A/A*** Thanks to ALL my supporters, you make writing this story an absolute
joy! Special Thanks to Crystal Tear, who said my writing must reflect my
personality! You are so sweet!
As a woman of my word, I try to name all the great people who review my stories. It's my way of saying thanks for all the joy y'all give me: As always, my most faithful reviewers, WillyD, CrystalTear1, DarthRoden (Greetings!) midnightoasis, Aphine Leonsoul, Gwynn and G-Fan Metallium. Also my new reviewers, Cherry Shadow Z, Brat Child 2, Anaii, Psy-Girl 1 (thanks again for the heads up on my settings!) Golden Lunar Eclipse, and SansCorpus, you guys are the greatest, thank you!
I try to follow all of your stories as well. I absolutely love all the ones I've read of my reviewers; I am in excellent company. Okay, enough shameless groveling, (J/K!) On with the show!
Chapter 3 The Stranger Inside Me
" This day could officially go down in the history books as the weirdest one of my life," Helga frowned as she ate her turkey sandwich. She'd given up long ago on the idea of her mom packing anything more than crackers, moist towlettes and shaving cream for lunch (long story) and had been doing it herself for almost 2 years. The sandwich tasted like sawdust as she contemplated her day so far.
After being strangely drawn to pay more attention in chemistry class, she was approached for advice by none other than Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. " I simply must know what to do about Curly," Rhonda had lamented, her eyes wide with terror. "I go on one measly mercy date with him, and when I didn't call him back, he let all the lab animals in the school loose! What should I do?"
The weirdest part of that conversation, however, was Helga's response. " Just sit him down and talk to him, Rhonda. Everyone can be reasoned with. If you keep avoiding him, it's just going to make things worse," Helga had replied without even thinking.
" Are you sure Helga?" Rhonda eyed her nervously.
" Yes, I am sure. Believe me, it's the right.."
Helga had stopped there, knowing the next words that would fall from her lips. The right thing to do! What in the world was up with her today?
" It sounds to me like you are experiencing some new found patience and compassion," Phoebe answered, taking a sip of her apple juice. " It's actually quite refreshing, Helga,"
" Yeah, but get this," Helga started
" I saw her, Gerald, and I couldn't even move," Arnold sat hunched over his lunch tray, picking up different foodstuffs at random, taking one bite, and then chucking it. Nothing tasted right to him.
" Who couldn't you take your eyes off of, Romeo?" Gerald was used to Arnold's easy in and out of love problems, but his paranoid and gruff behavior was making him leery of his best friend.
" Uh...Lila. Yes, that's who I meant to say," Arnold mentally smacked himself. Hold it together, you almost slipped up, moron!
"Who you....meant to say?" Gerald paused, his spoon full of pudding frozen in mid air.
" Heh heh heh. I mean, it's ALWAYS Lila, isn't it? Silly me," Arnold licked his fork, grimacing. " Is it just me, or does this whip cream taste like hickory smoked cheddar cheese fizz?"
" So you mean to say you ran into Arnold 3 times in the hallway today, and each time he did what?" Phoebe was leaning over her avocado rolls with great interest.
" He was so rude! He would stare at me a moment, then shake his head and spout crap like, "Watch where you're going, pinky, or, hey, I'm walking here, brow girl!" I don't know what's come over him lately. He's acting more like me than I am!" Helga shook her head and downed the rest of her chocolate milk.
Phoebe's avocado roll dropped instantly from her fingers at those words, however.
" And I can't believe Gertie didn't at least pack an edible lunch today!" Arnold muttered vehemently. He rose with a huff and hurled his semi empty tray at the already growing pile. " I swear, if she makes one more watermelon casserole, I'm gonna hurl!"
Gerald shrugged his shoulders dismissively. " Who's Gertie?" he asked lightly.
" My Grandma, doi" Arnold shot, kicking a soda can out of his path as they exited the cafeteria. " Sheesh, they didn't have tapioca pudding on the menu today, either!"
" I have no idea what you are rambling about, buddy, but you sure have been irate today,"Gerald muttered with a sigh.
" Irate? Yeah you could say that, Mr. Observant. The real question is why?" Arnold grew quiet for a moment. His eyes squinted involuntarily as he replayed the day's events in his head. All was fine when he got up. In fact, he had been in a rather good mood. Then the bus ride started pretty uneventful, 'til Helga had to get so snotty about helping him with his math.....
Helga...why did he feel so conflicted about her today?
" Yeah, well all I know is, you started gettin' weird about half way to school," Gerald shot, getting clearly annoyed by the name-calling.
" Well you'd be a little pissy after the way Helga was acting this morning, too," Arnold sneered at the foreign exchange student as he leapt out of their path.
" Mon Deu" he yelped.
" Helga is ALWAYS pissy, Arnold. That's just the way she is. I told you I don't know why you let her get to you," Gerald reached his locker and began turning the combination lock. " I take that back, the way you act today, I think you could give Ms. Pataki a run for her money,"
I wish she could be in my shoes, just for one day....The words resounded in his football shaped head as clearly as he had thought them just hours before.
" Holy Cripes, Gerald, I know what's wrong with me!" Arnold stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes as big as plates.
" What are you talking about? Do I need to take you to the nurse's office?" Gerald folded his arms across his chest in exasperation.
" No time to explain, I gotta go," Arnold tore down the corridor like a shot.
" And just where do you think you're going?" Gerald called, his patience completely spent.
" To find Helga," Arnold yelled in reply, disappearing around the corner, leaving Gerald with his mouth hanging open once again.
@@@@ Hope I'm building up enough suspense! Helga did indeed inherit Arnold's denseness, where as Arnold had Helga's keen senses. Hmmmmm does he suspect what's causing all the problems? Find out next chapter! R/R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As a woman of my word, I try to name all the great people who review my stories. It's my way of saying thanks for all the joy y'all give me: As always, my most faithful reviewers, WillyD, CrystalTear1, DarthRoden (Greetings!) midnightoasis, Aphine Leonsoul, Gwynn and G-Fan Metallium. Also my new reviewers, Cherry Shadow Z, Brat Child 2, Anaii, Psy-Girl 1 (thanks again for the heads up on my settings!) Golden Lunar Eclipse, and SansCorpus, you guys are the greatest, thank you!
I try to follow all of your stories as well. I absolutely love all the ones I've read of my reviewers; I am in excellent company. Okay, enough shameless groveling, (J/K!) On with the show!
Chapter 3 The Stranger Inside Me
" This day could officially go down in the history books as the weirdest one of my life," Helga frowned as she ate her turkey sandwich. She'd given up long ago on the idea of her mom packing anything more than crackers, moist towlettes and shaving cream for lunch (long story) and had been doing it herself for almost 2 years. The sandwich tasted like sawdust as she contemplated her day so far.
After being strangely drawn to pay more attention in chemistry class, she was approached for advice by none other than Rhonda Wellington Lloyd. " I simply must know what to do about Curly," Rhonda had lamented, her eyes wide with terror. "I go on one measly mercy date with him, and when I didn't call him back, he let all the lab animals in the school loose! What should I do?"
The weirdest part of that conversation, however, was Helga's response. " Just sit him down and talk to him, Rhonda. Everyone can be reasoned with. If you keep avoiding him, it's just going to make things worse," Helga had replied without even thinking.
" Are you sure Helga?" Rhonda eyed her nervously.
" Yes, I am sure. Believe me, it's the right.."
Helga had stopped there, knowing the next words that would fall from her lips. The right thing to do! What in the world was up with her today?
" It sounds to me like you are experiencing some new found patience and compassion," Phoebe answered, taking a sip of her apple juice. " It's actually quite refreshing, Helga,"
" Yeah, but get this," Helga started
" I saw her, Gerald, and I couldn't even move," Arnold sat hunched over his lunch tray, picking up different foodstuffs at random, taking one bite, and then chucking it. Nothing tasted right to him.
" Who couldn't you take your eyes off of, Romeo?" Gerald was used to Arnold's easy in and out of love problems, but his paranoid and gruff behavior was making him leery of his best friend.
" Uh...Lila. Yes, that's who I meant to say," Arnold mentally smacked himself. Hold it together, you almost slipped up, moron!
"Who you....meant to say?" Gerald paused, his spoon full of pudding frozen in mid air.
" Heh heh heh. I mean, it's ALWAYS Lila, isn't it? Silly me," Arnold licked his fork, grimacing. " Is it just me, or does this whip cream taste like hickory smoked cheddar cheese fizz?"
" So you mean to say you ran into Arnold 3 times in the hallway today, and each time he did what?" Phoebe was leaning over her avocado rolls with great interest.
" He was so rude! He would stare at me a moment, then shake his head and spout crap like, "Watch where you're going, pinky, or, hey, I'm walking here, brow girl!" I don't know what's come over him lately. He's acting more like me than I am!" Helga shook her head and downed the rest of her chocolate milk.
Phoebe's avocado roll dropped instantly from her fingers at those words, however.
" And I can't believe Gertie didn't at least pack an edible lunch today!" Arnold muttered vehemently. He rose with a huff and hurled his semi empty tray at the already growing pile. " I swear, if she makes one more watermelon casserole, I'm gonna hurl!"
Gerald shrugged his shoulders dismissively. " Who's Gertie?" he asked lightly.
" My Grandma, doi" Arnold shot, kicking a soda can out of his path as they exited the cafeteria. " Sheesh, they didn't have tapioca pudding on the menu today, either!"
" I have no idea what you are rambling about, buddy, but you sure have been irate today,"Gerald muttered with a sigh.
" Irate? Yeah you could say that, Mr. Observant. The real question is why?" Arnold grew quiet for a moment. His eyes squinted involuntarily as he replayed the day's events in his head. All was fine when he got up. In fact, he had been in a rather good mood. Then the bus ride started pretty uneventful, 'til Helga had to get so snotty about helping him with his math.....
Helga...why did he feel so conflicted about her today?
" Yeah, well all I know is, you started gettin' weird about half way to school," Gerald shot, getting clearly annoyed by the name-calling.
" Well you'd be a little pissy after the way Helga was acting this morning, too," Arnold sneered at the foreign exchange student as he leapt out of their path.
" Mon Deu" he yelped.
" Helga is ALWAYS pissy, Arnold. That's just the way she is. I told you I don't know why you let her get to you," Gerald reached his locker and began turning the combination lock. " I take that back, the way you act today, I think you could give Ms. Pataki a run for her money,"
I wish she could be in my shoes, just for one day....The words resounded in his football shaped head as clearly as he had thought them just hours before.
" Holy Cripes, Gerald, I know what's wrong with me!" Arnold stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes as big as plates.
" What are you talking about? Do I need to take you to the nurse's office?" Gerald folded his arms across his chest in exasperation.
" No time to explain, I gotta go," Arnold tore down the corridor like a shot.
" And just where do you think you're going?" Gerald called, his patience completely spent.
" To find Helga," Arnold yelled in reply, disappearing around the corner, leaving Gerald with his mouth hanging open once again.
@@@@ Hope I'm building up enough suspense! Helga did indeed inherit Arnold's denseness, where as Arnold had Helga's keen senses. Hmmmmm does he suspect what's causing all the problems? Find out next chapter! R/R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!