Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing.
A/N: Okay, my next installment of my what if series. I really have nothing much to say except enjoy!
All in Good FunBy: Starry Nights
Dodge ball should not be considered a sport…as a matter of fact it isn't imagine if it was what kind of sport would it make? There could be no teams and if there were how could you help your teammate if you were only trying to help yourself. In the last twenty minutes of gym this all too exciting game of Dodge ball was drawing to an end. Only three people stood on the field and as Helga watched Harold and Gerald with surprising skill, she knew one thing two people were going to lose this game and it wasn't going to be her.
"You're next Geraldo."
"Stop with all that big talk and throw the ball."
"Yeah Helga. Throw the ball or are you afraid that if you throw it to me, I'll tag you out."
Helga clenched her teeth, "In your dreams."
She pushed the loose strands of her blonde hair away from her face and glanced at the bleachers with a small pang she looked away and focused on the game. She aimed for Harold but then changed her mind and caught Gerald off way and the ball caught him right in the stomach knocking the wind out of him.
"Gosh, Helga," he whispered as he walked past her to the bleachers, "You could have waited until I did something to you."
Honestly, she had nothing against the formally tall haired boy but what she had just witnessed at the bleachers was enough to drive her mad…thus consequently ended up taking all her anger out on the closest thing to the thing that angered her…Gerald.
"Gerald, are you alright man?"
"Yeah," he was still whispering, "Just that she knocked the wind out of me."
Arnold laughed, the sound of his soft laughter nearly bringing Helga to her knees, "I don't understand why you love the game then complain when you get hurt."
"Simple, my man. I don't get hurt…I get maimed. That's what happens when I get between Helga and Harold."
"I know. To watch the rest of this game will be like watching a…"
"Death match?"
"Gerald!"
The chocolate colored boy grinned and finally stood up straight, "Let's go up to the bleachers and watch this."
With Gerald finally off the floor the gym teacher, Mr. Hayes, finally blew the whistle for the game to commence. He stood off to the sidelines and tended to Gerald before watching the scene before him. Harold watched Helga shift impatiently from one foot to another. Any minute now, she would be hurling insults and taunting him, but there were some moment where her face would take a hurt look like the one she had a few moments ago when she took out Gerald. He never could figure her out but one day he would.
"C'mon pink boy. I want win already."
That was Helga Pataki.
He threw the ball in anger and she dived to catch it. With a grin, she stood up and threw the ball toward his stomach. He stepped back to let it bounce before catching it. He looked up to see Helga staring at the bleachers. Her gaze wasn't directed at any one person as much as it was directly at one spot. He didn't linger on that thought long before he bounced the ball with one swift move he aimed for her leg but the ball bounced off the floor and smacked her in the chin. The bleachers seemed to get quiet as the blonde turned around her blue eyes narrowed into dark slits.
"Damn you."
Without another sound, she picked up the ball but instead of aiming it toward Harold. She threw it up in the air but threw it so that it landed directly on top of Harold's head, which resulted in the two 9th graders so stand face-to-face one out shouting the other.
"HEY!"
The two 9th graders stopped two look at Arnold who was looking at them with displeasure in his green eyes. That would have been enough for Helga to stop if Harold hadn't resumed yelling at her and no one dared challenge Helga Pataki.
"STOP IT!"
This time two hands landed on each shoulder stopping them in their tracks. The two students looked down at the glossy finish of the gymnasium and didn't look up when he announced for everyone to change and for the two troublemakers to join him in his office.
*~*
"I don't know what to do with you two. This is third time I've had you two in my office in two weeks." He leaned back in his chair. "One week, you're allies and this week you're arch-enemies. Well, I have the perfect solution to this, your behavior in this class is unacceptable, and so you'll be spending the next three Saturday in detention."
"But…" Harold protested.
"Mr. Hayes, I can't…"
"Why not, Ms. Pataki?" Mr. Hayes asked sarcastically. "I suggest you clear the next three Saturday cause the both of you are spending it with me."
"That's unfair." Helga protested.
"You should thought of that before declaring WWIII on each other. Dismissed."
* * *
The first Saturday went by with no glitch seeing as how it was raining and everyone was stuck inside but Mother Nature had a different idea this week. The sun beamed ruthlessly on the blonde girl as she jogged in a hurry to Brooklyn High School. She had 7 minutes to make it to detention on time and with all of the stoplights and sudden interruptions. She would be lucky if she made it their at least 30 minutes late.
All I need is to bump in Arnold and it will cap off this wonderful fantastic morning. Helga thought sarcastically but just as she turned the corner she bumped into Arnold himself.
"Hi Helga."
"Arnold."
He held out his hand but she got up herself, "I have to go."
"Wait."
She stopped but didn't face him, "Yesss."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not my fault, Arnoldo. I don't control your feelings besides it happened two years ago." Even as she said this she could feel her heart tearing into two. She had loved him since he was four with that stupid umbrella and all he could say to her was "I don't have the same feelings like you do. I just like you but maybe one day…" she hadn't let him finished her sentence.
She ran from him.
She ran from herself.
And she's been running ever since.
It was only now Arnold caught up to her.
"Look, football-head." Helga said without meeting his eyes. "I have like three minutes to get to school and I have to go."
*~*
"Cutting it close, Ms. Pataki."
She smiled sardonically and slid in the seat furthest away from Harold, which was clearly across the room. Without saying another word, Mr. Hayes went back to grading paper and Helga went back to her thoughts.
* *
"Did you really mean what you said that day?"
Helga rolled her eyes and put down her script, "I barely remember what I said that day."
"That didn't answer my question."
"Who cares? We're supposed to be rehearsing."
"Just answer my question and I won't bother you about it anymore."
"Look," she jumped off the stage and walked toward her book bag. "It was fourth grade. That's 3 years ago…I needed something to distract everyone so what better thing for me to say to you than I love you. I hated you then and I don't like you now."
"Helga…"
"Fine, you're an okay person now but don't let anyone know I said that." She stuffed the script in her book bag. "The lunch period is about to end and I have to go to my locker. I'll see you at rehearsal."
"Bye."
"Later."
**
"This is the third time you messed up today," Arnold noted. He watched her carefully before adding. "Are you alright?"
She nodded even though her nerves were shot. She hadn't gotten over the initial conversation during the rehearsal at lunch. Truthfully, she was shocked he even remembered and she was shocked that he even cared. He got off the stage and motioned for her to join him at the foot of the stage.
"Let's rest for a moment."
She laughed at the slight hitch in his voice but quieted when she saw his embarrassed and hurt look, "Sure."
"I wanted to say…"
"I love you…"
Arnold blinked, "Huh?"
Helga got back up on the stage. "I love you. It hurts when you're near because you never knew. Every time you get close to my secret my nerves get shot. I was worried all day about what you were thinking about me. Don't you get it?"
"Helga…"
"Don't you get it? I've loved you since I was four years old and no matter how hard I try the damn thing just won't go away."
Arnold was stunned. He didn't really think she was telling the truth that day. He was just teasing her but now he had no words. She wasn't facing him now. She was stroking one of the trees for the play her shoulders shaking periodically.
"I don't know what to say. You are a great mystery in my life and it was just recently while working on this play that I actually thought that me and you could be best friends." He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't have the same feelings like you do. I just like you but maybe one day…"
She hadn't let him finish.
"Helga!"
"Wait!"
"Helga!"
* *
"Helga!"
"Huh?"
"It's lunch."
The girl looked around and blanched. Then, realizing just exactly where she was at, why she was here and who had got her here in the first place led to her next reaction.
"Get away from me!"
"Can it!"
Not used to him being mean, without a valid reason, she was stunned into silence that is until she realized she had no lunch. She sighed heavily and closed her eyes before turning to the husky boy beside him.
"Do you mind sharing? I was running late this morning."
He looked at her and gave her the other half of his peanut butter and apple jelly sandwich. "I hope you like apple jam."
"Beggars don't be choosers."
He chuckled and continued eating but the silence was bothering Helga to no end. "What's with the face?"
"I saw Patty today on my way here. She was with Torvald."
Of all the ironic things… "I know how that feels."
He looked at her curiously, "How do you know?"
She scowled, "Don't worry about it!"
He looked away his face contorted in sadness and anger. "Well, forget you too."
"I'm sorry," Helga sighed, phoebe is definitely rubbing off on me. Helga thought. "If I tell you something…will you swear on you life not to tell anyone?"
This caught his attention, "Sure."
"If you do, I'll hit you with something more harder than that softball on your head with no regrets."
He nodded knowing that she was serious, "I'd fight back."
"But I'd win."
"Sure."
"Anyway," Helga said. "I had this huge crush on Arnold and I told him last year. He didn't like-like me like me…he just liked me."
Harold chuckled, "The Lila syndrome."
Helga had to laugh at that, "Why aren't you surprised?"
"Why should I be?"
She sat back for the first time not having a smart reply for this remark. "Well, I was…I thought you were going to say something like, you're too ugly for Arnold to like or something along those lines."
"I'm not that cruel. I know firsthand how it feels to be tease because of someone you liked and you're not ugly…anymore."
Usually, that last statement would have had her yelling her lungs out at him but instead she felt…special? She was so confused. She knew Harold was nice sometimes but for him to say something this deep really caught her off guard. Then again no one is like what they seemed.
"Thanks."
"For what? Don't tell me you're going to get all sappy on me."
"You wish. I was thanking you for the sandwich."
"Yeah, sure. You was going to get all Lila-like on me."
"In your dreams, pink boy."
"I'm sure in yours."
"I'm going to pound your head in."
"You wouldn't touch me, madame-fortess-mommy."
"Ha!"
She reached over the desk with her fist in the air and was ready to give him a good one right hook when he grabbed her hand and pulled her close, his face mere inches from hers.
"I told you. You wouldn't touch me." He said before his lips met hers in the briefest of kisses. No tongue just lips but to Helga it was the greatest thing she ever felt.
Not that she'd ever admit it.
"You was the one got all Lila-like on me."
"If this gets out Helga…"
She laughed, "What are you going to do? Kiss me?"
He smirked, "I'd tell the world your secret."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Dare me."
"Go to--"
"Such language. If word ever got out…"
"…That we were an item…"
"…And that we kissed…"
"…And acted all lovey-dovey…"
"…There'd be another game of Dodge ball."
Helga smirked, "This time I'd use a baseball."
Harold kissed her again, "I'm glad we understand each other."
"Of course we got a reputation to protect."
He looked at the time and went back across the room. "And each other."
"Imagine what trouble we'd create together."
Just then Mr. Hayes walked in, "I have some good news for you. You're dismissed and you don't have to come back next weekend."
Despite his joy, Harold was curious. "Why?"
"Senior prom is that weekend. Let's just hope you've learned your lesson."
As he turned to gather his things, he missed the wink that they gave each other and Helga had a funny feeling this wasn't the first time she was going to have Saturday detention.
