A/A**You guys are the BEST! Thanks so much for all the reviews and support,
you don't know what a fuel it is to keep updating frequently. I saw that a
few people actually went back and read my flop The High School Years and
wanted more...all in good time, my pretties! I appreciate all the clammor
for new chapters and the suggestions as well, I only hope I can live up to
what you all expect!
On with the show!
Chapter 5 Breakthroughs
" I have never been so glad to get off a bus in my life!" Helga sighed as she heaved her backpack onto the kitchen counter. If Arnold threw one more crumpled paper at her... She shook her head and went about gathering ingredients for her favorite after school snack, chocolate milk and pb&j.
Miriam slept soundly on the kitchen counter, her blender not far from her reach. She snored lightly as Helga grabbed a glass for her milk.
" Mom, I'm home," Helga licked a drop of chocolate syrup from her finger. " You awake?"
Helga didn't know exactly why, but she was suddenly concerned with her mother's obvious drunken state.
" Hmm? Oh, Buttercup, I thought that was you," Miriam mumbled, her breath reminiscent of a fermented strawberry daiquiri.
" It's me, HELGA, Mom," Helga frowned, pulling up a bar stool, " And I think we need to talk."
" What about, dear?" Miriam removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes momentarily.
" Your drinking. Mom, it's got to stop. I know, I know, you say it's only a smoothie, but I'm 12, not 3, and I know what's going on. You're going to destroy your health and our family if something doesn't change," A single tear trickled down Helga's cheek, her eyes clouded over with tears.
" You...you really feel that way, honey?" Miriam looked shocked, but attentive.
" Yes, I do," Helga put a hand on her mother's shoulder. " I guess I've known for a real long time that you weren't happy, but I can remember a time when you were,"
" You mean-"
"Yup, when you were working for dad's company,"
" But you said you needed me at home, that you-"
"Mom, I was only nine then. I'm three years older, and if anything positive has come from all of this, I am very independent. Please, for me, for dad and Olga,"
Miriam's normally hazy blue eyes streamed with tears. " Oh Helga, I feel so useless most of the time! You really believe in me, that I can overcome this?"
Helga hugged her mom, smiling " I always have," I just didn't realize it until now...
Arnold sat on his bed, her picture in his hands once again. Helga G. Pataki, the tormentor of his youth, was his true love? At least, that's what he gathered from how he felt every time he saw her. But he was also filled with contempt as well.
" Where does the anger come from? I'm not an angry person," He spoke aloud to her portrait. " But you, on the other hand, you're always pissed about something."
A light knock resounded off of his bedroom door. " Hey shortman, dinner in 20," his grandpa called from the hallway.
" Thanks, PHIL," Arnold yelled in response, irritated by the sudden interruption of his thoughts.
" Kids these days and their new fangled politics, calling their elders by name, why, in MY day.." Grandpa continued to rant to himself all the way back down the stairs.
He shoved the keychain/locket thingy back under his shirt. " If I could only place why she makes me angry, then maybe it'll answer why I always make HER so angry,"
Arnold sat down at his computer, hoping a few good games of BackYard Baseball would calm his nerves. Instead, a smiling picture of an annoying red head stared back from the screensaver.
Lila Sawyer. This was who he thought to be his one and only for the past 3 years. He cared for her like no one else, but she refused to see it, to give him a chance. Now, it was very clear to him what she was really like...a pretty girl with manipulative tendencies.
" Why didn't I see it before?" Arnold muttered, erasing her image from his desktop. Minutes later, an old Mickey Kaeline photo filled the screen. " That's better,"
A memory leapt to his mind, one of Helga dressed up like Lila at that party. He had been having a blast with her, that is, until she took off the Lila costume and came back out on the roof as herself. He'd suddenly become uncomfortable, being confronted with a nice version of Helga, one who still wanted to play pin the tail on the monkey. He hadn't been ready to spend time with her unless....unless she was someone else.
" Oh my word, THAT'S why she gets so mad at me," Arnold leapt to his feet. " I don't ever acknowledge her when she's trying to be nice to me! I mean, I always commend her on being kind to other people, but when she tries to befriend ME, I brush her aside!"
Like the egg project, and trying to make Lila jealous, and ...
Memory after memory flashed through his mind, all the times she tried to convey feelings of real care or concern for HIM, he'd shoved them aside. Man, this was the weirdest reverse therapy session he'd ever envisioned happening to him!
" As Mighty Pete as my witness, I will be ready for you, Helga" Arnold clenched his fists, his jaw set with determination. " I am ready to accept your feelings, if that's what it takes to make things right! To prove whatever I am feeling deep down is real! No longer will you reside in Lila's ever so perfect shadow! No-"
Harsh breathing verbated softly behind his bedroom door. Flinging it open with a vengenance, he heard the satisfying crunch of another pair of glasses made ready for the recycling bin.
" Hey Brainey, when I go back to normal soon, a word of advice," Arnold stooped over his battered form as it lay against the paneled walls of the boarding house. " Leave Helga the HELL ALONE!"
Helga logged off her computer for the night, feeling exhausted from all her do-goody tendencies. In just one day, she had her mother enrolled in an outpatient rehab center and scheduled to work in her dad's office 3 days a week, had Bob re-writing his non refundable contracts, and had even called her sister Olga to see how she was doing in Alaska. " Man, no wonder Arnold always acts so serene, all these good deeds are really freeing,"
Helga frowned at her own comment. This was Arnold's normal foray, not hers. And why was it that just about every time she saw him today, she was filled with dread and anxiety?
" Well, that one's easily enough answered," Helga spoke aloud. She pulled out her long fogotten locket for only the second time that day. " Every time I see him today, it's pinky this and brow girl that, can't he be nice like usual?"
But that's how you normally treat him, a small voice whispered in the recesses of her clouded mind.
The phone rang, jangling her nerves as she reached for it. " Hello?" Helga gulped, her thoughts unsettling.
" Uh, Hi. Is Helga there?" A small voice asked timidly.
" Speaking," Helga answered slowly.
" It's me, Barnie. From class? I was just wondering if you were busy on Saturday?"
" Barnie? Uh, if I'm not mistaken, aren't you Lila's boyfriend? And how did you get my number?" Helga's mouth hung open in shock.
" I got it from Rhonda, and no, Lila and I are a thing of the past,"
" As of when?"
" As of today, when I saw you by the drinking fountain," Barnie stammered nervously. " You were smiling, and well, I guess I've never seen you look more lovely,"
" Thanks for the compliment, but I don't date," Helga blushed despite herself.
" Well, it was worth a try," Barnie murmured. " And Helga? If you ever change your mind, that's and open-ended invite, just to let you know,"
" Thanks, I'll, uh, keep that in mind," Helga answered politely, but hung up the phone with a quickness.
" Okay, I'm officially in the seventh circle of hell! Now goodie-goodie Barnie Bruckheimer is asking me out? Sheesh, I must be being nicer than I thought!" Helga covered the phone with her pillow in exasperation.
***Okay I'm officially struggling with this now, hopefully inspiration will strike soon! I know this wasn't my best work, all I can promise is to bring more humor and twists to the next chapter! Til then, R/R, flame away, which ever you feel like doing!!
On with the show!
Chapter 5 Breakthroughs
" I have never been so glad to get off a bus in my life!" Helga sighed as she heaved her backpack onto the kitchen counter. If Arnold threw one more crumpled paper at her... She shook her head and went about gathering ingredients for her favorite after school snack, chocolate milk and pb&j.
Miriam slept soundly on the kitchen counter, her blender not far from her reach. She snored lightly as Helga grabbed a glass for her milk.
" Mom, I'm home," Helga licked a drop of chocolate syrup from her finger. " You awake?"
Helga didn't know exactly why, but she was suddenly concerned with her mother's obvious drunken state.
" Hmm? Oh, Buttercup, I thought that was you," Miriam mumbled, her breath reminiscent of a fermented strawberry daiquiri.
" It's me, HELGA, Mom," Helga frowned, pulling up a bar stool, " And I think we need to talk."
" What about, dear?" Miriam removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes momentarily.
" Your drinking. Mom, it's got to stop. I know, I know, you say it's only a smoothie, but I'm 12, not 3, and I know what's going on. You're going to destroy your health and our family if something doesn't change," A single tear trickled down Helga's cheek, her eyes clouded over with tears.
" You...you really feel that way, honey?" Miriam looked shocked, but attentive.
" Yes, I do," Helga put a hand on her mother's shoulder. " I guess I've known for a real long time that you weren't happy, but I can remember a time when you were,"
" You mean-"
"Yup, when you were working for dad's company,"
" But you said you needed me at home, that you-"
"Mom, I was only nine then. I'm three years older, and if anything positive has come from all of this, I am very independent. Please, for me, for dad and Olga,"
Miriam's normally hazy blue eyes streamed with tears. " Oh Helga, I feel so useless most of the time! You really believe in me, that I can overcome this?"
Helga hugged her mom, smiling " I always have," I just didn't realize it until now...
Arnold sat on his bed, her picture in his hands once again. Helga G. Pataki, the tormentor of his youth, was his true love? At least, that's what he gathered from how he felt every time he saw her. But he was also filled with contempt as well.
" Where does the anger come from? I'm not an angry person," He spoke aloud to her portrait. " But you, on the other hand, you're always pissed about something."
A light knock resounded off of his bedroom door. " Hey shortman, dinner in 20," his grandpa called from the hallway.
" Thanks, PHIL," Arnold yelled in response, irritated by the sudden interruption of his thoughts.
" Kids these days and their new fangled politics, calling their elders by name, why, in MY day.." Grandpa continued to rant to himself all the way back down the stairs.
He shoved the keychain/locket thingy back under his shirt. " If I could only place why she makes me angry, then maybe it'll answer why I always make HER so angry,"
Arnold sat down at his computer, hoping a few good games of BackYard Baseball would calm his nerves. Instead, a smiling picture of an annoying red head stared back from the screensaver.
Lila Sawyer. This was who he thought to be his one and only for the past 3 years. He cared for her like no one else, but she refused to see it, to give him a chance. Now, it was very clear to him what she was really like...a pretty girl with manipulative tendencies.
" Why didn't I see it before?" Arnold muttered, erasing her image from his desktop. Minutes later, an old Mickey Kaeline photo filled the screen. " That's better,"
A memory leapt to his mind, one of Helga dressed up like Lila at that party. He had been having a blast with her, that is, until she took off the Lila costume and came back out on the roof as herself. He'd suddenly become uncomfortable, being confronted with a nice version of Helga, one who still wanted to play pin the tail on the monkey. He hadn't been ready to spend time with her unless....unless she was someone else.
" Oh my word, THAT'S why she gets so mad at me," Arnold leapt to his feet. " I don't ever acknowledge her when she's trying to be nice to me! I mean, I always commend her on being kind to other people, but when she tries to befriend ME, I brush her aside!"
Like the egg project, and trying to make Lila jealous, and ...
Memory after memory flashed through his mind, all the times she tried to convey feelings of real care or concern for HIM, he'd shoved them aside. Man, this was the weirdest reverse therapy session he'd ever envisioned happening to him!
" As Mighty Pete as my witness, I will be ready for you, Helga" Arnold clenched his fists, his jaw set with determination. " I am ready to accept your feelings, if that's what it takes to make things right! To prove whatever I am feeling deep down is real! No longer will you reside in Lila's ever so perfect shadow! No-"
Harsh breathing verbated softly behind his bedroom door. Flinging it open with a vengenance, he heard the satisfying crunch of another pair of glasses made ready for the recycling bin.
" Hey Brainey, when I go back to normal soon, a word of advice," Arnold stooped over his battered form as it lay against the paneled walls of the boarding house. " Leave Helga the HELL ALONE!"
Helga logged off her computer for the night, feeling exhausted from all her do-goody tendencies. In just one day, she had her mother enrolled in an outpatient rehab center and scheduled to work in her dad's office 3 days a week, had Bob re-writing his non refundable contracts, and had even called her sister Olga to see how she was doing in Alaska. " Man, no wonder Arnold always acts so serene, all these good deeds are really freeing,"
Helga frowned at her own comment. This was Arnold's normal foray, not hers. And why was it that just about every time she saw him today, she was filled with dread and anxiety?
" Well, that one's easily enough answered," Helga spoke aloud. She pulled out her long fogotten locket for only the second time that day. " Every time I see him today, it's pinky this and brow girl that, can't he be nice like usual?"
But that's how you normally treat him, a small voice whispered in the recesses of her clouded mind.
The phone rang, jangling her nerves as she reached for it. " Hello?" Helga gulped, her thoughts unsettling.
" Uh, Hi. Is Helga there?" A small voice asked timidly.
" Speaking," Helga answered slowly.
" It's me, Barnie. From class? I was just wondering if you were busy on Saturday?"
" Barnie? Uh, if I'm not mistaken, aren't you Lila's boyfriend? And how did you get my number?" Helga's mouth hung open in shock.
" I got it from Rhonda, and no, Lila and I are a thing of the past,"
" As of when?"
" As of today, when I saw you by the drinking fountain," Barnie stammered nervously. " You were smiling, and well, I guess I've never seen you look more lovely,"
" Thanks for the compliment, but I don't date," Helga blushed despite herself.
" Well, it was worth a try," Barnie murmured. " And Helga? If you ever change your mind, that's and open-ended invite, just to let you know,"
" Thanks, I'll, uh, keep that in mind," Helga answered politely, but hung up the phone with a quickness.
" Okay, I'm officially in the seventh circle of hell! Now goodie-goodie Barnie Bruckheimer is asking me out? Sheesh, I must be being nicer than I thought!" Helga covered the phone with her pillow in exasperation.
***Okay I'm officially struggling with this now, hopefully inspiration will strike soon! I know this wasn't my best work, all I can promise is to bring more humor and twists to the next chapter! Til then, R/R, flame away, which ever you feel like doing!!