***A/A*** Another chapter come and gone. I'm trying to space my chapters
apart as far as posting them goes, I don't want to overwhelm everyone by
posting them too quickly! Thanks again so much to all of you who review,
and have reviewed every blessed chapter, you truly inspire me. I love all
the new and updated stories I'm reading lately, I know that I am in good
company! Hope everyone has a great Turkey day and enjoy the little HA!
Marathon that Nick is giving us! That said, on with the show!
Chapter 11 Moment of Reckoning
Arnold sat in his sixth period, contemporary poets, his head filled with everything but Keates.
Bits and pieces of the past day were coming back to him, the first thing being the origin of his "special key chain." He remembered now, his sudden need to emblazon Helga's likeness onto a semi permanent surface. He also remembered a little too late his poor treatment of Devin DeLacour, the French foreign exchange student. He shuddered at the vague memory of knocking the poor kid to the ground on more than one occasion.
Then there was the whole Lila situation. What did she mean, Helga told her that she loved him? Why would Helga divulge something that earth shattering to someone like Lila, her most despised enemy? Arnold had never fully understood why Helga hated her so, he just figured it had something to do with Lila's innocence and sweet disposition.
Yeah, where was that sweet disposition? Helga eyed her warily across the room of their sixth hour, speech. Lila was staring intently at their very young, very cute instructor as he rambled about the importance of inflection. It was no secret that just about every young girl in her class had a crush on the newly hired teacher, save for Helga, that is.
Her mind raced. Why on earth would that goody-goody Barnie dump little Miss Perfect? As much as Helga hated to admit it, Lila was indisputably one of the prettiest and seemingly nicest girls in their class. Barnie was exactly like her, in a boy's body. Handsome, in that simple, corn fed way, remarkably genteel and witty. He was also paper-thin to someone as mature as Helga, who saw right through his "aw shucks" routine from day one. No, there must be some other girl that caught his attention, that was the only reason Helga could come up with for him dumping someone as sickly sweet as Lila.
And now Lila Sawyer, all people, was seeking her help. No, it was more like blackmail, really. She alone bore witness to Arnold's secret locket, besides Helga and presumably Arnold. She grimaced slightly. She always knew Lila was manipulative, she'd just never been at her mercy in that way before. Would she really spill the proverbial beans if she didn't help her get back in Barnie's good graces?
Helga's blood boiled at the very thought, her hands tightening into two white knuckled fists of fury. No, she knew the consequences. She had seen the raw fear in Lila's eyes when she threatened to put her lights out earlier. Helga smirked at the recollection, delighted that her powers of persuasion hadn't dimmed much over the years.
Arnold slumped in his seat as Mrs. Skelter droned on about the significance of The Jar Bell, when it suddenly occurred to him. His right fist ached unbelievably all day, and he had no idea why. It was in that moment he had felt it rather than heard it, the harsh, hot breath rasping against his neck, making the little hairs stand on end. Brainy!
He felt his sore hand twitch involuntarily, and it flashed through his clouded mind: Brainy, sneaking up on him for no reason. Brainey, wheezing away behind him all day yesterday. Brainy, lying in a bloodied heap at his very hand. Arnold gulped, then slowly turned to glance at him sideways.
" Uh..(wheeze) ..How's it going? (wheeze)" Brainy wore a dazed and glassy eyed expression, white tape holding together the shattered remains of his wire- rimmed glasses.
" Brainy, about yesterday," Arnold whispered, his voice barely audible over Mrs. Skelter's ambitious ramblings.
" Its..(wheeze)..okay..(wheeze).." Brainy halted Arnold's heart felt apology right away. " Helga (wheeze) was too busy (wheeze) to be bothered yesterday," He grinned eerily, his face flushing a light shade of pink.
" Uh, I didn't know it was a pleasure getting stomped by her everyday," Arnold narrowed his eyes in confusion. " Don't you get sick of it?" He silently acknowledged Brainy's unspoken acceptance of his apology.
" No..( wheeze)..I don't mind..(wheeze)" He smiled again, this time his eyes crinkling in delight. " I think...(wheeze).."
" That I'll help you out, Red," Helga finished, her eyes rolling heavenward impulsively. She couldn't believe she was saying this, especially to whom. What did she really have to lose? Lila was offering her another chance to be mentored in her peaches and cream personality, and she didn't even want Arnold! She leaned against the rows of navy blue lockers, her arms folded defensively over her chest.
" I'm oh so certain you won't regret it, Helga" Lila smirked happily. She gathered her books from her locker as they spoke. " When do you think we should begin?" She fluttered her eyes emphatically.
" As soon as humanly possible. Oh, and Lila?" Helga gathered her own backpack as the two of them exited the school.
" Yes?" Lila answered quizzically.
" If this actually works, and I really get farm boy to take you back, do me one favor," Helga lowered her eyelids in a half-lidded stare.
" Anything,"
" Quit leading Arnold on," Helga spat, spotting Phoebe across the crowded courtyard.
" I'm oh so sure I don't know what you mean," Lila answered, but she was speaking to dead air. Helga had already joined her best friend as they made their way towards the bus.
Arnold caught up with Gerald just seconds before the buses were raring to leave. " Where have you been, Arnold?" Gerald spoke softly, his eyes searching the bus for his girlfriend. " I waited ten minutes after Spanish, but you were a no show," Gerald slid into the seat directly behind Phoebe and Helga, the two girls' heads bent together in furtive conversation.
Arnold slid into the empty space next to Gerald, his eyes averted from the tall blonde girl seated in front of him. His cheeks burned crimson as he felt the indention of his " Helga key chain" as it dug into the flesh of his thigh, the torn plastic laying crumpled in his front jeans pocket.
" I was, uh, catching up with an old friend," Arnold spoke half truthfully. Brainy had explained at length, between raspy breaths, of the softer side of Helga that people rarely saw. He saw her contemptuous blows as a defense mechanism, and therefor bode her no ill will.
" Why did you follow me all over yesterday then?" Arnold had asked quietly, avoiding the reasons why he must of felt the need to slug him more often than not.
" You seemed to need a listening ear," was all that Brainy would say on the matter.
" Are you sure that Lila saw the locket in question?" Phoebe asked softly, her brown eyes wide with concern. " Maybe she's just trying to call your bluff. After all, you did faint at the sight of it,"
" How did you know...never mind," Helga's own porcelain features reddened at the comment. " I'm sure she saw it, Pheebs. I just don't have any clue as to how she thinks I can help her win ol' Eagle Scout back, or why he left her for that matter," Helga leaned back against the seat, her arms crossed in frustration.
" You don't remember?" Phoebe asked cautiously.
" Remember what, Pheebs? I barely remember half the stuff people are thanking me for, and I surely don't recall helping Miriam or Bob out either. You seem to be the one with all the answers. What is it I'm supposed to remember about Barnie?" Helga groaned inwardly at the comment.
" That your assumption that his interest in another suitor of the female persuasion is exactly the reason he severed ties with Lila," Phoebe spoke quietly, her face going pale at the words which fell hesitantly from her lips.
"Great! I KNEW it was another girl! Okay, all we have to do is eliminate the competition and he'll go crawling back to Miss Priss. So spill it, Pheebs. Who's the unlucky lady?" Helga's shoulders relaxed a bit.
" I don't think you want to know," Phoebe stalled, the bus doors hissing to a close as the engine revved up.
" Just tell me who it is! I have to know so I can get Lila off my back," Helga spoke impatiently.
Phoebe gulped, gathering the nerve to break the awkward news to her best friend.
" You,"
But the small Asian girl didn't speak the fateful words.
Barnie leaned over from the seat in front of them, a wide smile plastered across his perfectly freckled face.
@@@ Sorry this one is so short, but I wanted to post before Thanksgiving, and I already lost this file once! Thanks again so much to my readers, you guys rock and I hope everyone has an awesome holiday!@@@@
Chapter 11 Moment of Reckoning
Arnold sat in his sixth period, contemporary poets, his head filled with everything but Keates.
Bits and pieces of the past day were coming back to him, the first thing being the origin of his "special key chain." He remembered now, his sudden need to emblazon Helga's likeness onto a semi permanent surface. He also remembered a little too late his poor treatment of Devin DeLacour, the French foreign exchange student. He shuddered at the vague memory of knocking the poor kid to the ground on more than one occasion.
Then there was the whole Lila situation. What did she mean, Helga told her that she loved him? Why would Helga divulge something that earth shattering to someone like Lila, her most despised enemy? Arnold had never fully understood why Helga hated her so, he just figured it had something to do with Lila's innocence and sweet disposition.
Yeah, where was that sweet disposition? Helga eyed her warily across the room of their sixth hour, speech. Lila was staring intently at their very young, very cute instructor as he rambled about the importance of inflection. It was no secret that just about every young girl in her class had a crush on the newly hired teacher, save for Helga, that is.
Her mind raced. Why on earth would that goody-goody Barnie dump little Miss Perfect? As much as Helga hated to admit it, Lila was indisputably one of the prettiest and seemingly nicest girls in their class. Barnie was exactly like her, in a boy's body. Handsome, in that simple, corn fed way, remarkably genteel and witty. He was also paper-thin to someone as mature as Helga, who saw right through his "aw shucks" routine from day one. No, there must be some other girl that caught his attention, that was the only reason Helga could come up with for him dumping someone as sickly sweet as Lila.
And now Lila Sawyer, all people, was seeking her help. No, it was more like blackmail, really. She alone bore witness to Arnold's secret locket, besides Helga and presumably Arnold. She grimaced slightly. She always knew Lila was manipulative, she'd just never been at her mercy in that way before. Would she really spill the proverbial beans if she didn't help her get back in Barnie's good graces?
Helga's blood boiled at the very thought, her hands tightening into two white knuckled fists of fury. No, she knew the consequences. She had seen the raw fear in Lila's eyes when she threatened to put her lights out earlier. Helga smirked at the recollection, delighted that her powers of persuasion hadn't dimmed much over the years.
Arnold slumped in his seat as Mrs. Skelter droned on about the significance of The Jar Bell, when it suddenly occurred to him. His right fist ached unbelievably all day, and he had no idea why. It was in that moment he had felt it rather than heard it, the harsh, hot breath rasping against his neck, making the little hairs stand on end. Brainy!
He felt his sore hand twitch involuntarily, and it flashed through his clouded mind: Brainy, sneaking up on him for no reason. Brainey, wheezing away behind him all day yesterday. Brainy, lying in a bloodied heap at his very hand. Arnold gulped, then slowly turned to glance at him sideways.
" Uh..(wheeze) ..How's it going? (wheeze)" Brainy wore a dazed and glassy eyed expression, white tape holding together the shattered remains of his wire- rimmed glasses.
" Brainy, about yesterday," Arnold whispered, his voice barely audible over Mrs. Skelter's ambitious ramblings.
" Its..(wheeze)..okay..(wheeze).." Brainy halted Arnold's heart felt apology right away. " Helga (wheeze) was too busy (wheeze) to be bothered yesterday," He grinned eerily, his face flushing a light shade of pink.
" Uh, I didn't know it was a pleasure getting stomped by her everyday," Arnold narrowed his eyes in confusion. " Don't you get sick of it?" He silently acknowledged Brainy's unspoken acceptance of his apology.
" No..( wheeze)..I don't mind..(wheeze)" He smiled again, this time his eyes crinkling in delight. " I think...(wheeze).."
" That I'll help you out, Red," Helga finished, her eyes rolling heavenward impulsively. She couldn't believe she was saying this, especially to whom. What did she really have to lose? Lila was offering her another chance to be mentored in her peaches and cream personality, and she didn't even want Arnold! She leaned against the rows of navy blue lockers, her arms folded defensively over her chest.
" I'm oh so certain you won't regret it, Helga" Lila smirked happily. She gathered her books from her locker as they spoke. " When do you think we should begin?" She fluttered her eyes emphatically.
" As soon as humanly possible. Oh, and Lila?" Helga gathered her own backpack as the two of them exited the school.
" Yes?" Lila answered quizzically.
" If this actually works, and I really get farm boy to take you back, do me one favor," Helga lowered her eyelids in a half-lidded stare.
" Anything,"
" Quit leading Arnold on," Helga spat, spotting Phoebe across the crowded courtyard.
" I'm oh so sure I don't know what you mean," Lila answered, but she was speaking to dead air. Helga had already joined her best friend as they made their way towards the bus.
Arnold caught up with Gerald just seconds before the buses were raring to leave. " Where have you been, Arnold?" Gerald spoke softly, his eyes searching the bus for his girlfriend. " I waited ten minutes after Spanish, but you were a no show," Gerald slid into the seat directly behind Phoebe and Helga, the two girls' heads bent together in furtive conversation.
Arnold slid into the empty space next to Gerald, his eyes averted from the tall blonde girl seated in front of him. His cheeks burned crimson as he felt the indention of his " Helga key chain" as it dug into the flesh of his thigh, the torn plastic laying crumpled in his front jeans pocket.
" I was, uh, catching up with an old friend," Arnold spoke half truthfully. Brainy had explained at length, between raspy breaths, of the softer side of Helga that people rarely saw. He saw her contemptuous blows as a defense mechanism, and therefor bode her no ill will.
" Why did you follow me all over yesterday then?" Arnold had asked quietly, avoiding the reasons why he must of felt the need to slug him more often than not.
" You seemed to need a listening ear," was all that Brainy would say on the matter.
" Are you sure that Lila saw the locket in question?" Phoebe asked softly, her brown eyes wide with concern. " Maybe she's just trying to call your bluff. After all, you did faint at the sight of it,"
" How did you know...never mind," Helga's own porcelain features reddened at the comment. " I'm sure she saw it, Pheebs. I just don't have any clue as to how she thinks I can help her win ol' Eagle Scout back, or why he left her for that matter," Helga leaned back against the seat, her arms crossed in frustration.
" You don't remember?" Phoebe asked cautiously.
" Remember what, Pheebs? I barely remember half the stuff people are thanking me for, and I surely don't recall helping Miriam or Bob out either. You seem to be the one with all the answers. What is it I'm supposed to remember about Barnie?" Helga groaned inwardly at the comment.
" That your assumption that his interest in another suitor of the female persuasion is exactly the reason he severed ties with Lila," Phoebe spoke quietly, her face going pale at the words which fell hesitantly from her lips.
"Great! I KNEW it was another girl! Okay, all we have to do is eliminate the competition and he'll go crawling back to Miss Priss. So spill it, Pheebs. Who's the unlucky lady?" Helga's shoulders relaxed a bit.
" I don't think you want to know," Phoebe stalled, the bus doors hissing to a close as the engine revved up.
" Just tell me who it is! I have to know so I can get Lila off my back," Helga spoke impatiently.
Phoebe gulped, gathering the nerve to break the awkward news to her best friend.
" You,"
But the small Asian girl didn't speak the fateful words.
Barnie leaned over from the seat in front of them, a wide smile plastered across his perfectly freckled face.
@@@ Sorry this one is so short, but I wanted to post before Thanksgiving, and I already lost this file once! Thanks again so much to my readers, you guys rock and I hope everyone has an awesome holiday!@@@@