Chapter 3: Going Away
The next day Arnold was absent from school. He'd fallen down the stairs again because if his previous injury and broke his leg, and his grandpa had taken him to the doctor. Arnold was not to go back to school for the rest of the year, which was only a week and a half. The doctor said he was to remain off of his feet for at least three weeks, and then possibly after that he would be able to move around a little bit each day until he could walk again. Gerald brought Arnolds school work to him each day, and the teacher actually brought Arnold his end of school exams and stayed in the room while he did them. Naturally he passed, but it didn't make him feel any better. And it had nothing to do with his leg. Gerald told him that Helga had not been in school either for about three days, then she came back. Her cheek and eye had swollen a lot, but it wasn't that bad anymore by the time she came back to school. Gerald said he suspected that she only came back because she'd heard Arnold wasn't going to be there for the rest of the year. They both knew Helga had ways of getting out of school, and she could have easily used what Arnold did as an excuse and get her homework brought to her by Sheena or somebody. This conversation got Gerald talking about Phoebe and how she'd be home in a couple days. He was obviously very excited about her finally coming home, so Arnold said nothing, only agreed and smiled. Before Gerald left, Arnold told him to tell Helga that he really was sorry, but when Gerald came over the next day, he said he never got a chance to. She had managed to avoid conversation with him the whole day, and for many days after that. When Arnold was left alone in his room with only his thoughts, he sometimes asked himself why he felt so bad anyway. She was always asking for it, she had to know it was coming some day, right? And those rotten things she said! Why, she deserved it!! No, that's not true. You were just having a bad day and decided to take your frustrations out on her. What's happening to me, he thought to himself with dismay. I never used to act out on my anger like this, I could always take this kind of stuff so well. Sure I don't always trip over Abner and fall down the stairs, but it wasn't that big of a deal, was it? You had no right to hit her, he told himself, no right at all.
It was a week after school ended that the doctor said Arnold could get up and move around a bit, and gave him a nice, sturdy pair of crutches. Arnold loved being able to finally get out of bed and do some things on his own. After a couple days of moving around the house, he asked his grandpa if he could go for a walk. "Not quite yet, short man. Doctor said you should stay in the house for at least a week or two first. But I guess you can go out on the front step, can't deprive a kid of fresh air, that's what I always say!" Said his grandpa, and Arnold smiled. "Thanks, grandpa". Though it dampened his plans, Arnold was glad he could at least go out and sit on the front step. He knew if his leg didn't heal soon he would start having withdrawals from not being able to go on the roof of the boarding house, where he sometimes loved to be most. Arnold planted himself on the front step and set his crutches down next to him. "Arnold!" He knew that voice, and when he turned, his face split with a smile. "Phoebe!!" She came running over to the steps and embraced him lightly, then sat next to him. "When did you get back?" "About a week ago or so. I was just on my way over to see you. I would have come sooner, but I've been very busy...settling and stuff". At fifteen and having been out in the world a little more, Phoebe was not quite as shy and quiet as she used to be. "How was school?" Arnold asked, and they talked for a while on the subject of school, friends...etc. At certain points during the conversation, Arnold noticed a hint of hesitation in her voice before she said something, or perhaps her mind was elsewhere. "So, have you seen anyone else lately?" He asked, and she nodded. "Oh yes, Gerald called me a couple hours after I got back. My mother said he'd called at least three times that day asking if I was there yet, can you believe him?" "Oh, I believe it. He's really been looking foreword to having you back". "As I have looked foreword to being back", she said, then she sighed happily, "Oh Arnold, it's so nice to be back home. I'm so at peace here, I almost wish I didn't have to go back to school at the end of the summer". "I know...We'll miss you". "Yes, well, let's not focus on that just yet, I'd like to not think about it until absolutely necessary!" Arnold smiled at that. "So what else have you been up to since you got back?" "Well...um, not a whole lot. A couple of us when out to a movie the other night. We would have asked you to come, but we didn't want to make you feel bad because we knew you wouldn't be able to with your leg and all. By the way, I'm sorry about that. Does it still hurt?" "Nah, it stopped hurting a while ago". "Oh, that's good. How much longer before you can get the cast off?" "Doctor said a couple weeks at least". "Oh, that's a shame. A couple of us were going to go swimming this weekend. I guess I didn't think you'd come anyway". "Darn, that sounds so tempting. I'm dying to go swimming! Who all's going?" "Well, me, Gerald, Sid, Sheena, Lila, I think perhaps Harold, and possibly Rhonda and Nadine". "What about Helga?" Arnold couldn't help but ask. Phoebe looked at him strangely, as if he'd just made a cruel joke. "You know Helga left already". But by the completely clueless expression on Arnolds face, Phoebe fell short. "Don't you?" "What do you mean? Left where?" "Oh my, I thought sure Gerald would have told you by now". Phoebe said, almost sadly. "Told me what?" "Helga left a couple days ago for Maryland, she's going to live with her grandparents for the rest of the summer while her parents are having their house renovated". "Oh," Arnold said, sounding kind of sad. "When will she be back?" "Well, if the house is done before autumn, then she may come back for a little while...but Helga will be staying there the rest of the year". "Staying?" "Yes, she's going to attend the boarding school her sister went to". When Phoebe said this, it was obvious that she was extremely sad about not being able to spend hardly any time with Helga before she went back to school. She looked near tears. Arnold tried to put his own disappointment aside as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Phoebe". Phoebe shook her head. "It's alright, it's not your fault...she'll be back eventually...just like me, right?" Phoebe's voice quivered slightly near the end of the statement, she was holding back how hurt she really was by this. Arnold knew it had been hard for them when Phoebe left at the beginning of the school year, he could see the effects it had on Helga for months afterward, practically for the rest of the school year! Then something occurred to him. Perhaps Helga wanted to leave...to get away from him. "I should probably go". Phoebe said then, standing. "My parents didn't want me to be gone for too long". Arnold could tell it was an excuse, but didn't mind. "Will you be alright?" He asked. "Of course I'll be alright, you know me". She said with a smile, one that actually helped Arnold to believe her. Then she left. Arnold sat alone on the front step, watching the few cars go by and listening to the sounds of the city. Things were sure going to be different without Helga around, a lot different. He would not have to put up with her spit wads or her teasing or her threats or her scowling face or anything like that. I bet it will be pretty nice, he thought. But then he thought back to the expression on her face when he'd hit her. It was unlike any look she'd ever given him; he didn't dare try to interpret it. Only that it would forever remain etched in his mind, like he'd not only struck her physically, but emotionally as well. He had no idea why, but that was it. Perhaps he'd really hurt her feelings a lot. And he would never, ever forgive himself. Not ever.
Well, what did you think?? Let me know, this is my first HA fanfic (that I've posted;-). Look for a possible part two......
The next day Arnold was absent from school. He'd fallen down the stairs again because if his previous injury and broke his leg, and his grandpa had taken him to the doctor. Arnold was not to go back to school for the rest of the year, which was only a week and a half. The doctor said he was to remain off of his feet for at least three weeks, and then possibly after that he would be able to move around a little bit each day until he could walk again. Gerald brought Arnolds school work to him each day, and the teacher actually brought Arnold his end of school exams and stayed in the room while he did them. Naturally he passed, but it didn't make him feel any better. And it had nothing to do with his leg. Gerald told him that Helga had not been in school either for about three days, then she came back. Her cheek and eye had swollen a lot, but it wasn't that bad anymore by the time she came back to school. Gerald said he suspected that she only came back because she'd heard Arnold wasn't going to be there for the rest of the year. They both knew Helga had ways of getting out of school, and she could have easily used what Arnold did as an excuse and get her homework brought to her by Sheena or somebody. This conversation got Gerald talking about Phoebe and how she'd be home in a couple days. He was obviously very excited about her finally coming home, so Arnold said nothing, only agreed and smiled. Before Gerald left, Arnold told him to tell Helga that he really was sorry, but when Gerald came over the next day, he said he never got a chance to. She had managed to avoid conversation with him the whole day, and for many days after that. When Arnold was left alone in his room with only his thoughts, he sometimes asked himself why he felt so bad anyway. She was always asking for it, she had to know it was coming some day, right? And those rotten things she said! Why, she deserved it!! No, that's not true. You were just having a bad day and decided to take your frustrations out on her. What's happening to me, he thought to himself with dismay. I never used to act out on my anger like this, I could always take this kind of stuff so well. Sure I don't always trip over Abner and fall down the stairs, but it wasn't that big of a deal, was it? You had no right to hit her, he told himself, no right at all.
It was a week after school ended that the doctor said Arnold could get up and move around a bit, and gave him a nice, sturdy pair of crutches. Arnold loved being able to finally get out of bed and do some things on his own. After a couple days of moving around the house, he asked his grandpa if he could go for a walk. "Not quite yet, short man. Doctor said you should stay in the house for at least a week or two first. But I guess you can go out on the front step, can't deprive a kid of fresh air, that's what I always say!" Said his grandpa, and Arnold smiled. "Thanks, grandpa". Though it dampened his plans, Arnold was glad he could at least go out and sit on the front step. He knew if his leg didn't heal soon he would start having withdrawals from not being able to go on the roof of the boarding house, where he sometimes loved to be most. Arnold planted himself on the front step and set his crutches down next to him. "Arnold!" He knew that voice, and when he turned, his face split with a smile. "Phoebe!!" She came running over to the steps and embraced him lightly, then sat next to him. "When did you get back?" "About a week ago or so. I was just on my way over to see you. I would have come sooner, but I've been very busy...settling and stuff". At fifteen and having been out in the world a little more, Phoebe was not quite as shy and quiet as she used to be. "How was school?" Arnold asked, and they talked for a while on the subject of school, friends...etc. At certain points during the conversation, Arnold noticed a hint of hesitation in her voice before she said something, or perhaps her mind was elsewhere. "So, have you seen anyone else lately?" He asked, and she nodded. "Oh yes, Gerald called me a couple hours after I got back. My mother said he'd called at least three times that day asking if I was there yet, can you believe him?" "Oh, I believe it. He's really been looking foreword to having you back". "As I have looked foreword to being back", she said, then she sighed happily, "Oh Arnold, it's so nice to be back home. I'm so at peace here, I almost wish I didn't have to go back to school at the end of the summer". "I know...We'll miss you". "Yes, well, let's not focus on that just yet, I'd like to not think about it until absolutely necessary!" Arnold smiled at that. "So what else have you been up to since you got back?" "Well...um, not a whole lot. A couple of us when out to a movie the other night. We would have asked you to come, but we didn't want to make you feel bad because we knew you wouldn't be able to with your leg and all. By the way, I'm sorry about that. Does it still hurt?" "Nah, it stopped hurting a while ago". "Oh, that's good. How much longer before you can get the cast off?" "Doctor said a couple weeks at least". "Oh, that's a shame. A couple of us were going to go swimming this weekend. I guess I didn't think you'd come anyway". "Darn, that sounds so tempting. I'm dying to go swimming! Who all's going?" "Well, me, Gerald, Sid, Sheena, Lila, I think perhaps Harold, and possibly Rhonda and Nadine". "What about Helga?" Arnold couldn't help but ask. Phoebe looked at him strangely, as if he'd just made a cruel joke. "You know Helga left already". But by the completely clueless expression on Arnolds face, Phoebe fell short. "Don't you?" "What do you mean? Left where?" "Oh my, I thought sure Gerald would have told you by now". Phoebe said, almost sadly. "Told me what?" "Helga left a couple days ago for Maryland, she's going to live with her grandparents for the rest of the summer while her parents are having their house renovated". "Oh," Arnold said, sounding kind of sad. "When will she be back?" "Well, if the house is done before autumn, then she may come back for a little while...but Helga will be staying there the rest of the year". "Staying?" "Yes, she's going to attend the boarding school her sister went to". When Phoebe said this, it was obvious that she was extremely sad about not being able to spend hardly any time with Helga before she went back to school. She looked near tears. Arnold tried to put his own disappointment aside as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Phoebe". Phoebe shook her head. "It's alright, it's not your fault...she'll be back eventually...just like me, right?" Phoebe's voice quivered slightly near the end of the statement, she was holding back how hurt she really was by this. Arnold knew it had been hard for them when Phoebe left at the beginning of the school year, he could see the effects it had on Helga for months afterward, practically for the rest of the school year! Then something occurred to him. Perhaps Helga wanted to leave...to get away from him. "I should probably go". Phoebe said then, standing. "My parents didn't want me to be gone for too long". Arnold could tell it was an excuse, but didn't mind. "Will you be alright?" He asked. "Of course I'll be alright, you know me". She said with a smile, one that actually helped Arnold to believe her. Then she left. Arnold sat alone on the front step, watching the few cars go by and listening to the sounds of the city. Things were sure going to be different without Helga around, a lot different. He would not have to put up with her spit wads or her teasing or her threats or her scowling face or anything like that. I bet it will be pretty nice, he thought. But then he thought back to the expression on her face when he'd hit her. It was unlike any look she'd ever given him; he didn't dare try to interpret it. Only that it would forever remain etched in his mind, like he'd not only struck her physically, but emotionally as well. He had no idea why, but that was it. Perhaps he'd really hurt her feelings a lot. And he would never, ever forgive himself. Not ever.
Well, what did you think?? Let me know, this is my first HA fanfic (that I've posted;-). Look for a possible part two......