold reached out and grabbed her arm. Any other time Helga would've slugged him for that, but this time he'd caught her completely off guard.
"Helga wait…" he began, "I wanted to talk to you."
"About what?" Helga grumbled, trying to sound uninterested.
"Well---" Arnold scratched the back of his neck, "it's about Arnie…and Rex."
"Arnie and Rex? What about them?"
Might as well get it out of your system, Arnold advised himself.
"Do you, you know, like like either of them?"
Helga's eyebrow lifted and almost disappeared beneath her bangs, "What?! Why would you care?"
"I was just wondering." he replied.
"Well WHY were you wondering?" Helga persisted.
"I dunno," Arnold shrugged, "they both seem to like like you, I was just curious if maybe you felt that way about either of them."
Placing her hands on her hips she smiled mischievously, "Oh I don't know Arnold, I mean, I do like all the attention I'm getting from them. Heck, I never knew I was so attractive or anything."
"Well you are." the words escaped from Arnold's mouth before he knew what he was saying.
Helga had to fight to stay on her feet, Did Arnold just say he found me ATTRACTIVE?!
"What was that?" she asked.
"Nothing." Arnold mumbled, he suddenly longed to be back at the boarding house. "I've gotta go and help my grandpa with something Helga. I guess I'll see you at practice Saturday?"
She was about to agree when it hit her, "I can't come to practice Saturday."
"Why not?"
"You're awfully nosy today Football Head!" she scowled.
"Sorry."
Folding her arms she sighed, "I'm supposed to go to the zoo with Arnie."
"WHAT?!" This isn't happening!
"Yeah…and Rex will probably call and want me to go somewhere with him too." she finished, "Guess I'm pretty much booked tight for tomorrow."
Arnold couldn't have looked more hurt if Helga had shoved an arrow into his heart. "Gosh Helga, I-I guess I won't see you until Monday then huh?"
"Guess not." Helga actually sounded disappointed.
Poor Arnold started off in the direction of the boarding house when Helga caught up to him and punched his shoulder playfully. "Hey Arnold, don't worry. Rex and Arnie may have me this Saturday…but you and me will always have the dance."
"Yeah," Arnold moaned, "the dance."
Without any more kind words to offer Helga changed direction and was off to her house. Arnold trudged along a few more steps before getting frustrated and kicking a glass bottle against a building. "The dance!" he shouted to himself as the bottle shattered against the bricks, "I can't believe that's all we get. And Arnie and Rex can have as many dates with Helga as they want. It's not fair!"
"What's not fair man?" Gerald asked, coming up to Arnold with a skateboard tucked under his arm.
"Oh, hi Gerald. Can we talk?"
"Sure man, what's on your mind?"
"Um…can you keep a secret?" Arnold muttered.
"No problem." Gerald smiled.
"I mean, you can't tell ANYBODY."
"Kay."
"NO ONE!"
"Got'cha."
"I'm serious Gerald!"
"FINE! I'LL TAKE IT TO THE GRAVE WITH ME!!!" Gerald shouted.
With a sigh Arnold started explaining his situation to Gerald. In about a half an hour Gerald stood back and reflected on it all. "Now hold up. Are you tryin' to tell me that ever since that dance a few weeks ago, you've been completely gaga over Helga Pataki?"
"I guess so." Arnold admitted.
"And now that Rex and Arnie have started asking her out and stuff you're suddenly jealous?"
"Uh huh."
"So now you want to get those two out of the picture and tell Helga how you really feel?"
"That's pretty much it Gerald." Arnold concurred.
Gerald stared at Arnold, then burst out laughing.
"It's not funny Gerald." Arnold frowned, a bit aggravated by his friend's reaction.
"Oh yes it is!" Gerald cackled. "You--Arnold--love Helga G. Pataki!"
"Gerald!" Arnold said between clenched teeth, "Keep your voice down!"
"HAHAHAHA!! Oh man, Arnold, you're either really bold or REALLY crazy!" Gerald was hysterical.
Arnold put his hands on his hips. "Are you finished?"
"Not yet man," Gerald snickered, grabbing at his sides, "give me another five minutes."
Arnold's eyes narrowed.
"Okay okay," Gerald pulled himself off the sidewalk and picked up his skateboard. "So what do you plan to do about all this?"
"I don't know, I was thinking of maybe showing up at the zoo tomorrow."
"Wait a minute, you're going to spy on your cousin and Helga?"
Arnold shrugged, "I don't know what else to do."
"Look man, you wanna win Helga over, you've gotta be cool about it." Gerald smirked.
"And how do I do that?"
"The usual, flowers, chocolates, girly stuff like that."
"But what if that doesn't work?"
"What are you talking about man?" Gerald exclaimed, "That stuff always works! Just show up at the zoo tomorrow dressed to kill and armed with some mushy gifts and Helga will be falling all over you."
"Really?" Arnold had to admit, Gerald was pretty good with the ladies…or at least, he seemed to think he was.
"Trust me man." Gerald said proudly, "You're talking to the Casanova of P.S. 118."
"Well---okay." Arnold put his hand up with Gerald's and they both wiggled their thumbs. "Who knows, it just might work."
"Arnold my man, it WILL work." Gerald assured him, "Look out Helga, here comes Arnold the romantic!"
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*Now Gerald and Arnold are plotting…crazy huh? But entertaining right? Read and review please! Thanks for all the great reviews so far but I can assure you…this is just the beginning! ^_~ *