DISCLAIMER: Hey Arnold-not mine, never will be.
I stood just below Arnold stoop for several minutes. I had decided I would talk to him about my problem, but… somehow I still felt awkward about it. I don't know why, but I didn't like him knowing that much about me. Like I said, I didn't like him seeing me at a point of weakness, and obviously, me being all broken up about this would sure as hell put me at that point. I began to move, one foot in front of the other, up the steps of his stoop. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It's funny, as determined as I was to talk to him I still wished that somehow my knock would go unanswered and I wouldn't be forced to pour my heart out to the football head.
Sadly, that didn't happen, "Oh, hello!" answered his grandma.
"Is Arnold home?" I asked, smiling awkwardly.
"Oh, well Kimba's up in his room, should I get him? Would you like to come in?" she stepped to the side to provide me with the appropriate amount of room.
"Sure," I stepped into his house and walked over to his stairs. I turned to his grandma, "Do you mind if I just go up and see him?"
"I don't see why not. Hey, why don't you stay for dinner? We're ha-"
"Watermelon again?!" I heard Arnold's grandfather yell from the kitchen. His grandma frowned.
"If you'll excuse me," she smiled and walked quickly back to the kitchen. Before going up the stairs I heard her yell, "WHAT'S YOUR POINT?!" I laughed to myself. Arnold's lucky to have such a family… even if they ARE a little weird.
I walked up to his room, and stopped at his door. Should I go? Should I not? Should I just run back home? So many doubts flooded through my head, but I knew I couldn't leave. I came for a reason, and I was going to go through with it. I knocked and then flinched, and even had to try hard to suppress the undeniable urge to turn and run.
The door opened, and I kept my eyes shut. "Helga?!" I heard Arnold almost yelp in surprise. "What are you doing here?" he asked, calming down.
"I came to talk." I said quickly, almost indecipherably. I opened my eyes and saw that he smiling. How did I know he would smile?
"Come in," he motioned for me to follow him into his room. I shut the door behind me. "What do you want to talk about?" he walked over and sat at this desk.
"Don't act like you don't know," I said, irritably and sat down on his couch. He frowned. "Sorry…" I looked away.
"Gerald told me what he knew about what happened between you two… you and Phoebe that is. Phoebe herself won't tell him all the details and it kind of makes him a little frustrated. That's why he was acting so… weird this morning. He thinks he deserves to know EVERYTHING about her, but that's just not realistic." I smiled to myself, I liked hearing his opinions.
"Yeah, that's um, pretty much what's going on. Of course you left out the part about Patty." I fiddled with my fingers in my lap.
"What about Patty?" he smiled, "Speaking of her, I've also noticed your little friendship with her. That's great Helga, it's nice to see you two getting along like that. Wait… is that why you and Phoebe are… whoa, why didn't I see this before?" he placed his hand on his forehead.
"Once again, must you be the last to know how dense you are?" I folded my arms.
"Hey, hey, now… no insults, we're talking about important stuff." he got up and walked over to his couch, sitting down next to me. He smiled. I think, no I KNOW, he knows I don't mean anything by my insults… that's obvious now.
"Ok, fine." I took a deep breath, "I don't know if Gerald told you or not, but he… asked me to drop my friendship with Patty… he said it was the only way to make things better between Phoebe and I."
"That's a terrible thing to say," he said, lowly. I think maybe it hurt him to hear that.
"I know. I didn't listen to him, though… I think that maybe THAT'S the really terrible thing." I said, looking down.
"Not at all." he shook his head. "I'm glad you didn't listen to him. No one should tell you who you should be friends with… especially if that friendship is doing nothing but good things for you." he spoke in a low voice, almost as if he were angry and sad at the same time… I'd never heard that coming from him.
"Yes, I know. He said that he didn't mean it to be, well mean, but that it just came out that way," I said, partly as a way to show Arnold that Gerald wasn't really as terrible as it seemed. "He wants things to be the way they were, he wants me and Pheebs to be happy, that's all."
"Are you really happy with your friendship with her?" he asked, looking directly at me.
"I…" I thought about it.
"Or are you happier now with Patty?" he asked again, "Maybe what's really making you sad is the realization that you and Phoebe really ARE growing apart. Maybe it's just that you don't want to accept it." he looked sympathetically at me.
I looked at him for a while. I wasn't sure how I should take that. He was wrong, I knew it, "Look, Phoebe and I aren't growing apart, she's just jealous of Patty and I's friendship!" I said, standing up, "That's all that this is about, isn't it? This is why Gerald told me not to be friends with Patty! This is why Phoebe wants to 'take a break' from our friendship to see if we really need each other. That's all that this has ever been about…" I hung my head. Suddenly, and tragically, everything thing made sense.
Arnold stayed silent for a while. I knew he would have trouble responding to that. "Look, things aren't as bad as you think. Lots of friends have problems like this… they work them out though, well, the good friends do. See, so if you and Phoebe really ARE the great friends you think you are, things will end up fine. And if they don't… well, then, you'll know the friendship wasn't worth it to begin with." he stood up with me and placed his hands on my shoulders. All at once I threw my arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug. As much as I hated him seeing me at a point of weakness, my appreciation for him caring overweighed that. I heard him gasp as I did so, making me want to laugh. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I prayed that I wouldn't cry, but it was all in vein. Slowly he placed him arms comfortably around me.
I started laughing, "This is so stupid! It's like one big horrible episode of Dawson's Creek!" he joined my laughter, "This is so pathetic… I shouldn't be so upset…"
"Yeah, but life's like that… it's always like one big teen drama." he reassuringly patted my back, "And I disagree… I think this is something you should be upset about. I mean, if you weren't, what kind of person would you be?" I looked up at him. He smiled.
"Do you think Patty and I are really the best friends here?" I asked, resting my forehead against his chest.
"Do you want my honest opinion?" he asked in reply.
"Sure, why not?"
"I think your best friend is the person you care most about. The person you'd do anything for. The person who could almost be like another family member. That's what I think."
"Oh thanks!" I said, looking up at him, "How's that supposed to help me?!"
"Isn't it obvious? Think about the both of them. Which one could most fit what I said? You'll discover the truth that way." he smiled reassuringly again. I smiled back and rested my head on his shoulder. I was right in what I told Eddie… Arnold really is a great person… although I've known that for quite a while.
Soon, I had to go home… I really didn't want to, but I also didn't want Big Bob on my case either. I said my good-bye's to Arnold's grandparents and told his grandmother I'd take her up on that dinner offer another time. Arnold walked me to his door and down his stoop. We stood there for a while, not knowing what to say really. I slipped my hands into my pockets and looked around the dirty street. He did the same.
"So, I'll be seeing you, then…" I said, turning to walk home.
"You're walking home… alone? Helga, it's dark, who knows-"
"I'll be fine. I'm a big girl." I said with a wink. He smiled a little then stepped towards me.
"Be careful, and I appreciate you taking me up on my offer… to, you know, talk." I turned to face him and he grabbed my hands.
"I appreciate you listening, football head," I said. I walked a little closer.
"It's nice to see you actually opening up," he started.
"Yeah well,-"
"Don't get used to it!" we both finished. He started laughing, "I know you too well," I glared at him, but then softened into a smile.
"Thank you again," I said. Before I could turn and walk away he moved in and gave me a little peck on the cheek. I turned red and he just smiled.
"Anytime."
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"So what is there for you to do today?" I asked, as Special Edd and I boarded the bus for school.
"I don't know," he shrugged, "I think maybe grandma's using me for paperwork." he laughed. "I actually wouldn't mind going to school today, but… mom said that I should come help grandma again."
"You poor soul," I said with mock concern.
"You seem like you're in a better mood today," he commented with a smile.
"I guess I am." I sat back in my seat.
"May I ask why?" he looked hopefully at me. Does he think I'm happy to see him or something?
"Remember that blonde guy?"
"Yeah,"
"That's why." I smiled and looked ahead of me.
"Oh…" he seemed down, but I really didn't care.
The bus seemed to be caught in traffic so I decided to use the extra time wisely… I decided to do what Arnold said and see whether it was Patty or Phoebe that was my true best friend. I decided to make a list to see what I saw in each person. I took out a notebook and a pen and began…
Patty Smith
Like my twin
I get along wither her really well
Seems like she and I were meant to be the best friends
Is a nice person with a tough side
On my intelligence level (underlined three times)
I care about her a lot
I stopped and thought about it a little. I really don't know Patty that well, yet I DO care about her a lot, more than I would probably admit. I decided to end that list and go on to Phoebe…
Phoebe Hyerdahl
Great friend
I care about her a lot
Like a sister to me
I'd do anything for her
She'd do anything for me
The nicest person I know
The best friend a person could have
Stunned, I stopped midway through my list. I reread my last line "The best friend a person could have." Shouldn't that answer my question of 'who's my best friend' right there?
"Can I see what you're doing?" Eddie asked, looking over at what I wrote.
"NO!" I said with a squeal and moved so he couldn't see.
"Jeeze, fine!" he said and scooted away from me a little, "Don't hurt me,"
Angry that he derailed my train of thought, I put my notebook away. I wasn't going to get anything done on the bus. This was important and I decided it would be better to wait until I got home to REALLY think it over. Hopefully, by then I'll have come to a decision, I thought, settling down in my seat…
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Wow, I haven't updated in a LONG time! Oh well, here's chapter 16. Hehe, It's down to the final days in I.S.S., what will happen with Patty and Phoebe? …and what about Eddie and Arnold? Well, you'll just have to wait and find out. Oh yeah, and tell me what you think of the story! ;D
And, again, I'm sorry I waited so long to update. I hope you all aren't too angry with me, hehe ;)
