Chapter Eight
Prayers Before Parties
Before she could utter a word, Brainy had her out of the old Buick, steadying her and hugging her as they walked up to the wraught-iron fence. The gate was already open for anyone else that wanted to roam the graveyard, searching for a lost loved one.
Helga was beginning to shake uncontrollably as Brainy hugged her tighter and led her through the fence into the sea of headstones. She wanted to speak, to form words. "Get away from me, bucko! Get me the hell out of here! I can't be here!" But she couldn't say those words. Helga couldn't say anything. The lump at the back of her throat prevented her from doing so. All she could do was gap wordlessly.
They were walking on the main path, passing by dozens upon dozens of headstones and others who looked solemn as well. Brainy was still steadying her, still holding her close as he left the path finally and began walking around the graves, searching. Helga already knew where he was going. She'd been here only once two years ago...
Helga hadn't wanted to come but everyone had 'encouraged' her, or rather made her go. Helga hated funerals. She hated being solemn and sad and quiet.
(And all because the stupid football head had to die!)
Helga felt angry and guilty with herself for thinking such thoughts, and she bit down on her lip--hard--to stop herself from crying. Again, the taste of blood. Brainy had finally slowed in front of the familiar headstone and Helga felt light-headed again.
She saw his name. Arnold. It was engraved into the stone. His grandparents had requested not putting the last name on the stone. It wouldn't have mattered. Arnold had made such an impact on the town, everyone knew who his was.
Helga kneeled down, then sat down. The breeze was picking up now, blowing her hair and making it harder for her to hold back the tears. She placed a tentative hand upon the stone, and it felt so real. So cold.
Brainy quietly sat down beside her. Her gave her a sideways glance, the dark eyes looking at her more intently. "I went out looking for it after Phoebe called me," he explained quietly, startling Helga just slightly. She had almost forgotten he was there.
Helga nodded, her hand still on the headstone.
"Do you know why I wanted to bring you here, Helga?" he began as though the question in itself were fragile. Helga had made a point not to look at Brainy, but now he gently grabbed her chin and steered it so that they were making eye contact. "Do you?"
Helga shook her head no. Why would Brainy bring her here? And right before they were about to go to a party.
"You need to remember, Helga..." he whispered again, stroking her cheek in a loving fashion. "I know you haven't been here since Arnold's death and you need this. Maybe he can remind you more than anyone what things were like before he died. Maybe then your relationship with Phoebe will be better." Brainy then scooted towards Helga and hugged her close.
She didn't care now. She was crying--hard. Helga was sobbing into Brainy's shoulder. Sobbing for Arnold and Phoebe and for herself and her family. She was trying to talk, trying to thank Brainy, but all of her words were water- logged and incoherent. Brainy didn't seem to mind. He seemed to understand.
It felt like they'd sat there for hours, and Helga had fallen into a quiet half-asleep, half-awake state. Finally, Brainy roused her.
"We need to get going..." he breathed, kissing her on the cheek. "There's a party you need to get to."
Helga sniffed and began to stand up. She shot one last look at the headstone.
(Later, football head....)
Brainy helped her up and soon they were back in the car and driving. It was silent but Brainy had made no move to turn on the radio or try and fill the void. It wasn't awkward. The silence felt nice. They were both just thinking things over.
Finally, "Thanks, Brainiac," Helga muttered, managing a small smile. "I suppose I needed that more than I figured."
"Anytime, my dear," Brainy replied in the same lofty tone and suddenly it felt like everything was forgotten. Brainy cranked up the music and they were zooming down the road towards the lake, towards Phoebe Hiyerdahl's party.
They pulled into the parking lot where dozens of other kids were already standing, talking and laughing. Helga looked out where the water met the sand and saw tons of teenagers playing volleyball, talking, laughing, swimming. Brainy parked in a relatively close spot and cut the engine. He looked at Helga.
"You OK?" he asked warily. Just making sure.
Helga rolled her eyes. "OK. I'm better than OK. I'm just dandy," she replied a little dryly. Brainy looked at the dashboard. "No...Brainy, sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I'll be OK, I swear. I just need to get this over with. Thanks again...for everything." Helga managed a smile, though it wasn't very genuine. Brainy could tell, but he smiled back anyway and opened the door, hopping out.
Helga followed suit, and the scowl immediately reigned over her face once again. She recognized tons of people already.
She saw Iggy Small standing in the middle of a bunch of girls. He had always been one of the coolest kids in school, and still was. Eugene was sitting in just his trunks near the waves, playing his acoustic while people sat around listening to the melody.
Helga smiled as she saw Sheena and Lila running up to her. Lila looked very adorable and appropriate in a tiny tirangle bikini that tied just about everywhere. It was black and red striped with a picture of a skull on the bottom part. Sheena was showing a lot more than she usually did. Normally, her figure was hidden beneath her baggy pants and big shirts. She was wearing a dark blue tankini with shorts covering her bottoms. Helga was surprised in noting that she had a very good body. Obviously, a lot of boys were noticing Lila and Sheena too.
"Those two girls?" Some were saying. "Aren't those the freaks that hang out with Pataki? Dang! They're hot!"
Lila and Sheena were loving the new found attention. Brainy walked over to Helga's side and Lila began talking.
"Hey Helga. This party's kick ass so far. Brainy! Glad you could make it!" Lila gave him a hug. Sheena smiled and gave him a hug as well.
Helga snorted. "It had better be good. I didn't want to drive over here for nothing."
Brainy looked indignant but laughed. "I thought I was the one that drove," he pointed out, poking Helga in the ribs. She laughed and shoved him.
"Sure, sure. Whatever."
"Phoebe's here too," Sheena said, even though that was obvious. "I've heard that she's been looking for you and Brainy." Sheena had lowered her voice though there was no one around to hear. "Are you going to talk to her, Helga?"
Helga looked slightly peeved. "Jeez, does everybody know about that?"
Sheena shrugged and poked Lila. "Let's go get some sodas, K?"
Lila nodded and turned to Helga. "Good luck in finding Phoebe. Gerald's looking for you too for some reason." Lila looked confused, but she wipped around, her long blood red hair swinging, causing a few guys to swoon as they watched her retreating form.
Helga sighed, biting her lower lip. Brainy's hand suddenly slipped into her own and squeezed it tight. She didn't mind, and it felt reassuring. So, hand in hand, they walked onto the sand, near the beach looking for Phoebe.
Helga was nervous as hell.
Phew...I don't think I've written so much in ages. It's great fun though. If you guys like this story, PLEASE read my original fiction titled Ruins In The Lands of Somewhere Far Off. I spent hours on it last night and I really like it. ^_^
Before she could utter a word, Brainy had her out of the old Buick, steadying her and hugging her as they walked up to the wraught-iron fence. The gate was already open for anyone else that wanted to roam the graveyard, searching for a lost loved one.
Helga was beginning to shake uncontrollably as Brainy hugged her tighter and led her through the fence into the sea of headstones. She wanted to speak, to form words. "Get away from me, bucko! Get me the hell out of here! I can't be here!" But she couldn't say those words. Helga couldn't say anything. The lump at the back of her throat prevented her from doing so. All she could do was gap wordlessly.
They were walking on the main path, passing by dozens upon dozens of headstones and others who looked solemn as well. Brainy was still steadying her, still holding her close as he left the path finally and began walking around the graves, searching. Helga already knew where he was going. She'd been here only once two years ago...
Helga hadn't wanted to come but everyone had 'encouraged' her, or rather made her go. Helga hated funerals. She hated being solemn and sad and quiet.
(And all because the stupid football head had to die!)
Helga felt angry and guilty with herself for thinking such thoughts, and she bit down on her lip--hard--to stop herself from crying. Again, the taste of blood. Brainy had finally slowed in front of the familiar headstone and Helga felt light-headed again.
She saw his name. Arnold. It was engraved into the stone. His grandparents had requested not putting the last name on the stone. It wouldn't have mattered. Arnold had made such an impact on the town, everyone knew who his was.
Helga kneeled down, then sat down. The breeze was picking up now, blowing her hair and making it harder for her to hold back the tears. She placed a tentative hand upon the stone, and it felt so real. So cold.
Brainy quietly sat down beside her. Her gave her a sideways glance, the dark eyes looking at her more intently. "I went out looking for it after Phoebe called me," he explained quietly, startling Helga just slightly. She had almost forgotten he was there.
Helga nodded, her hand still on the headstone.
"Do you know why I wanted to bring you here, Helga?" he began as though the question in itself were fragile. Helga had made a point not to look at Brainy, but now he gently grabbed her chin and steered it so that they were making eye contact. "Do you?"
Helga shook her head no. Why would Brainy bring her here? And right before they were about to go to a party.
"You need to remember, Helga..." he whispered again, stroking her cheek in a loving fashion. "I know you haven't been here since Arnold's death and you need this. Maybe he can remind you more than anyone what things were like before he died. Maybe then your relationship with Phoebe will be better." Brainy then scooted towards Helga and hugged her close.
She didn't care now. She was crying--hard. Helga was sobbing into Brainy's shoulder. Sobbing for Arnold and Phoebe and for herself and her family. She was trying to talk, trying to thank Brainy, but all of her words were water- logged and incoherent. Brainy didn't seem to mind. He seemed to understand.
It felt like they'd sat there for hours, and Helga had fallen into a quiet half-asleep, half-awake state. Finally, Brainy roused her.
"We need to get going..." he breathed, kissing her on the cheek. "There's a party you need to get to."
Helga sniffed and began to stand up. She shot one last look at the headstone.
(Later, football head....)
Brainy helped her up and soon they were back in the car and driving. It was silent but Brainy had made no move to turn on the radio or try and fill the void. It wasn't awkward. The silence felt nice. They were both just thinking things over.
Finally, "Thanks, Brainiac," Helga muttered, managing a small smile. "I suppose I needed that more than I figured."
"Anytime, my dear," Brainy replied in the same lofty tone and suddenly it felt like everything was forgotten. Brainy cranked up the music and they were zooming down the road towards the lake, towards Phoebe Hiyerdahl's party.
They pulled into the parking lot where dozens of other kids were already standing, talking and laughing. Helga looked out where the water met the sand and saw tons of teenagers playing volleyball, talking, laughing, swimming. Brainy parked in a relatively close spot and cut the engine. He looked at Helga.
"You OK?" he asked warily. Just making sure.
Helga rolled her eyes. "OK. I'm better than OK. I'm just dandy," she replied a little dryly. Brainy looked at the dashboard. "No...Brainy, sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I'll be OK, I swear. I just need to get this over with. Thanks again...for everything." Helga managed a smile, though it wasn't very genuine. Brainy could tell, but he smiled back anyway and opened the door, hopping out.
Helga followed suit, and the scowl immediately reigned over her face once again. She recognized tons of people already.
She saw Iggy Small standing in the middle of a bunch of girls. He had always been one of the coolest kids in school, and still was. Eugene was sitting in just his trunks near the waves, playing his acoustic while people sat around listening to the melody.
Helga smiled as she saw Sheena and Lila running up to her. Lila looked very adorable and appropriate in a tiny tirangle bikini that tied just about everywhere. It was black and red striped with a picture of a skull on the bottom part. Sheena was showing a lot more than she usually did. Normally, her figure was hidden beneath her baggy pants and big shirts. She was wearing a dark blue tankini with shorts covering her bottoms. Helga was surprised in noting that she had a very good body. Obviously, a lot of boys were noticing Lila and Sheena too.
"Those two girls?" Some were saying. "Aren't those the freaks that hang out with Pataki? Dang! They're hot!"
Lila and Sheena were loving the new found attention. Brainy walked over to Helga's side and Lila began talking.
"Hey Helga. This party's kick ass so far. Brainy! Glad you could make it!" Lila gave him a hug. Sheena smiled and gave him a hug as well.
Helga snorted. "It had better be good. I didn't want to drive over here for nothing."
Brainy looked indignant but laughed. "I thought I was the one that drove," he pointed out, poking Helga in the ribs. She laughed and shoved him.
"Sure, sure. Whatever."
"Phoebe's here too," Sheena said, even though that was obvious. "I've heard that she's been looking for you and Brainy." Sheena had lowered her voice though there was no one around to hear. "Are you going to talk to her, Helga?"
Helga looked slightly peeved. "Jeez, does everybody know about that?"
Sheena shrugged and poked Lila. "Let's go get some sodas, K?"
Lila nodded and turned to Helga. "Good luck in finding Phoebe. Gerald's looking for you too for some reason." Lila looked confused, but she wipped around, her long blood red hair swinging, causing a few guys to swoon as they watched her retreating form.
Helga sighed, biting her lower lip. Brainy's hand suddenly slipped into her own and squeezed it tight. She didn't mind, and it felt reassuring. So, hand in hand, they walked onto the sand, near the beach looking for Phoebe.
Helga was nervous as hell.
Phew...I don't think I've written so much in ages. It's great fun though. If you guys like this story, PLEASE read my original fiction titled Ruins In The Lands of Somewhere Far Off. I spent hours on it last night and I really like it. ^_^