Arnold and Helga sat together for another 5 minutes before they
decided to call it a night. Helga's smile was enchanting as she kissed him
quickly and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you for making me the
happiest girl alive, Arnold." He smiled back at her.
"Of course... But.. do I get special treatment now? No more being picked on?" He grinned at her faintly as she looked thoughtful.
"Hmmm... Nope. Sorry. Only one with special treatment if Pheebs. She only gets special treatment 'cause she's my best friend and she sticks up for me."
"And I don't?"
"You don't count." He shook his head.
"When do we tell the others?"
"When everything cools down." He kissed her once more before they said goodbye and each went their own way.
~*~*~*~
Phoebe prepared her bedroom for Helga to stay over. Something was bothering her, but she didn't know what it was. A nagging feeling in the back of her brain... She just couldn't help it. "No. I must not think of such things. The question is how do we get rid of Arnie? Why won't he just give up on Helga? Surely that cannot be the only reason to try to do all these things to so many people. But what is the answer? What's the missing piece?"
Nothing replied.
She would have been frightened if something did.
However, a knock followed the ominous silence that filled the house. Jumping, Phoebe's voice hitched in her throat. "Wh-Who's there?"
"Pheebs, it's me, Gerald. Open up... Please! Someone's following me." Phoebe opened the door quickly and gaped in surprise at Arnie and Lila who stood in the doorway. Arnie grinned and held up the voice-changer. "He just left. Didn't think he'd come back so soon did you? Certainly made you believe I was after Gerald! Ha!" He proceeded to snort and hack loudly. Lila grimaced and pushed the door the rest of the way open.
"What? No Helga yet? No matter, my friend. She'll be here soon enough. After she gets here you'll call Arnold, got it? He's got to be here for the party, doesn't he? Now, now, sit down Phoebe! You must be tired after this long day, are you not? It's ever so rude of you not to invite your guests in. But never you mind, we'll make ourselves comfortable."
"What are you doing here?!" A voice demanded behind them. All three turned to see Helga standing in the doorway, eyes narrowed.
"Helga, you're ever so late!"
"Pheebs, what are they doing here?"
"I thought they were Gerald..." The small girl replied with a trembling voice. Helga stepped further into the room.
"Get away from Phoebe. She never did anything to you."
"Never did anything?" Lila hissed, stepping closer to Helga. "Never, huh? Who-besides me--- is the smartest girl in class? Who takes the lime- light from me at my highest moments? It sure as Hell ain't you, Helga G. Pataki! No, it's that BRAIN! But, by the end of the night she won't be here. Nor will Gerald. Arnie, lover, have we decided what to do with Helga and Arnold?"
Arnie stepped up behind Helga and grinned at her, blinking one eye then the other. "You didn't return my feelings, *Snort* and I'm afraid that that has ruined all possibility of you and Arnold living. Do not look so terrified, my love. You will have the dance of your lifetime. A masquerade you'll never forget. Your lover will be here, as well. I'm not so thoughtless to let you die without a single goodbye. Your death will be painless, as will the others. If you cooperate. You," He hissed, turning to Phoebe. "Call my cousin and tell him to come over and bring his little friend. Tell him nothing more." Phoebe looked to Helga who looked torn a moment before she nodded to Phoebe. Phoebe lifted the receiver and dialed Arnold number.
"Arnold, it's Phoebe. I need you to come over. Bring Gerald. There's no time to explain. Just... Hurry." She hung up.
"This," Lila said with an evil grin, "Will be ever so fun!"
"Of course... But.. do I get special treatment now? No more being picked on?" He grinned at her faintly as she looked thoughtful.
"Hmmm... Nope. Sorry. Only one with special treatment if Pheebs. She only gets special treatment 'cause she's my best friend and she sticks up for me."
"And I don't?"
"You don't count." He shook his head.
"When do we tell the others?"
"When everything cools down." He kissed her once more before they said goodbye and each went their own way.
~*~*~*~
Phoebe prepared her bedroom for Helga to stay over. Something was bothering her, but she didn't know what it was. A nagging feeling in the back of her brain... She just couldn't help it. "No. I must not think of such things. The question is how do we get rid of Arnie? Why won't he just give up on Helga? Surely that cannot be the only reason to try to do all these things to so many people. But what is the answer? What's the missing piece?"
Nothing replied.
She would have been frightened if something did.
However, a knock followed the ominous silence that filled the house. Jumping, Phoebe's voice hitched in her throat. "Wh-Who's there?"
"Pheebs, it's me, Gerald. Open up... Please! Someone's following me." Phoebe opened the door quickly and gaped in surprise at Arnie and Lila who stood in the doorway. Arnie grinned and held up the voice-changer. "He just left. Didn't think he'd come back so soon did you? Certainly made you believe I was after Gerald! Ha!" He proceeded to snort and hack loudly. Lila grimaced and pushed the door the rest of the way open.
"What? No Helga yet? No matter, my friend. She'll be here soon enough. After she gets here you'll call Arnold, got it? He's got to be here for the party, doesn't he? Now, now, sit down Phoebe! You must be tired after this long day, are you not? It's ever so rude of you not to invite your guests in. But never you mind, we'll make ourselves comfortable."
"What are you doing here?!" A voice demanded behind them. All three turned to see Helga standing in the doorway, eyes narrowed.
"Helga, you're ever so late!"
"Pheebs, what are they doing here?"
"I thought they were Gerald..." The small girl replied with a trembling voice. Helga stepped further into the room.
"Get away from Phoebe. She never did anything to you."
"Never did anything?" Lila hissed, stepping closer to Helga. "Never, huh? Who-besides me--- is the smartest girl in class? Who takes the lime- light from me at my highest moments? It sure as Hell ain't you, Helga G. Pataki! No, it's that BRAIN! But, by the end of the night she won't be here. Nor will Gerald. Arnie, lover, have we decided what to do with Helga and Arnold?"
Arnie stepped up behind Helga and grinned at her, blinking one eye then the other. "You didn't return my feelings, *Snort* and I'm afraid that that has ruined all possibility of you and Arnold living. Do not look so terrified, my love. You will have the dance of your lifetime. A masquerade you'll never forget. Your lover will be here, as well. I'm not so thoughtless to let you die without a single goodbye. Your death will be painless, as will the others. If you cooperate. You," He hissed, turning to Phoebe. "Call my cousin and tell him to come over and bring his little friend. Tell him nothing more." Phoebe looked to Helga who looked torn a moment before she nodded to Phoebe. Phoebe lifted the receiver and dialed Arnold number.
"Arnold, it's Phoebe. I need you to come over. Bring Gerald. There's no time to explain. Just... Hurry." She hung up.
"This," Lila said with an evil grin, "Will be ever so fun!"