A/N: Once again, I'd like to thank my reviewers! CRPLOVE, Jesus Freak16, thanks! And symbol reviewer (I'll just call you The Artist Formerly Known as Pepsi 'cause the symbol won't show up for some reason), thank you for pointing out my mistakes. I'm going to try to catch those this time...but as I type from copy and when I glance it over don't always catch what I left out, please bear with me. I'm thinking of revamping this story when all is said and done anyway. Also of note, during this chapter I realized I have no concept of time...but seeing as Arnold and gang was originally only 3.5 years younger than I, I decided it didn't matter.
Disclaimer: Something's changed! No, not really. Just joshing.
Chapter Two: Avoidance Pain
Nobody saw Helga in school the rest of the day. After school, Pheobe decided to stop by Helga's and check in on her.
Miriam allowed Pheobe to go right on up, explaining Helga had called home sick. However, Helga's door was locked and she wouldn't let anyone in.
"Helga, it can't possibly be that bad," Pheobe said from outside Helga's door.
"Yeah, it's only my worst fear come true," Helga said sarcastically, but her voice was soft.
"So Arnold doesn't like you back like that," Pheobe said. "It's not the end of the world."
"Not for you," Helga answered. "But for me--I think it was."
The next day, Helga stayed home from school. Except for Pheobe, nobody was too concerned.
Helga did return to school the day after that, however--twenty minutes late. After explaining to Mr. Simmons that the power in her house had gone out during the night and she overslept because her alarm didn't go off, she took her usual seat near the back and slouched down. If nobody saw her, that would be perfect.
But today wasn't exactly Helga's day. For classtime, Mr. Simmons once again assigned poetry projects, and he hasked Helga if she might volunteer to read hers first.
"I don't know, Mr. Simmons. It's not really as good as you might expect," Helga said flatly.
"Oh come on, Helga! We're our own toughest critics," Mr. Simmons urged.
"Oh, no, I insist," Helga said, but she couldn't get out of it. Helga sighed as she read. "My heart is a black hole/that may never know joy/all because of the/torment of a dumb boy."
"Why, Helga, that's...why don't you see me after class?" Mr. Simmons said.
Helga slumped back down in her desk. Perfect...
After Mr. Simmons asked if everything was fine and Helga explained she was still feeling sick, it was lunchtime.
"Pheebs, I'm not that hungry. Why don't we get an extra recess in?" Helga suggested.
"I suppose I could eat on the playground," Pheobe said.
"Great. Let's go."
The two girls walked onto the playgrownd and sat on the swings.
Deciding now was the best time to find out, Pheobe asked, "Helga, are you alright?"
"I'm just fine," Helga said. "I took some time off to gather my thoughts, and I couldn't be better."
Pheobe didn't believe her for a second. "Are you sure?"
"Yep. The way I figure it, I should be fine if I forget about...the incident," Helga answered.
Pheobe sighed, knowing Helga was hiding herself beind that mask again. "Helga, I wish that--"
"Pheebs? Just swing."
"Swinging!"
The girls went back to class early after lunch, at Helga's insistance. Not too long after, Mr. Simmons entered. "Why, hello girls!" he greeted. "You're back from lunch early?"
"To make up for the fact I was late this morning," Helga replied fakely, like she used to when Miss Slovak was still there.
But Mr. Simmons, having seen more of Helga's special self than the teacher that knew her as Olga's little sister, saw right through it. "Helga, I know there's something wrong, but I won't pry," he said. "But if you want to talk..."
"Criminey," Helga muttered.
Before the conversation even had a chance to continue, the class started coming back in from lunch. The whole thing dropped and Mr. Simmons settled the class in order to teach.
"He, Pheobe, wait up!" a familiar voice called out after school.
Pheobe turned around and waited for the boy with the misshapen head to catch up with her. "Hello, Arnold," she greeted.
"How come I didn't see you or Helga at lunch or recess?" Arnold asked.
"Helga wasn't very hungry at lunchtime, and she was tired at recess," Pheobe explained. "Or...that's what she said."
"You don't think she was telling the truth?"
Pheobe sighed, knowing Helga might very well brain her for what she was about to do. "She very well may have been, Arnold, but I believe her major motive is just to avoid you. Normally, I wouldn't betray her feelings like this--but I'm worried."
"Why are you worried? Everyone bounces back from heartache. I mean looka t me. I mean Ruth, Lila, and Summer," Arnold said. "Helga's a lot tougher than me."
Pheobe smiled sadly. "Wahtever you say, Arnold." She started to walk away when a thought to her. Oh, yes, Helga would make sure nobody found Pheobe's body pieces when she was done. "Arnold, who was there for you those times? When your heart was broken, who was there to help pick up the pieces?"
A look of realization washed over Arnold's face. "Helga," he said.
"I wonder--who's going to pick up the pieces for her?"
I wonder indeed...you know the deal, just one review.
Disclaimer: Something's changed! No, not really. Just joshing.
Chapter Two: Avoidance Pain
Nobody saw Helga in school the rest of the day. After school, Pheobe decided to stop by Helga's and check in on her.
Miriam allowed Pheobe to go right on up, explaining Helga had called home sick. However, Helga's door was locked and she wouldn't let anyone in.
"Helga, it can't possibly be that bad," Pheobe said from outside Helga's door.
"Yeah, it's only my worst fear come true," Helga said sarcastically, but her voice was soft.
"So Arnold doesn't like you back like that," Pheobe said. "It's not the end of the world."
"Not for you," Helga answered. "But for me--I think it was."
The next day, Helga stayed home from school. Except for Pheobe, nobody was too concerned.
Helga did return to school the day after that, however--twenty minutes late. After explaining to Mr. Simmons that the power in her house had gone out during the night and she overslept because her alarm didn't go off, she took her usual seat near the back and slouched down. If nobody saw her, that would be perfect.
But today wasn't exactly Helga's day. For classtime, Mr. Simmons once again assigned poetry projects, and he hasked Helga if she might volunteer to read hers first.
"I don't know, Mr. Simmons. It's not really as good as you might expect," Helga said flatly.
"Oh come on, Helga! We're our own toughest critics," Mr. Simmons urged.
"Oh, no, I insist," Helga said, but she couldn't get out of it. Helga sighed as she read. "My heart is a black hole/that may never know joy/all because of the/torment of a dumb boy."
"Why, Helga, that's...why don't you see me after class?" Mr. Simmons said.
Helga slumped back down in her desk. Perfect...
After Mr. Simmons asked if everything was fine and Helga explained she was still feeling sick, it was lunchtime.
"Pheebs, I'm not that hungry. Why don't we get an extra recess in?" Helga suggested.
"I suppose I could eat on the playground," Pheobe said.
"Great. Let's go."
The two girls walked onto the playgrownd and sat on the swings.
Deciding now was the best time to find out, Pheobe asked, "Helga, are you alright?"
"I'm just fine," Helga said. "I took some time off to gather my thoughts, and I couldn't be better."
Pheobe didn't believe her for a second. "Are you sure?"
"Yep. The way I figure it, I should be fine if I forget about...the incident," Helga answered.
Pheobe sighed, knowing Helga was hiding herself beind that mask again. "Helga, I wish that--"
"Pheebs? Just swing."
"Swinging!"
The girls went back to class early after lunch, at Helga's insistance. Not too long after, Mr. Simmons entered. "Why, hello girls!" he greeted. "You're back from lunch early?"
"To make up for the fact I was late this morning," Helga replied fakely, like she used to when Miss Slovak was still there.
But Mr. Simmons, having seen more of Helga's special self than the teacher that knew her as Olga's little sister, saw right through it. "Helga, I know there's something wrong, but I won't pry," he said. "But if you want to talk..."
"Criminey," Helga muttered.
Before the conversation even had a chance to continue, the class started coming back in from lunch. The whole thing dropped and Mr. Simmons settled the class in order to teach.
"He, Pheobe, wait up!" a familiar voice called out after school.
Pheobe turned around and waited for the boy with the misshapen head to catch up with her. "Hello, Arnold," she greeted.
"How come I didn't see you or Helga at lunch or recess?" Arnold asked.
"Helga wasn't very hungry at lunchtime, and she was tired at recess," Pheobe explained. "Or...that's what she said."
"You don't think she was telling the truth?"
Pheobe sighed, knowing Helga might very well brain her for what she was about to do. "She very well may have been, Arnold, but I believe her major motive is just to avoid you. Normally, I wouldn't betray her feelings like this--but I'm worried."
"Why are you worried? Everyone bounces back from heartache. I mean looka t me. I mean Ruth, Lila, and Summer," Arnold said. "Helga's a lot tougher than me."
Pheobe smiled sadly. "Wahtever you say, Arnold." She started to walk away when a thought to her. Oh, yes, Helga would make sure nobody found Pheobe's body pieces when she was done. "Arnold, who was there for you those times? When your heart was broken, who was there to help pick up the pieces?"
A look of realization washed over Arnold's face. "Helga," he said.
"I wonder--who's going to pick up the pieces for her?"
I wonder indeed...you know the deal, just one review.