OMG… she uploaded TWO chapters! I know right? But ANYWAY… I feel I must justify some aspects of the last chapter and this chapter and probably the rest of the story. This is NOT the last chapter… NOT THE LAST CHAPTER… my friend was reading it and interpreted it as the last chapter and began beating me with a pillow. It wasn't pretty. But using my friend as an example, I "confused her to China". Then she called me a coconut… so… now I have to justify myself… Gr. Ok, as you may notice in this chapter… I might have added something… dreadful… to the mix. Before you all begin attacking me (she did so one must assume) let me justify. This chapter takes place DIRECTLY after last chapter… I was actually going to start a new story but you guys can decide all this. On my computer it's all going to be the same story, just the plot has to change. For this chapter the plot is going to revolve around Helga "finding" herself. It's going to have more school moments, more social moments, and more general moments. Not only that, most of the moments will be my own experiences through high school. And trust me, it don't get any more dramatic then that. So as the plot twists the characters will twist with it. I can not keep them in character with their nine-yr. old counterparts… NO ONE is the same from nine to 16/17… And yes, a lot of the characters from the show will be present… preferably brainy cause I enjoyed writing him. I probably will have some kind of romance between him and Helga…. BUT I am a die-hard Helga/Arnold fan, please remember this for future reference… I can only get hit with a pillow so many times! Trust me, if you like my whole little dark drama, there will still be dark drama, I personally had horrible "moments" in high school. I've taken the plot from dreary confused Helga to dreary confused Helga trying to make her way through life. That is how it works. I hope you all enjoy it and I'll be more then happy to hear feedback and even suggestions. If any one thinks I should make a "sequel" or rather just another story… just tell me :). I'm happy to make you guys happy :) Oh jeez… I have rambled to new lengths… that's just perfect. If you have any major concerns or any suggests that you feel needs to be directed personally to me please email me at Dem500 at AOL. And I really, really, really hope you enjoy the twisting plot, since it's a new plot this chapter is much like a prequel and as it goes it'll flow much better. Sorry for rambling… and I hope you all enjoy. And thank you for all your support. You guys are amazing :)… and STORY TIME!

(People have been coming and going for hundreds of years. The difference with this generation is that they never just stop.)

The end of June, July, and the beginning of August the summer after tenth grade is referred to the 'runaway' period of my high school life. Not only did I run away, I left the country. As irrational as that sounds, oh well. My Aunt Margaret, who lives in Italy, had invited my mother and me to visit her to get away from our "run down lives". I saw opportunity in this whole experience.

My Aunt Margaret is forty-seven, acts twenty-five, and can speak three different languages. She has gone through three husbands and lives off her alimony. She has two kids. Justin, who's twenty, and C.C. who's seven. She didn't have any children with her second husband. Margaret is a woman that is unafraid of the world. She's not my aunt by blood. She and my mother went to school together. She moved to Italy ten years ago. She's a lot like me in some twisted way. I like Margaret. She'll go up to you, tell you she doesn't like you, and then discuss world politics with you. She's bold like that.

After spending two months in a foreign country I will not lie and say I missed home. I remember asking if I could go to the boarding school in which C.C. went too. Miriam told me no. I guess she wasn't ready to be like Margaret and move half way around the world. I was ready to move half way around the world.

I'm sure you're all wondering what the hell went on in Italy. I'll tell you.

Absolutely nothing.

I spent the day site seeing and touring random areas. I spent the afternoons sitting by Margaret's lavish pool reading Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austin. I spent my nights going to cafés and parks to relax with Justin. Then I would sleep, and then our routine would continue in the same fashion. Day after day. It sounds boring, but I liked it. You never understand the world still turns until you return home and notice life still moved on.

I'd like to think the world would cease to turn in my absence, but this is not the case.

I hadn't seen Arnold since that night. I hadn't seen anyone since the party. I left without a whisper in the air. I feel I was justified to have left without anyone knowing. Who could possible care? I did explain to Arnold, however, that if he found someone who could give him what he deserved to not hesitate and think of me. I didn't want him to think about me.

That's a lie.

I want to know that he yearned for me every day while I sat next to a pool. I want to pretend that he sat in his room, in a corner, waiting for me to return from half across the world. As I said earlier, I want to think his life ceased in my absence.

This is not the case. It is never the case.

"Any messages?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

"Nothing good." Miriam said as she smiled at me and went back to looking at the mail. I felt my body tense. You would think someone would have called me. Obviously not. Oh well then.

I looked over at the calendar by the back door and noticed that in a week I was starting school. I rolled my eyes as I took a long sip of the cool water.

"They sent your schedule." Miriam smiled as she gently hit the top of my head and then handed me the envelope. I smirked at her and opened the letter.

Let's see. Honors English, Honors Calculus, World History, Chemistry, Health, Lunch, Gym, and then my electives. Eh, not too bad of a schedule. I hate to say this, but they could give me college work, and I'll pass it without trying. You know how I know. I graduated college early. I don't believe I showed up half the time.

I placed the schedule down on the counter and opened the back door.

"I'm going for a walk." I said.

"I'll order Chinese for dinner!" She shouted from the living room. I looked towards the direction of the living room and then made my way out of the house.

I kind of want to see what everyone's been up too.

(All you have to do is blink to miss the entire world change.)

I gently smoothed out my shirt and pushed my hair off my shoulders. I was waiting for someone to open the door to the sunset arms. I was excited to see Arnold. Whether he would be excited to see me is a whole different story.

"Helga!" Stella smiled and gave be a friendly hug. "It's been so long!"

"We went to visit family in Italy." I smiled. Stella nodded her head allowing her smile to become wider.

"Please come in. Arnold went out, but I'd love to hear all about Italy." I walked in and nodded my head.

I'd love to talk all about Italy I thought.

I had been there for an hour. At some point Miles had came in and began listening to my story. He kept giving weird looks to Stella who was seemingly ignoring him. I was in my own world. I had something interesting and happy to talk about, for once. AND there were people to talk to about it.

I heard the front door close and both Stella and Miles turned. They looked almost as if wishing for whoever had come in to not come into the kitchen.

"Mom? Dad? I'm home!" I allowed myself to smile brightly as his voice entered my head. I would be lying if I said I didn't think about him constantly. So I won't lie. I missed him like no tomorrow. "What's going…" He trailed off as he stared at me.

I am a naïve person. I'm not stupid, just lacking the sense of foresight.

"Hey Arnold." I said in a content breath. He looked so good. Tanned, maybe even more muscular. He looked perfect in his baggy jeans and black wife beater. His hair was in its usual disheveled look. He looked so perfect. I 'm not saying that I'm ready to fall back into a relationship with him, because I'm not. But he just looks so good.

"Helga… hi." He said, his eyes were darting between his parents. I was curious to know why.

"Arnold!"

And that's where the straw that broke the camel's back came into play.

I felt as if everything had froze. I felt there was time to run out before it all fell down again. I felt that maybe no one would notice. Of course these thoughts left as I saw the perfect red head walk into the kitchen. Her green eyes were focused on Arnold and unaware of anyone else. Her hand gingerly slipped into his as she pressed herself closer to him. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she was wearing shorts and a bathing suit top, with a mesh jacket over her olive skin. Her face was lightly sprinkled with endearing freckles. She looked like a movie star that was on vacation. I never noticed how fitted they looked together.

I also never noticed how easily one's heart could break by a sight.

A picture is, however, worth a thousand words.

"What's wrong?" Her sickeningly sweet voice cooed. She followed his eyes and looked at me. The environment was slowly unfreezing as a cold smirk found itself on her glossy lips.

If I had a gun…

"Hi Lila." This is where the higher power took over. This is where the higher power would be useful. I was currently plotting how to fly between Stella and Miles and strangle her. The higher power was talking to her.

"Helga, how nice to see you!" She said, her tone suggested a ha should follow. But it never came.

"I came over to tell Stella and Miles here about my vacation in Italy." I felt my lips curl in a smile as the higher power took complete control. "I should be going. I'm sure my mom is worrying her head off." I heard a small chuckle from the back of my throat. Outside I was being a person, on the inside, let us just thank the gods that you can't get in trouble for your thoughts.

I began walking towards the front door. Moving my body so that I didn't have to come in contact with either of them. I felt contact would set me off in a fury of attacks. There was no contact.

"It was nice talking to you Helga." Stella smiled at me softly. She was apologizing. She didn't have to though. I wanted to tell her this is my own fault. It is my fault. I gave him permission to do exactly what he was doing. Why in god's name would he choose Lila? One will never know.

I smiled, nodded, and then walked out the front door. I walked down the block. I began jogging as the high school came into view. By the time I passed the park I was running for dear life.

What's wrong with me?"

(Ok, so you're confused. Aren't we all? Didn't at least a third of us wake up this morning confused on where we were? I mean in life, not like whose bedroom we were in. That's a different confusion.)

I know that I am Helga. I know that I had a boyfriend and my sister died. I know that I'm smart enough to pass my classes with little to no effort. I know that if I was to fall off the face of the planet, the world will still turn. I know that it's not all about me. I know that in the end I would regret some things. This is not the problem.

The problem, ladies and gentleman, is that while I went through some mental and emotional twister, everything changed. And suddenly I'm not just Helga, I'm on a social roller coaster, and I'm sitting in the back. My best friend is not just my best friend she's a degree of social royalty and her loyalties are no longer mine. Arnold is not just Arnold; he's part of an elaborate group of people who don't know any further then their world. He's naïve. And Olga is not just dead, she's gone. Not only is she gone, I miss her.

When I was nine, I ruled my grade with a shake of my fist. When I was ten, I was slowly adjusting to life in fifth grade and even opening up. When I was eleven, things at home began to deteriorate, Bob's temper was uncontrollable and Miriam would be gone half the night. When I turned twelve, there was no longer Helga G. Pataki. At twelve all that was left was a body void of soul. Thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen, I was a walking zombie. I talked to as few as possible and began closing myself into a dark place. A very dark place. But I wasn't scared. And now, at the delicate age of sweet sixteen. I have disowned my father, lost my sister, had a boyfriend, dealt with a sickness, attempted to amend ties with Phoebe, and make a relationship with my mother. I tried to adjust the outside and leave the inside in the dark. So now, at sixteen, I am confused on what I'm suppose to be doing. I'm confused on who I'm suppose to be. I don't know if I'm coming or going. Had I not been a walking zombie, this would not have mattered. I don't feel like I can leave my dark place.

I don't want to leave my dark place.

(It's not the fact that my eyes were closed during that time, it's the fact that they are still closed.)

I sat in the overly large couch and stared back at Dr. Bliss and her cat like features. I thought it might be useful to talk to someone. I knew that talk was used loosely and there would be very little actual talk.

"Why are you here Helga?" She smiled at me, leaning back in her chair.

"Because you had the afternoon off." I said, that was honestly a stupid question.

"I mean here, on Earth." Slightly better question.

"I don't know." I said, my eyes narrowing, my arms folding over my chest, and my tone defensive.

"Why do you think anyone would put you on such a planet?"

"Because they want to laugh." I said. I felt like curling into a ball. I wanted her to be surprised but she wasn't. She brought her hand to sit gently on her chin. She crossed her legs and looked at me with her cat like eyes.

"But why choose you? I mean, can't anyone make someone else laugh?" She said. I looked at her as if she was speaking a different language. Who the hell in their right mind was giving her money?

"I don't know." I said as I pushed myself closer to the back of the couch.

"Ok." She looked at her notepad and then back up at me. "I don't think you are that funny."

"Thank you." I said dryly. We stared at each other for a few seconds. "Why are you here?" I often turn situations like this around.

"Because there are people like you out here." She smiled her cat like smile.

I looked at her. She obviously had practice when it came to this.

"I highly doubt there's anyone else like me."

"I'll admit you are more broken then the average teenager, but you still have the same problems that every other hormonal adolescent has."

"Say it." I said. I have this ability to tell when someone has something more to say. I just know there's more. Maybe it's the way they stop the sentence.

"Ok." She placed her hands on her lap. "You are more mentally closed off then most of the teenagers I've ever encountered. You pike my interest every time I talk with you. You might never escape the black hole you created inside your head. That makes me want to enter your head so much more. It's so dark up there; you can't even explain it. I want you to be able to explain it."

I looked at her as I lowered my arms to fall to the sides. I felt extremely vulnerable.

"I can't." I said.

She looked at me and folded her hands on her chest as she smiled her cat like grin.

"That's why I'm here."

(No one ever questions 'why' when they are little. Maybe that's why when they are older it's no longer 'why', but rather 'why not'.)

Upon my journey home from Dr. Bliss' office I figured out that maybe I was looking at everything from the wrong angle. Maybe I just had to learn to adjust and try to find my place in the outside world.

I mean, that's how it works, right?

"Helga!" Oh jeez.

I turned around and watched the addiction come towards me. He had begun jogging the last few steps and stood over me. His eyes suggested that he was hurt. I guess I don't really care if he's hurt though.

"Yes, football head." I said, I will admit there was quite a bit of venom in my voice. I might have been a little immature when it came to him.

"Look I—"

"If this is about Li… Lila." I corrected my tone. I had to play the stronger person. I am not the stronger person but I have to pretend. "It's ok. I mean, I'm ok. I told you if you found someone not to think of me. You did exactly what I told you to do."

"Helga… I didn't mean to do anything it just happened. I mean it's not like Lila and I are even official or anything. It was just…" He trailed off. I felt the pain in my chest erupt. I felt myself begin to slowly shut down. I was waiting for the sobs and the tears to come.

"It was just a summer fling?" My voice broke and I quickly looked away from him. There should be a giant appointment book that we are allowed to use to set dates for situations like this. It would really help the over all public. "And what were we?" I slowly brought my eyes to his. He looked at me with round eyes, green and overly large.

"You wanted a break." He said, calmly. He wasn't trying to blame it all on me. He was simply doing what all human beings do. Trying to be rational.

"You're right, I did." I nodded. It's a cruel irony. "So, that's why I'm not angry." I smiled slightly. I was literally dying on the inside, I could feel my soul suffocate against my chest, but dammit, I was smiling on the outside. "I'm… I'm really happy for you." I wiped my eyes. "You and Lila are… cute." I wanted to gag.

"Helga—"

"No. NO." I raised my hand to stop him. "This is my fault, you're right. I'm happy for you guys. I mean, this is how it's suppose to work right? Now, no more nonsense about summer flings and such. I'll see you in school next week."

He looked at me, trying to place together the pieces while we stood on the sidewalk. Little did he know that I was missing a few important parts.

"This isn't good bye." He said. He sounded convincing.

"No, this isn't good bye." He placed his hand on my shoulder and kissed me gently on the cheek.

"I will always be here for you Helga."

"I know that." I nodded. He gently turned around and began walking towards his house. I followed and turned to walk my own long way home.

This wasn't good bye.

This was a dark hello.