****Well how was that last one for a cliffhanger? Okay, so I've done better
ones. LOL anyway, I say this every chapter, but THANK YOU so much to those
of you who review me without fail, you truly keep me focused and on track
with this story. A special Thanks to Bella12 who just read this story, and
STILL reviewed every single chapter-you are so sweet! Much love to all my
readers, whom I will acknowledge in full at the end of this fic. On with
the show!
Chapter 10 That's Why Its Called Black Mail
" Pataki! Can you hear me?," Coach Wittenburg bellowed, standing over her crumpled form as she lay sprawled amongst the bleachers. A crowd was gathering, with a misty eyed Phoebe closest to her side.
" Speak to me, Helga," Phoebe stammered, lightly fanning her with her gym towel.
Helga's eyes fluttered. What the heck just happened? She was just sitting there, watching Arnold as usual, when she noticed he was going to run smack into little Ms. Perfect. No, that didn't cause it..
" Where ever are you going, Arnold?" Lila spoke lowly, clamping a small hand firmly on his shoulder as he tried to advance towards the semi conscience Helga.
" To make sure Helga's okay," he answered a little too harshly.
" Oh, I'm certain she'll be ever so fine," Lila lowered her eyelids in emphasis. " that is, now that she'll know your little secret,"
Arnold flushed scarlet for the second time that class period. He had been hoping that Lila was going to let the key chain incident drop.
" Look, Lila, I know what that thing looked like, but you have it all wrong,"Arnold strained to peer out over the gathering student body for signs of life. " Can't we just forget all about.."
"...That thing!" Helga spoke a tad bit too loudly. Her mind snapped back into the here and now, the image of her face plastered to what looked like a make shift locket. And it had been hanging around Arnold's neck, much like her own secret treasure! Had anyone else seen it? Her face tinged with pink as she sat up slowly.
" Whew, you had us scared there, little lady," Coach Wittenburg nodded toward's Sheena's aunt. The school nurse smiled and replaced the smelling salts she had been about to administer in her medical bag.
" What thing?" Harold asked abruptly. " What thing were you going on about when you woke up, Helga?"
She had been about to make a sarcastic comment to throw him off, when the throng of people around her began to disperse. Obviously, only blood or unconsciousness drew a crowd in this school. Her shoulders relaxed as Harold shrugged and turned away as well.
" What thing were you referring to?" Phoebe whispered, helping Helga to her feet.
" Phoebe, we need to talk, PRONTO! Let's meet at your house after school," Helga tried to keep her voice calm and even. She steadied herself as the rest of the class rejoined the basketball game. Looking out amongst the crowd, Arnold was no longer anywhere to be seen.
" What are you getting at?" Arnold whispered urgently as Lila drug him into the aclove just outside the gym doors. He knew she had gotten a good look at that key chain, but he was unsure of how or why he was wearing it to begin with.
" Nothing, Arnold. Just that maybe you don't want everyone to know your secret crush is really Helga, and not me at all," Lila stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout, but her eyes danced with excitement.
" She's not my secret crush, Lila," Arnold folded his arms in exasperation, but inside his head he was screaming. " And I don't have a crush on you, either for that matter." Huh, what do you know? That felt kind of good to say.
" Oh Arnold, I know that I haven't been a very good friend to you. I was just saying that perhaps Helga would like to know of this little, shall we say, obsession you have with her. I know for a fact that she'd be just ever so happy about it," Lila fluttered her lashes for emphasis.
" What do you mean, she'd be HAPPY?" Arnold overlooked her "obsession" comment for the moment.
" Why, I'm ever so sure that I recall an incident in fourth grade where I was told that a certain abrasive, monobrowed bully just happened to be in love with you," she leaned into him, her perfume making him nauseated.
" You're saying that you heard Helga likes me?" Arnold took one step back from her, his head swirling. " Fat chance,"
" I didn't say liked, I said LOVES," Lila replied pointedly.
" Okay, loves. Whatever. Anyone can start a vicious rumor, Lila," he lowered his eyelids in disgust.
" Oh, I heard it from an OH so reliable source," Lila smiled, but it failed to reach her eyes.
" Okay, saying that it was a reliable source, what does that matter? I find it very hard to believe, and even if I did, what's it to you?" Arnold was now very sick of her " oh so" stupid charade. He just wanted to get back into that gym and check on Helga. Why did that matter to him so much all the sudden?
" Okay, don't believe me. But when Helga's dating some other guy, and not you, it'll be your fault that you didn't seize the moment," Lila brushed her braid over her shoulder and went to enter the gym once again.
" Hey Lila," Arnold stopped her momentarily, his curiosity getting the best of him. " Just who was your "reliable source" anyways, not that it matters," he tried his best to look disinterested.
" Oh, no one important," Lila smiled again cruelly. " Just Helga herself,"
Arnold was cemented to the spot. The sudden realization that Lila might be telling the truth hit him like a thunder bolt. The Fti confession ran through his mind.
You might even say that I really REALLY like you. Heck, I like you so much that you might even say that I-
" C'mon buddy. Class is over. What are you standing around in the halls in your gym shorts for? Got a hot date?" Gerald ribbed him, holding the swinging doors to the boy's locker room open for the both of them.
" Not exactly," Arnold muttered, his heart in his throat.
Lila made her way through the girl's locker room, her eyes searching the crowd for one girl in particular.
" I can't believe he was wearing some kind of locket thing," Helga whispered to herself as she finished her brief shower. She wrapped a thick pink towel around her thin frame, gathering her unsoiled gym clothes as she exited the steamy communal showering area.
That can only mean that he does..
" Does it strike you as oh so odd that Arnold had that weird looking keychain under his gym clothes just now, or is it just me?" Lila leaned against her gym locker, her voice so low that only Helga could hear her.
" Back off, Red,. I don't need you getting all Single White Female on me," Helga blushed at her words, but brushed them aside. This was Lila we were talking about here.
" Oh, I have no interest in your naked body," Lila stretched her arms over her head casually. " I was just going to make you an oh so delicious offer, that's all," Her green eyes glittered dangerously.
" Yeah, well I've seen enough prison movies to catch that drift. You're not my type," Helga chuckled slightly, pulling her under things on beneath the towel to shield her nudeness from Lila's prying eyes.
" But Arnold is," Lila purred.
Helga's towel dropped in surprise.
" Nice tan," Lila murmured sarcastically.
Helga grabbed her shirt, pulling it over her head in one quick motion.
" I think I know your angle, Lila. Just remember what I said 2 years ago, one word to anyone and I strangle you to death with my bare hands," Helga hissed through her teeth.
" I'm ever so sure there will be no need for violence," Lila cowed a bit, knowing Helga would pummel her at any given moment. She had to play her hand quickly before the opportunity was lost.
" Then spit it out, what do you want?" Helga brushed her long hair back over her shoulders.
" I want you to help me get Barnie back," Lila blurted out finally.
" Get Barnie back? What'd he do, piss you off? Okay, here's what we'll need. A watermelon, a box of thumb tacks-"
" No, not REVENGE get him back, I mean in a relationship again," it was Lila's turn to go red at this comment.
" What's in it for me?" Helga shot, looking over her shoulder. The locker room now completely empty save for her and Lila.
" I help you get the oh so great love of your life, and you help me get mine," Lila looked her directly in the eyes.
Helga didn't know what to do. According to Phoebe, and the long list of thank yous she'd received all day, she had been a different person yesterday. One that was good, loving and kind. If she could be that way all on her own, Arnold would have to notice, maybe even admit he had some kind of feelings for her.
She looked into Lila's desperate face once more.
On the other hand....
CLIFF HANG ER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More later!~
Chapter 10 That's Why Its Called Black Mail
" Pataki! Can you hear me?," Coach Wittenburg bellowed, standing over her crumpled form as she lay sprawled amongst the bleachers. A crowd was gathering, with a misty eyed Phoebe closest to her side.
" Speak to me, Helga," Phoebe stammered, lightly fanning her with her gym towel.
Helga's eyes fluttered. What the heck just happened? She was just sitting there, watching Arnold as usual, when she noticed he was going to run smack into little Ms. Perfect. No, that didn't cause it..
" Where ever are you going, Arnold?" Lila spoke lowly, clamping a small hand firmly on his shoulder as he tried to advance towards the semi conscience Helga.
" To make sure Helga's okay," he answered a little too harshly.
" Oh, I'm certain she'll be ever so fine," Lila lowered her eyelids in emphasis. " that is, now that she'll know your little secret,"
Arnold flushed scarlet for the second time that class period. He had been hoping that Lila was going to let the key chain incident drop.
" Look, Lila, I know what that thing looked like, but you have it all wrong,"Arnold strained to peer out over the gathering student body for signs of life. " Can't we just forget all about.."
"...That thing!" Helga spoke a tad bit too loudly. Her mind snapped back into the here and now, the image of her face plastered to what looked like a make shift locket. And it had been hanging around Arnold's neck, much like her own secret treasure! Had anyone else seen it? Her face tinged with pink as she sat up slowly.
" Whew, you had us scared there, little lady," Coach Wittenburg nodded toward's Sheena's aunt. The school nurse smiled and replaced the smelling salts she had been about to administer in her medical bag.
" What thing?" Harold asked abruptly. " What thing were you going on about when you woke up, Helga?"
She had been about to make a sarcastic comment to throw him off, when the throng of people around her began to disperse. Obviously, only blood or unconsciousness drew a crowd in this school. Her shoulders relaxed as Harold shrugged and turned away as well.
" What thing were you referring to?" Phoebe whispered, helping Helga to her feet.
" Phoebe, we need to talk, PRONTO! Let's meet at your house after school," Helga tried to keep her voice calm and even. She steadied herself as the rest of the class rejoined the basketball game. Looking out amongst the crowd, Arnold was no longer anywhere to be seen.
" What are you getting at?" Arnold whispered urgently as Lila drug him into the aclove just outside the gym doors. He knew she had gotten a good look at that key chain, but he was unsure of how or why he was wearing it to begin with.
" Nothing, Arnold. Just that maybe you don't want everyone to know your secret crush is really Helga, and not me at all," Lila stuck out her bottom lip in a mock pout, but her eyes danced with excitement.
" She's not my secret crush, Lila," Arnold folded his arms in exasperation, but inside his head he was screaming. " And I don't have a crush on you, either for that matter." Huh, what do you know? That felt kind of good to say.
" Oh Arnold, I know that I haven't been a very good friend to you. I was just saying that perhaps Helga would like to know of this little, shall we say, obsession you have with her. I know for a fact that she'd be just ever so happy about it," Lila fluttered her lashes for emphasis.
" What do you mean, she'd be HAPPY?" Arnold overlooked her "obsession" comment for the moment.
" Why, I'm ever so sure that I recall an incident in fourth grade where I was told that a certain abrasive, monobrowed bully just happened to be in love with you," she leaned into him, her perfume making him nauseated.
" You're saying that you heard Helga likes me?" Arnold took one step back from her, his head swirling. " Fat chance,"
" I didn't say liked, I said LOVES," Lila replied pointedly.
" Okay, loves. Whatever. Anyone can start a vicious rumor, Lila," he lowered his eyelids in disgust.
" Oh, I heard it from an OH so reliable source," Lila smiled, but it failed to reach her eyes.
" Okay, saying that it was a reliable source, what does that matter? I find it very hard to believe, and even if I did, what's it to you?" Arnold was now very sick of her " oh so" stupid charade. He just wanted to get back into that gym and check on Helga. Why did that matter to him so much all the sudden?
" Okay, don't believe me. But when Helga's dating some other guy, and not you, it'll be your fault that you didn't seize the moment," Lila brushed her braid over her shoulder and went to enter the gym once again.
" Hey Lila," Arnold stopped her momentarily, his curiosity getting the best of him. " Just who was your "reliable source" anyways, not that it matters," he tried his best to look disinterested.
" Oh, no one important," Lila smiled again cruelly. " Just Helga herself,"
Arnold was cemented to the spot. The sudden realization that Lila might be telling the truth hit him like a thunder bolt. The Fti confession ran through his mind.
You might even say that I really REALLY like you. Heck, I like you so much that you might even say that I-
" C'mon buddy. Class is over. What are you standing around in the halls in your gym shorts for? Got a hot date?" Gerald ribbed him, holding the swinging doors to the boy's locker room open for the both of them.
" Not exactly," Arnold muttered, his heart in his throat.
Lila made her way through the girl's locker room, her eyes searching the crowd for one girl in particular.
" I can't believe he was wearing some kind of locket thing," Helga whispered to herself as she finished her brief shower. She wrapped a thick pink towel around her thin frame, gathering her unsoiled gym clothes as she exited the steamy communal showering area.
That can only mean that he does..
" Does it strike you as oh so odd that Arnold had that weird looking keychain under his gym clothes just now, or is it just me?" Lila leaned against her gym locker, her voice so low that only Helga could hear her.
" Back off, Red,. I don't need you getting all Single White Female on me," Helga blushed at her words, but brushed them aside. This was Lila we were talking about here.
" Oh, I have no interest in your naked body," Lila stretched her arms over her head casually. " I was just going to make you an oh so delicious offer, that's all," Her green eyes glittered dangerously.
" Yeah, well I've seen enough prison movies to catch that drift. You're not my type," Helga chuckled slightly, pulling her under things on beneath the towel to shield her nudeness from Lila's prying eyes.
" But Arnold is," Lila purred.
Helga's towel dropped in surprise.
" Nice tan," Lila murmured sarcastically.
Helga grabbed her shirt, pulling it over her head in one quick motion.
" I think I know your angle, Lila. Just remember what I said 2 years ago, one word to anyone and I strangle you to death with my bare hands," Helga hissed through her teeth.
" I'm ever so sure there will be no need for violence," Lila cowed a bit, knowing Helga would pummel her at any given moment. She had to play her hand quickly before the opportunity was lost.
" Then spit it out, what do you want?" Helga brushed her long hair back over her shoulders.
" I want you to help me get Barnie back," Lila blurted out finally.
" Get Barnie back? What'd he do, piss you off? Okay, here's what we'll need. A watermelon, a box of thumb tacks-"
" No, not REVENGE get him back, I mean in a relationship again," it was Lila's turn to go red at this comment.
" What's in it for me?" Helga shot, looking over her shoulder. The locker room now completely empty save for her and Lila.
" I help you get the oh so great love of your life, and you help me get mine," Lila looked her directly in the eyes.
Helga didn't know what to do. According to Phoebe, and the long list of thank yous she'd received all day, she had been a different person yesterday. One that was good, loving and kind. If she could be that way all on her own, Arnold would have to notice, maybe even admit he had some kind of feelings for her.
She looked into Lila's desperate face once more.
On the other hand....
CLIFF HANG ER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! More later!~