Chapter 6 - Not Meant to Be?
(...a newsstand...the following day...)
A number of disreputable publications have gone to print with typically exaggerated versions of Lila's night from hell. Some of the headlines:
National Incriminator: "Portrait of a Young Actress Over the Edge."
Scar: "Rising Starlet Burns Out!"
Geekly World News: "Lila Possessed by Aliens!"
Helga walks by and sees the tabloids. The issue of "Scar" catches her eye enough that she picks it up and hands the newsstand operator two dollars for it.
As she walks down the street, Helga starts reading the story.
"'...the young actress was staying at the Hotel Greenburg when, it is believed, that Lila leaped from the balcony of her third-floor room and landed in the pool below. Doctors ruled it a failed suicide attempt.'"
Helga nearly drops the magazine.
"Man, I wanted Lila to fail, but I never wanted this. This is just like that "Simpsons" episode."
(...Arnold's house...that afternoon...)
Arnold is sitting in the living room watching television. In his channel-surfing trance, he briefly glimpses Lila. Surprised, he flips back to the channel featuring his two-time ex-girlfriend.
(...an auditorium...moments later...)
The auditorium, packed with reporters, is the site of a press conference.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Lila Sawyer!", a voice intones.
Lila, in a fucshia dress, walks up to a podium.
"Thank you."
A bunch of reporters are clamoring over each other to ask questions.
"Miss Sawyer, what do you have to say about what happened?"
"All I can really say is that there is no excuse for what I did. Also, it was a misbegotten and pathetic plea for attention."
"Miss Sawyer, are you worried that this incident might adversely affect your career?"
"Yes, but there are far worse things I could've done...but didn't and won't."
"Miss Sawyer, you look incredible. How do you do it?"
"Well..."
Lila is unable to give a straight answer, since she doesn't quite know how she got this way.
"A girl's got to have her secrets."
The crowd murmurs amongst themselves.
"It is my hope that we can put this unspeakable incident behind us."
Several flashbulbs go off as photographers take pictures of Lila.
(...a phone booth...a half-hour later...)
Helga had a lot on her mind. Her latest attempt at writing has hit one stumbling block after another. The cycle which bedeviled her in high school had begun anew; having Arnold in her life was impeding her creativity. Helga picks up the receiver and dials a number.
(...Arnold's house...about the same time...)
Arnold hears the phone ringing and picks it up.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Arnold", Helga replies, a twinge of flatness in her voice.
"Is something wrong? Where are you?"
"Oh, I'm just fine. I just decided to go out for a walk, you know; clear my head."
"Okay."
Helga is about to hang up.
"Hey! Did you hear about Lila?", says Arnold.
"Yeah. It's...really something."
"It's amazing what happened to her."
"Um-hmm."
"Well, I'll see you when you get back, Helga."
"Goodbye."
As Helga hung up the phone, her heart grew heavy. In addition to her writing problems, the thought of her driving Lila to near-death (however indirectly) dominated her mind. Helga soon reflected on some of the pain she'd inflicted on Lila in the past: humiliating her on her first day, making her throw up at the Cheese Festival, but, in the end, it was all in fun.
She wanted Lila out of Arnold's life, but she never wanted her dead.
Helga took off down Purdy Drive, walking past of number of buildings in varying states of disrepair. Just then, she stops in front of a building that looks very familiar to her. The name above the doorway causes Helga's eyes to widen...