The phone rang at my house around nine in the evening. I dove for it, grabbing it up
before my parents could answer it downstairs. I already knew who it was.
"Hello?" I answered a little to breathlessly.
"Did I interrupt something?" Helga's amused voice asked from the other end.
"No. I was finishing my ti-chi." I explained, sitting down on my bed. I was going to get
some answers from her. "So, what did you do tonight?"
"Um...sat at Arnold's and watched movies. Why?"
"What movies? Anything good?"
"I don't know, crimany, what is this, an inquisition?" she snapped, evading the question
like she always did when she didn't want to answer.
And as always, I ignored it. "You didn't watch any movies, did you?" I accused.
Silence on the other line; then, "Well, there was a movie on. Couldn't tell you what it was
thought."
Ha! Success!
"Why is it such a big deal?" she asked.
"Proof that you two are actually dating." I told her.
"Phoebs, are you still on that? This is getting old."
"Helga, just listen." I told her, trying to explain my fascination with this.
"Ever since I've known you, I've known about you obsession with Arnold." I started, not
even bothering to revert to our old code word for him. "Granted, it regressed as we grew
older, but I always knew it was still there. Now, I don't know what happened on your
sixteenth birthday and I'm not sure I want to, but...heck, I don't even know anymore. I
just want to see you happy."
"Phoebe, I am happy." she said. "I just wish you could see it."
"That's just it Helga." I stated. "I don't. I know you're happier than you used to be, but
it's like you two made a conscious effort to exclude Gerald and I from that part of your
lives. You don't even share the tiniest of details. I assume it must be exciting for you, but
you never show it. I admit I feel neglected because you won't tell me how your first kiss
with him went." I finished, realizing that I was beginning to sound foolish. There was
silence on the other end. I held my breath, fearing I had made her angry.
"Wow. Phoebe, I'm sorry. You're right. You did share the little parts of your relationship
with Gerald with me. It really isn't fair." She laughed. "It wouldn't have killed me to tell
you how the rest of my birthday went."
"You could tell me now?" I offered.
before my parents could answer it downstairs. I already knew who it was.
"Hello?" I answered a little to breathlessly.
"Did I interrupt something?" Helga's amused voice asked from the other end.
"No. I was finishing my ti-chi." I explained, sitting down on my bed. I was going to get
some answers from her. "So, what did you do tonight?"
"Um...sat at Arnold's and watched movies. Why?"
"What movies? Anything good?"
"I don't know, crimany, what is this, an inquisition?" she snapped, evading the question
like she always did when she didn't want to answer.
And as always, I ignored it. "You didn't watch any movies, did you?" I accused.
Silence on the other line; then, "Well, there was a movie on. Couldn't tell you what it was
thought."
Ha! Success!
"Why is it such a big deal?" she asked.
"Proof that you two are actually dating." I told her.
"Phoebs, are you still on that? This is getting old."
"Helga, just listen." I told her, trying to explain my fascination with this.
"Ever since I've known you, I've known about you obsession with Arnold." I started, not
even bothering to revert to our old code word for him. "Granted, it regressed as we grew
older, but I always knew it was still there. Now, I don't know what happened on your
sixteenth birthday and I'm not sure I want to, but...heck, I don't even know anymore. I
just want to see you happy."
"Phoebe, I am happy." she said. "I just wish you could see it."
"That's just it Helga." I stated. "I don't. I know you're happier than you used to be, but
it's like you two made a conscious effort to exclude Gerald and I from that part of your
lives. You don't even share the tiniest of details. I assume it must be exciting for you, but
you never show it. I admit I feel neglected because you won't tell me how your first kiss
with him went." I finished, realizing that I was beginning to sound foolish. There was
silence on the other end. I held my breath, fearing I had made her angry.
"Wow. Phoebe, I'm sorry. You're right. You did share the little parts of your relationship
with Gerald with me. It really isn't fair." She laughed. "It wouldn't have killed me to tell
you how the rest of my birthday went."
"You could tell me now?" I offered.