Halloween Howls
Part Three: Ghoulish Plot Twists
"There's the pretty princess of my dreams!" an annoying black haired boy with thick rimmed glasses hung over the back of Rhonda's chair the next day in class.
"Eww!!! Get lost you fashion reject!" Rhonda hated Curly and the way he was always trying to flirt with her.
"Aw c'mon Rhonda, you know you wanna go with me to the Halloween dance."
Rhonda was disgusted, "No way! I wouldn't go with you if you were the last geek on Earth!"
Temporarily defeated, Curly sat back in his chair. "Hmph, I bet Rhonda would change her mind if I asked someone else to the dance instead." Light bulb! "That's it!" Curly scanned the classroom for someone who wouldn't turn him down. Hmm…no, she hates me, so does she, she doesn't know I exist, Patty'd kill me, Nadine would hurl, Sheena--ha!--no one would be jealous of Sheena. Then Curly's eyes fell on the perfect victim…ur…candidate to be his date.
Before the bell rang he slid over to the seat by her desk. "Hi ya Lila. How's it goin'?"
Lila turned around and flashed him that sweet, innocent farm girl smile of hers. "Oh hello Curly. It's going just ever so well today. How has your day been?"
Curly faked misery, "I'm afraid I can't go to the Halloween dance next week."
Lila looked concerned, "Why ever not?"
"B-because I don't have a date." Curly frowned.
"That's just ever so sad. Maybe you could go on your own?" she suggested.
"Nah, I'd just look like a big geek." now to set his plan into motion, "Why don't you go with me Lila?"
Lila looked shocked, "Me? Why ever would you want to go with me? I didn't even know you liked me liked me, Curly."
"I don't," Curly began hastily, "it's just, well, neither of us has a date and instead of going alone or pretending to like like someone who we don't really like like then maybe we could just go together…as friends?"
Lila thought this over, "Well…"
"Aw c'mon Lila, you don't wanna lead Arnold on by going with him and getting into that whole I like you but I don't like you like you thing again do ya?"
"I guess that makes sense. Okay Curly," Lila shook his hand, "we'll go as friends. I'll be looking oh so forward to it."
Curly shook Lila's hand, grinning mischievously, "So will I Lila, so will I."
******
At lunch that day Arnold took his tray over to Lila's table. He wasn't sure he still wanted to ask her, after learning that it was Helga who liked him liked him, but he figured that if he didn't ask Lila, Helga would know that something was amiss.
"Hi Lila," he grinned, "mind if I sit with you?"
"Not at all Arnold," Lila smiled politely, "did you want to talk to me or something?"
"Actually," Arnold began, like he had so many times before, "I do have something that I need to talk to you about."
"Whatever it is Arnold, I'm oh so sure that I'll be able to help you out."
"Well, it's about the Halloween dance…" Lila frowned as he continued, "I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."
"Oh Arnold, it's just ever so sweet of you to ask me but-"
"But?"
"I'm afraid that I've already agreed to go to the dance with someone else." Lila answered apologetically.
"What? Who?"
"Curly."
Arnold was ready to scream, "Curly? You picked Curly over me?!"
"Well…he did ask first Arnold."
"Yeah but…" this was ridiculous. "Lila, I have to know something."
"Yes?"
"WHY?! Why do always pick every other guy over me when we're the most compatible?"
Lila looked down at her lunch, "Oh Arnold, I guess it's just because you're not that oh so special someone I've been looking for."
AND WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?! a voice inside Arnold's head was screaming. He was beginning to HATE the way that Lila talked, she sugar coated her words to the point where they just didn't make any sense!
"Okay Lila," Arnold got up and pushed his chair under that table, "if all you wanna be is just good friends then I'm asking someone else to the dance instead."
He was half expecting her to get a little jealous but instead she just smiled sweetly and said, "Okay. That sounds nice."
Grunting, Arnold took his lunch tray and went over to the only other table with available seats…Helga's table.
******
Phoebe's guilty conscious was really starting to get to her. She finally decided to tell Helga what had happened with Arnold the other day. It's better if she hears it from me and not someone else. I'm her best friend and it is all my fault. Phoebe lectured herself. "Um, Helga. There's something I need to tell you."
"Yeah yeah, sure Phoebs. But it'll have to wait. Check out who just got turned down." Helga pointed.
"Arnold!" Phoebe gasped, and he was heading their way!
"Well well well, if it isn't the Football Head." Helga smirked, "What's the matter? Did Lila turn ya down again?"
"Yeah," Phoebe was right, Helga was a good actress. "Do you two mind if I sit here today?"
Phoebe and Helga exchanged impassive looks, "Sure Hair Boy, take a seat, it's a free country."
"Thanks." Arnold sat down across from Helga, leaving Phoebe in the middle wishing she could shrink out of sight.
"So Arnoldo," Helga laughed mockingly, "looks like you don't have a date to the big Halloween dance."
Arnold nodded, "Looks that way."
"But you've gotta go, I mean, you and Gerald are the clean-up crew." she continued, she loved baiting him until his temper exploded and he stormed off gritting his teeth. Ah, he's so cute when he's angry.
"I guess I'll show up." Arnold could tell she was teasing him. What was it about Helga that made her want to push all his buttons? Oh, that's right. he grinned, She likes me likes me.
Phoebe saw the question coming before it ever passed Arnold's lips, "So Helga, if you're not already going with someone else, do you wanna maybe go with me?"
With her usual grace upon getting unexpected news, Helga fell out of her chair and landed with a loud THUD! on the tile floor.
"Helga!" Phoebe squeaked and got down to help her friend up.
"Wh-what did you just ask me?" she stuttered to Arnold.
"I just asked if you wanted to go to the dance with me Helga." Arnold was on her other side helping Phoebe get her back in her chair.
Helga glanced at Phoebe who smiled sheepishly and shrugged. Then she looked at Arnold, he seemed serious. "Okay Football Head, sure, I'll go with you."
Arnold smiled, "Great!"
"B-but this doesn't make us pals or anything!" Helga snapped, "I'm just doing this so no one else will bug me about going."
"Okay Helga, whatever you say." Arnold nodded.
Helga made a mental note to take Phoebe out behind the dumpster after school that day and find out EXACTLY what it was she'd wanted to tell her.
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*I'm sorry it took so long to post this chapter. I've had school and parties and lots of other stuff to keep me busy. Anyway, I hope everyone liked this part and I'll try and post more soon. Thanks for all the great reviews, keep em coming! ^_^ *
