Halloween Howls
Part Four: Cryptic Bands & Zombie Jamborees
Helga came tearing out the doors of P.S.118 with her poor friend Phoebe in tow.
"Alright Phoebe!" she barked once they were safely hidden behind the dumpster, "Out with it! What did you wanna tell me and why do I have this nagging feeling that it's about Arnold?!"
Phoebe gulped and started confessing, "Well Helga, Arnold overheard me talking to myself in class the other day about how you liked someone, I didn't say who…then, and he asked me who it was. I panicked Helga! So I agreed to tell him after school. I tried to get away before he could catch up with me…but it was hopeless. Helga, please don't hate me. I told Arnold you liked him liked him."
Phoebe awaited an encounter with Old Betsy but was surprised to find Helga deep in thought. She didn't even look mad.
"Okay Phoebs, here's the deal." Helga started pacing, "You ratted out my secret to Arnold and for that I should beat you to a pulp. On the other hand, you are my best friend and sidekicks aren't all that easy to replace. I guess what really saved your neck was the fact that Arnold didn't seem too peeved or disgusted by it."
"Oh no Helga," Phoebe smiled, "he exhibited shyness and appeared to be pleasantly surprised."
Helga smirked, He likes me. He really likes me!
"Um Helga, does this mean I won't be getting beat up after all?" Phoebe inquired.
Helga snapped herself out of her little poetic daydream. "Uh, yeah Phoebs, you're off the hook." She balled up her fist and stuck it in the Japanese girl's face, "But don't you EVER do something like that again! Got it?!"
"Getting." Phoebe squeaked.
"Good. Now let's go try the talent agency downtown. There's bound to be at least one group in this stinkin' town that needs a gig."
The blonde stormed off with her sidekick close behind.
******
Gerald was up in Arnold's room that evening after finishing his history assignment. "Man, Mr. Simmons needs to lighten up on the homework load. I gotta have time to do the important stuff."
"Like what?" Arnold prompted.
"Kid stuff!" Gerald replied, "Throwing rocks at dumpsters, spittin' in the river, and playing four different video games at once at the arcade!"
"Yeah," Arnold agreed, "I'd almost forgotten what goofing off was like."
"Well Arnold my man," Gerald grinned, "at least we'll have the Halloween dance. What are you going as?"
"I dunno," Arnold shrugged and looked up through his skylight, he'd probably spent half his school career just coming home and gazing up at the sky.
"You know what would be neat man?" Gerald asked.
"What?"
"You, me, my date, and yours all going in similar costumes. Like members of a team, all dressed according to the same theme or something."
Arnold fidgeted on his bed, would Helga go for something like that? She'd always had this thing about being different and having her own 'style'.
Gerald was rambling on, "We could go as rock stars, or baseball players, or superheroes, or…I've got it!"
Arnold sat up, "What?"
"Man!" Gerald's eyes lit up, "We'll all go as Ghostbusters!"
Arnold grinned, leave it to Gerald to come up with a far out costume idea.
"It's perfect! There are four Ghostbusters and there'll be four of us…you, me, Phoebe, and--you are going with Lila right?"
Arnold frowned, "Uh…not exactly."
"What do you mean 'not exactly'? Haven't you asked her yet?"
"She's already going with Curly." Arnold sighed.
Gerald shook his head, "Mm…mm…mm…mm…now that's what I call mentally disturbed."
Arnold smiled, "Yeah well, it's no big deal. I found someone else to go with."
"Really? Who?"
Wincing a little Arnold muttered, "Helga."
"HELGA!" Gerald burst out. "HELGA G. PATAKI?!"
Arnold nodded and watched as his friend fell to the floor laughing. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! YOU'RE A BOLD KID ARNOLD!"
"Oh c'mon Gerald, she's not that bad," Arnold was getting annoyed. Gerald and Helga had never really been on more than barely tolerable terms. One was too mellow and the other was just too uptight.
"Not that bad?!" Gerald repeated, "HAHAHA!!! Man, have you forgotten how she's always pulling pranks on you and making you look like a complete idiot?"
"That's just one side of Helga," Arnold corrected him, "I wanna get to know the other side."
Gerald sat up and looked Arnold in the face, "Arnold, there is no other side to her. With Helga, it's what you see is what you get. And trust me man, you do not want her."
"Oh, so I'm supposed to wait around for Lila? The girl who likes me but doesn't like me like me?!" Arnold snapped.
"Now wait a minute man, I didn't say that."
"And it's all because I'm just not that oh so special someone she's been looking for!"
"Hold it! I didn't say that it HAD to be Lila. What about Ruth?"
"Ruth?! RUTH MCDOUGAL?!? The girl who doesn't even know I'm alive?"
"Just cool it Arnold, I was only making a suggest-"
"Just forget it Gerald!" Arnold shouted, storming out his door.
"Where are you goin'?"
"Out for a walk." and the door slammed shut behind him.
******
"What do you mean that no one wants to play for that low a price?!" Helga demanded.
"Sorry kid," the booking agent grinned, "but 87 bucks want get ya an amateur act in this town."
Phoebe crossed the name off her list as they left the talent agency. "What now Helga? There's nowhere left to search unless we hold auditions."
Helga snapped her fingers, "That's it Phoebe! We'll hold auditions. Only they'll have to be in the school auditorium or something because Big Bob will have a fit if we hold em at my place."
"The school auditorium is probably closed by now Helga and I think the drama club has it for the rest of the week, but we could hold auditions at Gerald Field tomorrow."
"Great idea," Helga slapped Phoebe on the back, nearly knocking her over onto the sidewalk, "now all you have to do is go home and make us some flyers to post."
Phoebe sighed and started scribbling notes on her pad of paper, "Sure Helga, anything else?"
"Nah, that should do it. But don't worry…if I think of anything I'll call and let ya know."
******
Helga was on her way home when she noticed a patch of untamed blond hair heading down the street.
"Hey Arnold!"
The boy turned around, gave her a weak smile, and motioned for her to come over.
He wants me to walk with him! Helga's heart skipped a beat.
Instead of arguing, she casually crossed the street and started walking beside him. "What'cha doing out so late Football Head?"
"I needed some air." Arnold sighed, "Me and Gerald had a fight a few minutes ago."
"What was it about?" Why am I letting him know I care?
Arnold turned away, he didn't want to tell her.
"Oh," Helga stared off at the street, "he doesn't think you and I should go to the dance together huh?"
"Yeah," Arnold moaned, "but I wanna go with you."
Helga looked over at him and smiled, "Thanks Arnold, I wanna go with you too."
Arnold blushed, There's the side of you I was hoping to see Helga. And one day, Gerald's gonna see it too.
"HEY ARNOLD!"
Arnold and Helga turned and saw Gerald racing to catch up with him. Arnold sneered and kept walking, Helga frowned and grabbed his arm. "C'mon Arnold, he's your best friend. If it was me and Phoebe wanted to catch up, you'd stop me too."
Arnold sighed and slowed down.
Gerald slumped down and caught his breath. "Look man, I'm sorry about the whole dance thing. You go with whoever you want to. I was just surprised that you and Helga were going together. It's not something anyone could've seen comin' right?"
The two other fourth graders didn't speak so Gerald continued, "So can we just forget about the stupid fight?" he extended his hand to Arnold, but Arnold just stood there.
Sighing, he turned to Helga, "Hey Helga, would you and Arnold like to go to the dance with me and Phoebe? We could all go as Ghostbusters or something?"
Glancing at Arnold she noticed that he really wanted to forgive Gerald and put the whole thing behind them. Guess it's up to me to burry the hatchet. "Sure Geraldo, that sounds great."
Gerald shook her hand, "Great, see ya both there. I've gotta get home before my dad decides to take out my stereo and reduce our electric bill."
He turned and started off back towards his house. Helga noticed that Arnold was smiling at her, "What?"
"I knew it." he smirked.
"What?!" she demanded.
"You're not so bad after all."
"Criminey! I do one lousy good deed and all of the sudden I'm a saint to you!"
"I like it when you act like this Helga," Arnold was still smiling, "when you're nice and all. It makes you look a lot prettier."
Helga blushed, "You're a real sap Arnold, you know that?"
________________________________________________________________________
*I'm sorry if some of you think this isn't as gripping as my other fics. It kinda takes a while to get going. I hope you'll still keep reading and reviewing though. Your comments really help. ^_^ *
