For Her

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A sequel to "My Muse", written by Miss Matched

Dedicated to Starry Nights, for being so encouraging.

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All standard disclaimers apply. Characters from "Hey Arnold" are copyright Craig Barlett and to whomever else they're copyrighted to. Original characters are original, and the author would like sole use of them, unless contacted for permission. All poetry/music in this fanfiction are also original, and once again, may only be used with permission. Thus ends this huge disclaimer. Pork. Heee. Pork is evil. But you know what? Ice cream's the devil. Does to me what raspberries do to Grandpa. LOL! Are you not glad that you read the disclaimer now?

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AN: I am rewriting this sorry excuse for a chapter. If you didn't already know, I wanted this to be a sappy love story, but it took on a life of it's own and became Si-fi, so now this chapter seems lamer then lame. Here goes nuffin...

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Chapter Four: Second Guess

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I was tired of it. Tired of people second guessing me. People think that they know me, that they know what I'm planning on doing. Sometimes their answers surprise me.


For example, the day before the Helga-Harold confrontation, Nadine, an old friend from elementary school came up to me with a question.


"You always help everyone." She had told me, nervously fiddling with her braids, "And well,"

I looked behind me to make sure that none of my new friends were there. They, well, they just didn't get along with everyone. Truth be told, I was almost afraid of being on their bad sides.

"Come on, Nadine." I was almost impatient. "It can't be that bad."

She sighed "Some of you jock friends" she said those last two words with hatred, like the very syllables left a bitter taste in her mouth, "Well, they've been beating up Eugene."


I shrugged, "I'm sorry, you know there isn't really anything I can do. I've talked to them before, they said that they'd limit it." She glared at me. "I know it's not right, but I'm just one person, and they're a bunch of them."


"So you're not going to try." it wasn't a question, it was a statement.


"I never said that" I answered. "You know I hate to see my friends get creamed. Heck, that's the last thing I want to see. But you know as well as I do that" she cut me off.


"That we're not good enough for you now. Fine." she stopped playing with her braids and looked me straight in the eyes. "But I must admit Arnold, I expected better of you." Briskly turning on her heels, she walked off.


I'm not a bad guy. I actually did bring it up to some of the guys. And they actually did push me up into a locker. I probably would have been inside the locker if it weren't for Nick.


"Hey, chill." He commanded the two other boys, and they let go. "He won't bring it up again." As they walked away, he patted me on the back. "You have the most noble reasons, don't you? Just let it slide, trust me. Sometimes you just have to let nature run it's natural course." I smiled and muttered my thank yous. It's nice to know that someone understands what I've been going though.


So, if someone understands, why can't everyone? How come people hate it when people are stereotyped, then put me in a stereotyped role to go help them? Even my best friend turned on me, the day after he had said he was proud of me. It didn't make sense, believe me, I tried to rationalize it. But still, it happened. In homeroom, the day after I found out that Helga was moving, he confronted me, shaking his head "You're losing your touch, man" he announced to me. I was at the side of the room, sharpening my pencils. I saw where Gerald had walked over from, the side of the room where Nadine and Eugene sat. Sadly, I could see I was in for a talk.
"I had one?" I asked "On what?"
He looked at me piteously. He seemed to always do that to me, it was always annoying. "On reality, man. You can't even carry a conversation lately. Heck, you can't even say a few things to help a friend."
I shook my head wearily. "Yeah, not like anything I says matters. I've messed up beyond hope."
"Now, that doesn't sound like you"
"What am I suppose to sound like?" I muttered bitterly "No one understands me lately. People don't just stay the same all their lives, Gerald. I'm not always gonna be the stable one." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You've changed" Gerald muttered. "For the worse. I don't even feel like we're friends anymore. Until you find yourself..."
"What does that mean??" I asked.
"If you're so sure you've changed, man" he said solidly "I'm not so sure you're my friend." He started walking again.
"Gerald! Please!" Man, this was a bad day. "Where the heck are you going? Homeroom's still going on."
"Doing something I should have in fourth grade." he yelled. I watched as he walked into another homeroom. I heard the muffled sound of his voice through the door. "Yes, can I please speak to Phoebe Hyerdaul..."




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AN: Hey, it worked! Yay *beams*. Mmmkay, I shall continue!